NCC Selects Amity Teachers Of English To Go To China
June 29, 2001, NEW YORK CITY- Orientation has just concluded for 15 of the 18 English teachers who will leave the United States August 2 for two years' service in the Amity Teachers Program in China. For the first time, two Amity teachers will serve in Inner Mongolia and one at the Nanjing Seminary of the China Christian Council.
Church World Service, the global service and witness ministry of the National Council of Churches, coordinates the recruitment of Amity teachers on behalf of U.S. churches. The new volunteers, who are sponsored by NCC-member denominations and the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, will join 21 teachers entering their additional years of service with Amity.
Volunteers serve at 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 Rev. John L. McCullough welcomed the teachers at the headquarters of Church World Service. He thanked the teachers for their commitment to volunteer service on behalf of the 36 communions and encouraged them to be ambassadors par excellence for their faith and for their country.
The list of new and continuing CWS Amity Teachers follows:
Name/Hometown/Sponsor/Placement
Erin Alberty, Ottumwa, Iowa, United Board, Zhenjinag Teachers College, Jiangsu
John Close, Norfolk, Va., ELCA, Baotou Teachers Training Center, Inner Mongolia
Russ Elliott, Naperville, Ill, UMC, Yancheng Teachers College, Jiangsu Province
Ilse Friberg, Prosser, Wash., United Board, Yuncheng Teachers Training Center, Shanxi
Julia Granath, Plano, Texas, United Board, Fuyang Teachers College, Anhui
Kay Grimmesey, Upland, Calif., UMC, Huanan Women's College, Fujian
Erin Hetrick, Omaha, Neb., ELCA, Nantong Teachers College, Jiangsu
Andrea Malzahn, Chaska, Minn., UMC, Fuynag Teachers College, Anhui
Marie McCulley, Burney, Calif., ABC, Nantong Teachers College, Jiangsu
Danielle Panza, Fort Wayne, Ind., UMC, Jiujian Teachers College, Jiangxi
Carl Penton, Pensacola, Fla., United Board, Huaiyin Teachers College, Jiangsu
Florence Perez, Eden, Texas, UMC, Shantong Institute of Education, Ji'an
Daniel Reider, Blaine, Minn., United Board/ECUSA, Baotou Teachers Training Center, Inner Mongolia
Caroline Sunquist, Allison Park, Pa., PCUSA, Yuncheng Teachers Training Center, Shanxi
Connie Wieck, Marshall, Ill., UMC, Inner Mongolia Institute of Continuing Education
Anne Wire, Berkeley, Calif., PCUSA, Nanjing Theological Seminary
Hugh Wire, Berkeley, Calif., PCUSA, Nanjing Pharmaceutical University
Barbara Wyman , Marshfield, Wis., ELCA, Zaozhuang Teacher College, Shantong
CWS Amity Teachers 2001 Continuations
Name/Hometown/Sponsor/Placement
Haidee Aquino, Philippines, UMC, Sanming Teachers College, Fujian
Ellen Barber, Mount Vernon, Wash., UMC, Shangrao Teachers College, Jiangxi
Richard Behringer, Tripp, S.D., CC/UCC, Ji'an Teachers College, Jiangxi
Jerri Behringer, Tripp, S.D., CC/UCC, Ji'an Teachers College, Jiangxi
Beth Carter, The Woodlands, Texas, ECUSA, Yichung Teachers College, Jiangxi
William Davis, UMC, Shantong Institute of Education, Ji'an
Erin DeVos, Woodville, Wis., RCA, Yichun Teachers Training College, Jiangxi
Latosha Glover, Cleveland, Ohio, UMC, Fuzhou Teachers College, Fujian
Jon Hilton, PCUSA (returning in February 2002)
Phyllis Hilton, PCUSA (returning in February 2002)
Kristina Minster, Lexington, Ky., ECUSA, Jiangxi Teachers College, Nanchong
Clayton Olson, UMC, Linyi Teachers College, Shantong
Rudilyn Raguindin, Philippines, UMC, Shangrao Teachers College, Jiangxi
Beth Roberts, Batavia, Ohio, ECUSA/UB, Fuzhou Institute of Education, Fujian
Erik Rush, Vancouver, WA, United Board, Shangrao Teachers College, Jiangxi
Susan Smith, Madison, Wis., PCUSA, Zaozhuang Teachers College, Shandong
John Strong, Louisville, Ky., PCUSA, Jiangsu Institute of Education, Nanjing
Kim Strong, Louisville, Ky., PCUSA, Jiangsu Institute of Education, Nanjing
Suzanne Webber, Renton, WA, PCUSA, Nanjing Foreign Language School
Robbie Wellington, Atlanta, GA, PCUSA, Changwei Teachers College, Weifeng, Shangton
Clarence Woodley, Cleveland, OH, UMC, Fujian Institute of Eucation, Fuzhou
-end-