Amity Teachers Program: Handbook 2006

Revival night in Old Shangrao

Gary MacDonald


"I didn't want to come to this poor college. I wanted to study in the Beijing Language Institute. When I was assigned to Shangrao teachers College, I felt so self-abased."

I never exactly understood what "self-abased" meant, but from the pathetic look on the speaker's face I always knew it wasn't something pretty. Anyway, it was a dreary monologue I had heard just too many times.

Last October, when the first-year students had settled in, most having convinced themselves or having been assured by others that only despair lay within the gates of Shangrao Teachers College, I decided that being self-abased was a cry I no longer wanted to hear.

I called together seven of my best students, those who had applied themselves and had achieved some measure of success, from the previous year. We had a heart-to-heart talk, discussing their own determination to learn and how they managed to hold up their hopes in study while so many around them simply gave up. I then asked if they would be willing to speak to the new students with words of encouragement, together with a big dose of big-sister, big-brother guidance. They agreed.

An evening meeting was called for all first-year students. previous to the hour I treated the speakers to a restaurant meal during which they endured a final pep talk. The big moment came. All seven stood smartly before the new students, and they truly did speak from the heart.

At least two of the speakers are worth quoting. Student Brian stood his full five-foot-two and, providing his own Chinese/English simultaneous translation, began. "I tell you that unless you believe in yourself not even the gods can help you learn English!" he declared. "If you don't learn English at this college, blame yourself. It's all up to you!" When Brian gave a mighty bang on the table with one hand and pointed to the sky with the other, the entire audience leaned forward. we were on a roll.

It was at that precise moment that in my own mind the annual Shangrao Teachers College Revival Night In English Language Learning was born. I too leaned forward, wondering what would happen next.

Student Brian, now Brother Brian, was followed by Sister Katherine. "I'm a shy girl from the countryside," Sister Katherine confessed. "It's difficult for me to open my mouth to speak English. But I know that unless I do, not even the best teachers in the world could ever help me. I must conquer my own short-comings. It's up to me."

The congregation was enthralled. The speakers continued.

I kept the evangelistic team busy all year. "Brother David, John in Class 3 seems to be discouraged. Can you have a talk with him?" "Sister Sofia, can you drop in on Mary in Class 4" She needs more confidence in her ability to speak."

And it worked. Looks of despair were replaced with smiling, hopeful faces.

It is true that not all those who came forward to pledge their souls to a daily reciting of the plu-perfect tense remain long in the fold, but it has made a difference. The self-abased lament is gone. Conversations are more "I know that I must believe in myself. It's up to me to learn English wherever I am."

And the harvest is greater yet. Witness Brother Leo, a recent convert, in his testimony upon returning to college for his second year. "This summer I met many of my old classmates from middle school. Some of them have gone on to famous universities in China. I told them that Shangrao Teachers College is not so bad as they may have heard. If I study hard, I can learn just as they can."

A final message from Sister Eve, just returned from the mission field. "This summer was the first time for me to be home from college. I had nothing to do. I went to the middle school to ask if I could help the teachers. The head-master looked down on me because I was from Shangrao Teachers College. So I asked to help with the worst class. I taught them Chinese, but a lot of the time I talked to them about having more confidence in themselves and not listening so much to others who always criticize them. In the end the head-master never thanked me, but the students were grateful. Most of all, I saw what I could do."

And so we continue from Amen Corner in Old Shangrao, where donations to our tambourine are gratefully accepted.