once his son was lost, but now he is found

"Once his son was lost, but now he is found"- the girl in the back of the class piped up as her confidence in her answer grew more with each word she spoke. Now certain her answer was correct, she began to finish summarizing the story she had heard the week before in class, paying careful attention to make sure she told each part and pausing ever so slightly to verify her word choice. The story she was helping piece together was one I was familiar with, a story of father who loved his sons and welcomed the younger home even after he had plundered his inheritance and came to beg to only work for his father. His father, however, celebrated his son coming home and forgave his son's wrong doings.

I sat in the back of the observing her teacher, one of my team mates, who has been teaching far longer than I hoping to gain experience on how to best serve my students next semester. I sat listening to her (and her classmates) knowing she had gotten it, as they started discussing the characteristics of the son and his dad and what it means to forgive another person. As the class learned and used vocabulary and discussed the forgiveness the story had modeled; new English words were forming in their mouths and my hope is that seeds of true learning that will grow for a lifetime was happening inside of that classroom.

I am so thankful to know the forgiveness that was spoken of in this story and how I have been given the opportunity to speak of true forgiveness in China to my friends. Last week, I was able to share my story of how the father poured his love out for me with a friend of mine at lunch, Sunday afternoon. She asked some really great questions and said she had heard of the love I was speaking of before; but that she knew only a handful of brothers and sisters and did not know the things which I shared with her.

These have been a few of my favorite days in China, the days where the language causing my head to hurt and the squatty potties are rejoiced over and more than worth it as I am encouraged and reminded of how the Father is working here and humbled that I get to be a part of it. I would love for you to be part of it as well! I never would have imagined that I would be spending my 23rd birthday living in a country that is not my passport country, or one that feels so much like home but so very different at the same time. It’s not what I would have planned but there is no other place I’d rather be, not because I don’t miss Memphis, my family, or friends (because if I could be in 2 places at once sign me up!) but because it is where the Father has called me to be. I would love to invite and ask you to help me celebrate my 23rd birthday, by supporting what the Father is doing in China. I would love if you would consider supporting me by making a $23 (or any amount) contribution to my support in honor of my 23rd birthday this week! (The link below will take you to my support page)

https://my.elic.org/support/teacher_pages/April-Morris

***I am also in need of people who would prayerfully consider joining my monthly support team for the next 18 months. I am in need of people who are willing to commit to monthly and one time financial support to labor alongside the work the Father is doing in China. If you or someone you know, may be interested in this I would love to talk more about it with you!***