Back in America

Everyone from our Summer programs has made it safely back home.  We are thankful for a remarkable Summer of teaching, fun, and impact in Asia.  The stories that we're hearing from the teachers is life-changing.  We've all been changed this Summer in unique and unforgettable ways.  Our hope is that many of these teachers will feel compelled to return next year or even come live in Asia for a season of life.  If you or anyone you know might be interested in a life changing Summer please tell them to visit www.elic.org for more information.

From Hanoi!

We’ve been amazingly busy with all the planning and teaching, but our curriculum is addressing some heavy issues like eating disorders and the pursuit of fame, so we’ve been able to have meaningful conversations in the classroom. We’ve also had opportunities form relationships with students outside of class. One class took all of us teachers into downtown Hanoi on Friday night. We walked around one of the many lakes, ate Pho (a noodle dish special to Vietnam), and enjoyed ice cream together. It was great to see them outside of the classroom, and begin the foundations of true friendships.

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A Glimpse of Camp Vietnam

Here's a quick glimpse into the lives of our Camp Vietnam teams. A couple of photos are from our training at Cheung Chau island and the others are after their arrival in Vietnam. I'm looking forward to hearing more stories in the coming days as the teams begin teaching and interacting with their students. We are all confident that remarkable, life-changing things will happen this Summer through these teams. Keep checking back for more stories and pictures.

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The Joy of Team

This week at training in Hong Kong we've been learning a lot about the value of team. We've learned how to love one another, how to confront each other with respect and how to live in community. These valuable lessons will carry these 150 teachers through the next few weeks of teaching their classes. Placing a high value on the team is a priority as we send these teachers out. We are very excited about our team leaders this year as they have sacrificed time and resources to be here to guide their teachers through the summer. The team leaders are a huge encouragement to their teams and provide a needed voice of comfort and confidence.

Here's a photo of one of our Vietnam teams:

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Training on Cheung Chau Island

Before our teachers are sent out to their campuses in Vietnam we want them to be equipped as effective teachers. Cheung Chau Island is a 30 minute boat ride from the central area of Hong Kong. Once on the island, the teachers hiked up to the retreat center where they are staying. They are surrounded by the quiet serenity of nature and a view of the ocean. Community is developing among the teams and the teachers are increasingly excited about going out to their campuses.

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Camp Vietnam - Welcome!

For the month of July we're excited to host North American college students in Hanoi, Vietnam as they set out to live and teach among local high school students. This 4-week high-impact summer camp will surely change countless lives and leave the teachers with a longing to continue to be a part of what's happening in Asia.

Follow along on this blog as we document the journey from training at Cheung Chau island in Hong Kong to their classrooms throughout Hanoi. You'll meet teachers, their teams, students, and the city. Welcome to Camp Vietnam!

Check out these photos from Hong Kong - the location of our four day training for our new teachers.

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