Jumping Off Point September 9 2011

Mabuhay Bienvenidos, Welcome

“We have a desperate need for a Spanish Teacher!” That’s what the HR Director at Faith Academy in Manila said when we called in early July. She followed with “we don’t pay teachers – call TeachBeyond”. Sunshine and I looked up TeachBeyond online and learned they were a mission organization focused on education. Faith Academy is a K-12 mission school outside of Manila, Philippines. The following is from their May newsletter. “Our superintendent and principals have called our school to a time of fasting and prayer this week. We are desperately short on staff for next school year. As I pray, I am reminded of the parable of the unjust judge and the importune widow that my pastor preached on yesterday (Luke 18:1-8). We cry out to God.” –Becca Van Weerdhuizen I had been crying out to God for the right fit for my Spanish teaching education and experience; immediately the conviction and excitement was there to serve where there is great need! -Sunshine

Taking a leap of faith

The Principal of Faith Academy happened to be in Seattle the week we called and we were able to meet with him and his family. He commented, “I am just continually amazed at how God meets our needs, here we are looking for a Spanish teacher and she is on Orcas Island when I happen to be visiting my brother in Seattle for two weeks!”

We were living in a sleepy Mexican surfing village

when I got the news I was being “released”. It

was not a surprise but that did not make me

feel any better. We could not stay in Punta de

Mita, the nearest schools were half an hour

away, we had no car, now we had no job and

summer, the slow season, was about to start.

Thanks to help from Shay, a friend from the

LaFuente Church in Bucerias and a local girl

who watched Tobias and Astrid, Sunshine and

I sat down and gave our goals to God. I can

now report that all our goals have all been met

in God’s creative way.

Goal: Become closer as a family

God’s Creativity: I learned a housewife’s job really is never done and how take care of my children

beyond the evening bath and book.

Goal: Have a good school for Tobias and Astrid

God’s Creativity: Both Tobias and Astrid were taught by their Grandmother who has been a preschool

teacher on Orcas Island for twenty years and both will be attending Faith Academy.

Goal: Have a stronger marriage

God’s Creativity: Be careful giving this goal to God, he tests with fire. By being on Orcas Island with

very little money I got in touch with Sunshine’s deep drive and desire to make a difference in the world.

Goal: Open a juice bar serving healthy, international fare in a positive environment

God’s Creativity: I found the perfect location, the landlord was even willing to remodel and the health

department all but passed me on the phone. Then a man also named Kyle, approached the landlord and

rented the space to open a 8. juice bar. During the summer I had met a woman at Church whose

dream was to run a juice bar on Orcas. Kyle, not me, has asked her to run the juice bar because she

was “close with God”.

Goal: To grow in faith

God’s Creativity: I have no job, live on an island (30 minutes from “town”), the car has been breaking

down – it takes great faith to not “lose it” daily. Doors open for Sunshine to teach at Faith Academy.

Faith Academy would like me to teach a well and TeachBeyond has requested I support the opening of

schools in Asia – all without a salary. Yet my faith in God increases as I watch Him come through on

every need.

“Coincidences are God’s way of staying anonymous” Albert Einstein

A few “coincidences” that lead us to decide this was the right fit

o The Philippines is the “Latin country in Asia”, Kyle’s specialization is Asia and Sunshine’s the Latin

world

o Kyle attended kindergarten at Faith Academy

o Sunshine was led to the Lord by a Korean American woman, taught Korean children and their

parents for almost three years, and now teaches Korean high school students at Faith Academy

whose student body is nearly 40% Korean

o Our good friends in Hanoi were missionaries and Christian overseas Filipino workers

o God put friends into our lives on Orcas who, after applying we learned are Faith Academy alumni

o Tobias and Astrid’s grandparents relocated to Manila the same week we began the application

process

o Sunshine wanted to teach Spanish in Hanoi but only a lone Dane took her up on the offer leading

her to lament “I will never teach Spanish in Asia – what was I thinking?”

o Sunshine struggled with God over teaching English in Hanoi to pay the bills, when really wanting

to use her degree...10 years later God has provided work in the field she loves, in Asia!

o Tobias always wanted a big pool at school

o Tobias and Astrid are excited to live in a city called “Vanilla”

The last few years have been a training time, and now we know what for.

We helped care for Sunshine’s Grandmother, Shirley Hovelman, from 2008-2010 in our home in

Ashland, Oregon. Serving in this way brought us closer to God and each other. We also got to know

the miracle energy God can provide when serving under great pressure and strain, with a nursing child,

3 year old, and two full-time jobs and many other obstacles before us. We saw what God could do

through sacrifice and love. In 2010, after Shirley passed away, we were convicted to follow God’s

instructions on our next step in life. We donated most of our things and put the rest in storage and hit

the road to find out where to next.

Kyle was approved to work remotely so we traveled for one year in Washington, Colorado, and Mexico

meeting with different churches, missions, work opportunities, and connecting with family and friends.

During this time Kyle was looking for new career opportunities and found some interested companies

but those that were interested had limited funds to add an employee. He was even flown to D.C. for

interviews with USAID. When we read the letter that said he was not selected we were disappointed

but also relieved that the next year would not be spent with Kyle in Afghanistan. We were told to be

excited that God had something greater for us, which at the time was easy to understand but hard to

believe. Now we know what that is – let’s get to work.

Faith Academy

Faith Academy is an

international Christian K-12

school primarily serving the

children of missionaries

working in the Philippines

and throughout Asia, and

committed to equipping our

students to be Christ-like, life-

long learners.

www.faith.edu.ph

Email:

shopkins@teachbeyond.org

khopkins@teachbeyond.org

Facebook:

Hopkins Teach Beyond

Blog:

http://hopkinsteachbeyond.

blogspot.com

Skype:

sunshine.hopkins kyle.hopkins

Phone:

360-499-2925

Address:

PO Box 434 Eastsound, WA

98245 USA

TeachBeyond Mission:

As followers of Jesus we are

an international organization

providing transformational

education to children and

adults. We offer teaching and

learning services to all

regardless of gender,

ethnicity, or religion in order

to promote holistic personal

growth and enduring social

benefit.

www.teachbeyond.org

Faith Academy

Pledge Request

We need a total of $2,500 in monthly pledges along with our one-time expenses to mobilize. One-time expenses include airfare and moving in expenses which are approximately $4,000 and $4,000 respectively. If we meet our challenge goal of $4,100 in monthly pledges Kyle will be able to work full-time with Faith Academy and TeachBeyond. To achieve our goal we will need monthly gifts of $50, $100, $200 or greater. We have to raise 90% of our expenses and all the start-up costs before we can leave. In light of the fact that school has started if you are led to give please let TeachBeyond know as soon as possible. You can donate online at www.teachbeyond.org/donate. We suggest that you use the online donation form for your first month pledge and mail in the pledge form to set up automatic withdrawal. To meet the immediate needs Sunshine has begun teaching via the internet and her 58 students are eager to have their teacher in person. Faith Academy also has need for a business and South East Asian history teacher along with a tennis coach. In addition TeachBeyond has requested Kyle consult in the opening of Christian K-12 schools in Southeast Asia to serve missionaries and nationals and establish the TeachBeyond office in Asia. Faith Academy serves families from over 150 Christian organizations. Without Faith Academy these organizations would not meet their goals. Recently a student asked Sunshine when she would be in the classroom, Sunshine replied, “it could be any time so be ready”. The student answered, “I need to know the date so I can pray for you.” It is an honor to have the students and staff praying for us, we take our responsibility to them seriously and need your help to make it happen.

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