Reality Check

It's incredible how insular life can be for me here in Indonesia. I teach at one of the most elite schools in Indonesia. My students all come from very priviledged homes and I have everything that I could hope for to be comfortable and then some. It is actually quite easy at times to forget that most of Indonesia is under-developed and that there are millions who live in complete poverty. Something that I really appreciate about my school here is that it desires to raise up students who see the needs around them and who serve others with the compassion of Christ. Each Grade 7 student is involved in a community service program that offers tutoring help to children from the Greenville slums located nearby Jakarta. Each student will give 21 hours over the school year to spend a Saturday afternoon teaching math or language to kids from Kindergarten to Grade 6. Some of the kids are excited to learn and soak up the new information they are being taught. Other kids are distracted, wild and are a real handful to control and teach. I have enjoyed reading my students' reflections on what they have been doing in Greenville. Most have gained a new appreciation for what they have and are learning some of the challenges that teachers face each day.