With a move overseas there are so many challenges when adapting to a new home and country. It is especially hard to navigate a new place in a language you do not speak. We know this from experience living as foreigners in China for many years. So now, being in the Philippines, we hope we can help those from mainland China who have moved here.
One way we can help is by offering free English classes at our church. One Friday night at our weekly classes we had a new student. She came with her 10-year-old son. After class we learned that she had just moved to the Philippines earlier that week (during a typhoon no less!). As we were preparing to close up the church and go home, I saw her looking at her phone trying to get directions to her new apartment. I recognized the name of her apartment complex, and her directions on the Chinese map app were not correct. Public transportation is challenging to navigate here in Baguio and with her young son and trying to get home in the dark, I was worried she would be lost and have a hard time asking for directions. We were happy to offer her and her son a ride home and have more time to chat and get to know them. During that ride home we learned Annie and her family in China are Christians. I shared more about the church (where our English classes are held) and invited her to join on Sunday.
It has been two months and Annie is one of our most committed students. She and her son are trying to get more settled here in Baguio. Annie has a background in psychology and moved here specifically because her son has some behavior disorders and needs special education that she was not getting in China.
Annie’s son and our kids play together at church often and each Friday night at our English class. We can see how much she struggles with her son’s challenging behavior, but she is so dedicated to finding a safe space for him to grow and learn despite the sometimes harsh treatment from schools and judgements from others. One day after a church service where her son was acting up, I saw she was in tears. I gave her a hug and told her she was welcome here at the church no matter what. Please pray for Annie as she and her son make their home here. Pray our community can be a place where she feels safe and welcome. Pray she can find the resources and education here she needs for her son.
