The Trustee Board of Ocean View United Church gratefully acknowledges the following donations to the “Church Building Repair Fund”:
Ø In memory of George E. Flight from Clyde & Brenda.
Ø In memory of parents, Harold & Marie King from Getrude & Hayward Butt.
Ø In memory of dear friends, Jack & Annie Slade from Murley & Shirley Bursey.
For information concerning our Food Bank you may contact:
Bonnie Crummey 598-2803 Sophie White 598-2595 Rev. Cole 598-
2943.
Please forward items for Church News to Darryl Butt by Thursday of each week.
Transformation through Drama
Gary MacDonald is an overseas personnel serving with the Amity Foundation and is funded by Mission and Service. He works as an English teacher at Hexi College, Gansu Province, China. Many of his students are from small villages and are timid and shy in their approach to English and even to life in general.
Gary and another teacher decided to put on a play. Not one student had participated in such a thing and most were unsure what drama was. With more faith than common sense, the project began.
To accommodate a cast of 30, a simple plot was turned into a full-length story with singing and dancing, even though none of the students had sung for an audience before and most had never thought of dancing anywhere! There were many rehearsals and much doubt. Songs were practised. Dances were taught to students wearing homemade cloth shoes.
Then something happened: faces became brighter; students who had spoken English in shy whispers opened up in beautiful confidence; imaginations emerged as students developed their roles.
That was three years ago. Many of those students are still on campus, role models among their fellow students both in and outside the classroom. In the annual drama, seasoned performers guide novices. Onstage new confidence and strengths are found. In real life, characters are transformed and developed. It is a wondrous thing.
Your Mission and Service gifts support Gary’s work helping young Chinese students become excellent teachers and strong individuals. Please give generously.
We are a united church! We work together to support education
across Canada and in many foreign countries.
