After serving in China for many years, and then being displaced due to the pandemic. We are happy to be settling into our new home and ministry location in the Philippines. Long before we departed for the field we have been studying about the diaspora of Chinese from mainland (overseas Chinese) leaving China for various reasons to live in other parts of Asia.
We were hopeful to find ways to meet the overseas Chinese here in the small city of Baguio up in the mountains north of Manila. Baguio is home to more than 20 universities, colleges, and seminaries. It is also a huge tourist destination. So, while the city only has a population of around 400,000 when you add all the students who come and go and the tourists, that population is actually much higher.
From what we had learned before our arrival on the field in July. We knew we could expect to meet overseas Chinese students attending university, but we were also hopeful to meet other Chinese families with children attending some of the international schools.
Our children started at a local international school named Brent School in early August. Our hopes of meeting more Chinese families were most definitely met and exceeded our expectations! We have been blown away by how many Chinese families are at the school. The student body is is more than 50% Filipino. Then there is a large mix of families from mainland China, Korea, Malaysia, Australia, and many more. We are grateful for the doors that are opening to connect with those from China.
While we have only been connecting in this community for 2 months since the start of the school year, we have started learning about the lives and needs of the Chinese families we are getting to know. The school does teach Mandarin Chinese, but it only begins at grade 6. I met the Mandarin teacher (laoshi), and we quickly became friends. She expressed a desire to start an afterschool mandarin Chinese program for the younger children, but she was too busy and would need some help. With my background in early childhood education, I told her I would be happy to help. So, in September we started the weekly after school Mandarin Club for K-5th grade. This has been a great opportunity to connect and share in Chinese culture with the broader school community. We have started by teaching the kids some of the basics beginning with learning numbers in Chinese, basic introductions, and about the most recent Chinese holiday “Mid Autumn Festival” with fun mooncake activities for the children. Even the Chinese parents are excited for their children to join the Mandarin club. Even though their children can speak Chinese fluently, they do not get the same level of practicing writing Chinese characters in the international school setting that they would in China. So, they are concerned for their kids to start learning how to read and write Chinese characters from a young age. Starting this Mandarin Club is a great way to help fill a need that they see in the lives of their family.
Another need that was expressed was for English tutoring for the Chinese parents. Their children have been attending the international school so their English is very good. But the parents do not get as much practice. Many of them cannot communicate or understand any English. Yet they are operating in a city that is predominantly English speaking. So I offered to start a weekly English class for the Chinese families we are meeting. We hope this is an opportunity not only to learn English together but have a sacred space of friendship and build beloved community.
There is so much for us to learn as we get connected here in our new ministry location. Please pray for us as we build friendships and seek ways to minister among the overseas Chinese community here in Baguio, Philippines.
