In our Baptism Combine Worship with “Homecoming” GCDC, Kevin Hu, students and Parents are up on the stage and worship together. There were three GCDC students got baptized.
在我們的洗禮聯合崇拜, 胡希強弟兄及一眾恩上之家的學生和家長一同站在台上與母會亞凱迪亞羅省基督教會內崇拜。當日有三位恩上之家的學生受浸。
English translation for testimony from a parent:
Hello, my name is Peter Pan, and I’m from ShenZhen, China. Three years ago I went to San Francisco with some of my friends in planning to open a travel agency there. Due to various reasons it didn’t happen, and unfortunately all my money was gone. Yet luckily I still survive today.
Our family of three moved to Los Angeles last year, and my son JunKai had also been attending San Gabriel High School. Not only did we have no relatives or friends at that time, we even met a few bad crooks!
When JunKai first attended school here, he did not have any friends either. He obviously felt the pressure as a young man at his age. Back in China, he had his own room and he was constantly cared for by family and friends. But in L.A., the three of us are sharing a single room in a condo without much care from anyone. You could probably imagine the challenge through this drastic change. Fortunately my son got to know Roger in school, and Roger learned that JunKai could play guitar and bass and had even joined a band in China.
One day Roger told JunKai that he had been studying at Upward Bound Study Center, and would like to invite Junkai to play guitar in the fellowship. That’s how my son got connected with Upward Bound. Later, my wife signed him up for English classes at Upward Bound to improve his language skills.
At the beginning he was very passive. He merely attended each class and then left the study center as soon as class was over. It wasn’t until he got to know the teachers and classmates at Upward Bound, and with their modeling and unconditional help, he started to learn about helping others and volunteering. He even showed responsibility and willingness to sacrifice.
JunKai just graduated from high school in May this year. He volunteered to help as a Teacher’s Assistant at the Upward Bound Summer Program, and he was also a part of the planning team. I could tell he’s totally different now both in spirit and in appearance. Just recently when Kevin asked him if he would make time to help out at Upward Bound after he started college, he assented without hesitation.
He is now the Teacher’s Assistant for an adult English class in the evening. As parents, our worries are fading when we see such a transformation on our son. Under his influence, and when I have time, I’ve been going to church with him on Sundays, a place where I witness unity, caring and selfless contribution.
Here I would like to express my gratitude to Upward Bound Study Center and to many who had offered help to JunKai without ever asking for anything in return.
With a grateful heart, you will find great joy when you offer help and support to others. With a grateful heart, you will be less critical and more appreciative for people and circumstances.
Gratitude is indeed a lifelong lesson. Give thanks and live with passion, and we will experience more joy in life!
Thank you!