Catch-up

I have neglected the blog lately, so I apologise to those faithful readers who daily check for new posts. 

I will try to bring you up to speed on the Hong Kong Harvey Happenings.

A few weeks ago we enjoyed another visit from my friend Natalie, passing through to China from Dubai. I was so pleased that Natalie could come to the school where I work, see my classroom and meet some of my colleagues. Now if only I could just convince her to swap schools!

Keegan's Sunday cricket lessons in Tai Po have resumed, much to his joy.

On Saturday October 16th we travelled to Mong Kok for an afternoon tea launch of the new C3 church in Hong Kong.

Wayne (in photo below) and Mary Simpson from Sydney will be the pastors of this new church which will officially start in the New Year.

Chris Pringle and the other speakers at the event were very enthusiastic about their dreams to add Hong Kong to "one of the world's fastest growing, exciting and powerful church movements". Although it was great to hear about a new Aussie church plant, we think it will most likely be on Hong Kong Island and thus too far to travel. We need more international churches in the New Territories! At the launch the C3 team gave our three children each a gift bag filled with goodies like VeggieTales DVDs, Kinder Surprise chocolates, and toys. I was touched by their generosity and wish them well in leading lost souls to Christ here in Hong Kong.

The return to full-time teaching has been hard for me. I am exhausted at 9:00 every night, and often fall asleep watching my favourite TV shows. I am thankful to have a new full-time educational assistant named Joyce whom I am conscious that I am working very hard. During the past fortnight I met with each of my families as part of the students' IEPs (Individualised Education Programs) to discuss their goals and objectives. This IEP document forms the basis for each child's curriculum. For some students I will work on reducing their sensitivity to having their teeth brushed. For others it is to use their voice at the right volume in the classroom or to learn the right way to behave in a supermarket. Some will begin integrating with the mainstream classes for art, music, cafeteria, PE, etc. My students have surprisingly few behaviour problems related to aggression, but the unpredictability of the nature of their disabilities keeps me on my toes every day. I am enjoying sharing my faith with them, reading aloud from the Bible, practising memory verses, and teaching them how to pray to God. We have had a few amusing incidents with students praying "Dear Mrs Harvey..." or thanking God for obscure items like "cats that open and close". I am comforted with the thought that the Holy Spirit intercedes for my students when they don't have the words (Romans 8:26).

Today was supposed to be a major fund-raising event at ICS; however, I am typing this in our lounge room in Forest Hill. The planned Walkathon/Fall Festival was postponed until next week because a super typhoon was forecast to hit Hong Kong this weekend. For the last few days typhoon warning signals have been hoisted, and we were prepared for the worst.

All the glass windows and doors at International Christian School were taped in a criss-cross fashion to better hold broken glass in place and reduce the possibility of injury should a typhoon actually hit.

However, it has all been a bit of an anti-climax as Typhoon Megi did not hit Hong Kong after all. Today has been a beautiful day.

And yes, Manou, despite the pollution there are occasionally rainbows in Hong Kong!