Why?

We've been asked why we've been involved in dorm parenting, why we chose to work and live at a Christian school, how we can engage teenagers when they are so fickle and tempermental. I admit - there's a lot of drama with teenagers, too much some days actually. Lots of hormones, hearsay, poor choices, miscommunication, generation gaps, tears, tantrums, laziness and lost homework. About week 12 of 20 in a semester, the energy levels are sapped and the good intentions of parenting can sometimes be lost in the business of 'just getting by'. But every now and then, a student would say or do something that would make it all worthwhile and that's all I needed to recharge my batteries to keep going. These are like 'little wonders' that are mentioned in a song by the same name. Here's a sampling of those little wonders that made all the difference to me when I was a dorm parent and will continue to touch my heart long after I leave Dalat in a few days.....

I thank you always for welcoming me with a bright smile. You've shown me what it's like to be a Christ follower and I've been blessed just seeing you everyday.

Sacrifices you made for God blessed a lot of people and made big differences.

We both loved the time we spent together and will pray for you and may God bless your family. We love you and we always will.

Thank you so much for being supportive of me.

Thank you for making my life so fun.

There are many memories I have with both of you that will resonate in my heart forever. Thank you for making those memories with me.

You make your dorm daughters and sons feel like they're really home. It's been such a blessing for me to get to know you.

It's not an easy thing to have to say good bye to kids who are a part of the fabric your life, who you love like your own, who leave you notes like these when you need it the most. So far, I've said good bye to David, Dennis, Laurian, Nathan, Santi, Kirsten, Yea Lim, Joycelyn, Chan Yang, Chan Mi and a bunch of other kids plus a really good friend, Colleen. My tear ducts are working overtime! In a few hours, I will do it all over again for another group of students as they leave to board planes. Maybe I will connect again someday with a few of them, maybe not. But at the end of the day, I know that life is really measured in these little wonders and that, despite the drama and the heartache, it's been a great ride here at Dalat. Whatever we did for the Lord will not be wasted in His economy and whatever we did for ourselves, I pray He will redeem for His glory and make wonders out of it all.