Deux écoles: juive ou chrétienne

Until the week ending 20th November, God has graciously provided work in two very different school environments.

Mes juifs
One school is an old hunting-ground of mine. Well - not really a hunting-ground. It's a Jewish school in the affluent/well-off suburbs east of the city of Sydney. It has been over 2 years since this school invited me to start work there as a Music teacher of K-2 (children aged from 5 to 8), Choir and Recorder ensemble leader, and piano accompanist for religious celebrations including Pesach, Siddurim and Mitzvah presentations.

This November, I return for my 3rd set of Mitzvah rehearsals. I play the piano, help the Kindergarten children consolidate their knowledge of the Hebrew or English songs they are singing, give them their musical cues to sing or stop at the right times, etc.

It's a very Jewish school - prayers (in Hebrew) every morning, emphasis on doing good works (mitzvot), trying to get in the good books of the Lord of the universe who made the heavens and the earth (Adon Olam - commonly referred to as Hashem).

What freedom my Jews have in Australia! - to live openly as the Jewish people, to observe their religious practices publicly, to let people (even Gentiles like me) know what they believe and why they believe it.

Mes élèves des familles qui n'opposent pas notre Évangile
Since 21st October, I've also been teaching 1 day per week at an Anglican school closer to the Southern Highlands than to Sydney suburbs (near Campbelltown). This school is overtly Christian - all teachers claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and themselves as His servants. (Well, we try the latter, anyway..) Each day in my "salle de classe" I am able to talk freely about the Lord Jesus as much as I want to my students - all aged between 10 and 12 years old. Most are from families that do not live under the Lordship of Christ - but who are open to their children being taught about Him.

What freedom we have in Australia! - to share our faith, to proclaim the gospel of Christ, to invite others to find out more about what we believe and why we believe it.

En dehors de mon pays?
But what of the lands outside this country?

Do they have such freedom?

I think not.

Can the good news of God the Son, Jesus Christ, be so freely proclaimed outside Australian borders?

In Asia?

In Europe?

I think not.

Then what am I still doing here, if I have the same passion for the lost as my Lord and Saviour does?

I cannot answer.

L/T.