“He rose above the discouragements of his life because he could see past them into the largeness of God’s purpose. . . . Jesus never abated confidence nor lost heart no matter what He had to face. He saw the Godward side of things, and that side is never discouraging.” (Excerpts from chapter 9 of Learning to Teach from the Master Teacher by John A. Marquis, 1913.) In staff worships at our Kemantian school, I have been teaching some of the principles found in this book, and I have found comfort and instruction. How I wish that I was one who never got discouraged! My prayer is that God will help me to see “the Godward side of things,” ever keeping my mind and heart fixed on the eternal.

After being on furlough several months longer than expected, returning to our field of labor has been a long adjustment. It is exciting to be back, to have people wrapping me in exuberant embraces. It is nice to hear how I was missed, and bittersweet to hear the stories of events I missed. And, my, how the children have grown!

Upon my return, I had only three weeks to get three schools cleaned, repaired, organized and outfitted and teachers prepared and in place. Our team has been working 14 to 16 hours a day. Praise the Lord, the schools are now underway, the teachers are mostly in place, and the substitutes are anxious for the regular teachers to arrive. (In one school, the substitute teacher has almost 50 students in grades K-3! In other schools we are simply understaffed, and we continue to pray for more teachers.) With nearly 200 students in our three schools, we are feeling very crowded and anxious for our new school buildings.

The other night as I was hiking home from school in the darkness, sliding through the mud from the incessant monsoon rains, I came up to the girls’ dorm. Seeing me, a freshmen girl did a deep bow as she greeted me with her new English phrase, “Good evening, Mother!”

A lump rose in my throat. “Good evening to you, too,” I replied in English. Then, switching to Palawano, I added, “But why are you bowing to me? I’m not God.”

“But you are the one who brought the words of God to us!” she replied.

I’m deeply humbled, and I pray that I will honor that trust. And I pray that not only will I keep a Godward outlook, but that I can, through the power of the Holy Spirit, teach others to do the same.

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