It was to establish and support Lutheran Schools that took me to Hong
Kong back in l956 so it was high on my agenda to visit a few of them now 52
years later. Therefore the morning after we arrived we were off to Concordia
Lutheran School in Kowloon. The school had started with just a couple middle
school grades housed in a storefront. Then we received a grant of land from the
government and a $100.000 grant from the Lutheran Women Missionary League to
build a stand-alone structure. That was my first assignment upon arrival those
many years ago. We built a Kdg-12 school, later added classrooms, added an
evening school and enrolled some 1,500 students by the time I left. I was
principal of that very large operation completely staffed by Chinese personnel.
It was a premier school with the highest rate of successful takers of school
government-sponsored high school leaving exams in the history of Hong Kong.
Things have changed dramatically. It is now only a Grade 6 to 12 school.
The evening school is no longer necessary. It is completely funded with
government grants. It continues to have high standards and a tough academic
program. Its enrollment is 750. It has a new US$7 million campus complete with
all kinds of science and language labs etc. etc.
The faculty and staff were eagerly awaiting my visit. Together they had
arranged for a group of top students to meet with me and tell me about their
school. Their presentation was all in English, fully illustrated with computer-generated
projections. The students told me of current things that were never on the
table in my day: optional sequences for high school students, courses in
tourism and hospitality, courses taught in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. The
students proudly told me of academic teams, sports programs, religious clubs
and musicals, sports teams, inter-school visits with schools on the mainland of
China and on and on. Very impressive.
They had a carefully prepared session in which I was interviewed. I was
pleased to respond to their questions regarding original visions and dreams and
about differences between then and now. Finally the interviewing student said
“Just one more question, “What is your opinion of President Trump?” That was
the question they really wanted to ask!
The next school we visited was Saviour Lutheran School for Special Ed.
What a treat. It had always been a dream of mine to reach out to this neglected
portion of the population. I was there to help find the site, raise the
construction money and get the building started but had to leave before
completing the construction and I had never seen the final product. Now there
has even been an addition to the building. Kids with special needs ages 6-16
are enrolled. The program is excellent and professionally conducted. A group
presented a short musical program for me, including the singing in English of
“Jesus Loves Me This I Know For the Bible Tells Me So.” I left emotionally
overwhelmed.
Then primarily for son Tim we went to the site of the home where he
lived from birth to age 5. Of course that building has long ago and been torn
down and replaced with higher density housing. The squatter hut village just a
block away has been replaced with high-rise apartment buildings. But Tim
tried to look over the fence to find where he had played on the slide and
climbing bars.
A quick trip to where Tim had been born: St. Teresa’s Hospital. All
replaced. Good thing as when Jane went there for his delivery the labor room
was on the third floor, there was no elevator and we woke a night watchman to
let us in. Jane’s water broke on the way up the stairs and Tim arrived before
the Dr. did. But he survived very well and the new building is helping many
others do the same today, but I bet there are none named Tim.
The next day I was off to Hong Kong International School. This is
another school which I planned, got approved, designed, and was building when a
family medical emergency forced our family to leave. Now it is one of the top
schools in the world. The recently dedicated lower school is THE BEST I have
ever seen anywhere. It even has a full-size swimming pool with a bottom that
can be raised or lowered automatically so children can be in water ranging in
depth from 1 inch to 8 feet. There is a full-sized kitchen for children to
learn, all play equipment is specifically designed for this school. The
entrance features an incredible tiled mosaic with tiles made in Italy and laid
in place by the kids. It meets all the demands of parents who pay up to
$25,000.00 in tuition for their children to attend!. It blows my mind and while
everything else that I designed has been replaced the startling cross in the center
still sends a message of love and respect for all.
When I spoke to some of the staff on the theme of excellence and
learning they announced that the bursary to allow teachers from all over to
come and learn here had been named in my honor.
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