NCC Selects Amity Teachers Of English To Go To China 

July 10 , 2000, NEW YORK CITY— The National Council of Churches (NCC) recently selected 12 English teachers to serve for two years in the Amity Teachers Program in China. 

The new volunteers will serve at rural Chinese universities and colleges, instructing prospective teachers in English as a second language.  Designed to encourage the volunteers  to “become bridges spanning the human distance between the people and churches of their home countries and the Chinese people,” the teaching program is a key part of Amity, a non-governmental organization in China. 

Established in 1985, Amity was created by Chinese Christians who continue to serve on its board.  As a Chinese organization, Amity can offer a genuine partnership with Chinese professionals who have a vision for meeting the needs of disadvantaged members of Chinese society.  While a few teachers may be placed in major urban centers of Eastern China where the program began, the current emphasis is on helping students in less wealthy areas.  

Christians from more than a dozen countries have joined the Amity foundation to promote friendship and understanding, and to contribute to Amity’s efforts in rural development, education, social welfare and Bible printing. 

            The volunteers, who were sponsored for participation by NCC member denominations, will head to China on August 3, 2000 to begin their work. They will join the 19 previously chosen English teachers whose terms will end in 2001.

The new teachers are:

·        Kristina Minister of Lexington, Ky., sponsored by The Episcopal Church, assigned to Jiangxi Teachers’ University.

·        Richard and Jeri Behringer of Tripp, S.D.,  sponsored by United Church of Christ/ Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), assigned to Ji’an Teachers’ College.

·        Erin DeVos of Woodville, Wis., sponsored by Reformed Church in America, assigned to Yichun Teachers’ College.

·        Haidee Aquino of the Philippines, sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Yancheng Teachers’ College.

·        Rudilyn Ranguindin of the Philippines, sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Yancheng Teachers’ College.

·        Beth Carter of The Woodlands, Texas, sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Yichun Teachers’ College.

·        Ellen Barber of Mount Vernon, Wash., sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Shangrao Teachers’ College.

·        Clarence Woodley of Cleveland, Ohio, sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Fujian Institute of Education.

·        Latosha Glover of Cleveland, Ohio, sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Huanan Women’s College.

·        Kimberly Ewalt of Louisville, Ky., sponsored by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), assigned to Shangrao Teachers’ College.

·        Janel Fox of Mount Vernon, Va., sponsored by the United Methodist Church, assigned to Jiangsu Teachers’ College. 

As part of their global humanitarian assistance, the East Asia and the Pacific program of Church World Service (the humanitarian response ministry of the NCC) coordinates the recruitment of Amity teachers on behalf of U.S. churches.

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