Diversified Learning Project for Placed Children

Agape Children's Home: Life-wide education

The purpose of life-wide education is to impart knowledge and to build character and ability. However, we are all unique individuals with different talents. There is no absolute good, bad, right or wrong, although we all want to develop ourselves in an all-round and balanced manner so that we can adapt to whatever life offers. However, most children are not like this. Especially those who are placed in the institutions. It is not uncommon that these children choose to withdraw themselves because of lack of self-confidence. It is not because they don't possess good qualities but because they don't believe in themselves. Therefore, in order to make them believe their own abilities, it is necessary to try every possible way to let them have a taste of success which then can turn into the source of their self-confidence.

Breakthrough and Never Give Up

During the long holiday, the Agape Children's Home arranged activities such as road running and mountain climbing for the children, hoping that through personal experiences they would discover the joy and fun following the hard work as well as collecting small successes along the way. During this year's road running race, many children who have previously participated the 3 km category race chose to challenge the 10 km category. One of them is Lynn, a kid with flat feet. Because of her physical condition, it is difficult enough for her to walk or run as it hurts. However, this year she wanted to challenge the 10 km walk and she invited the teacher to accompany her. During the walk the teacher asked her a few times whether she wanted to turn back as it was apparent that she was in pain due to her flat feet. But she said:" No! I must complete the challenge." So, we spent more than one hour to complete the whole 10km. Lynn was very happy that she has successfully made a breakthrough.

During the mountain climbing trip the day after, Lynn also looked after younger girls while completing the journey herself with all others.  It took the volunteer by surprise as Lynn used to mind her own business only. But this time during the mountain climbing trip, she showed the caring side of her. The volunteer was very surprised that Lynn, being a first year junior high school kid, had already learned to look after younger kids in the Children's Home.

During this long holiday, we have made special arrangement of physical activities such as road running and mountain climbing. We hope that through cheering each other up in a team, the children learn the spirit of never giving up. They completed the whole race even if they had to walk instead of running. Mountain climbing allows children to appreciate and respect the wonder of the nature. During these two activities, it was not just Lynn who demonstrated great breakthroughs, the other children also showed perseverance and physical strength unlike their normal selves. They ran, they walked and they held on to the end. They helped and supported each other. It was thought that these elementary school kids would need to be carried by the adults during at least part of the mountain climbing. To everyone's surprise, not only did they require no such help, they also each carried about 5 kilo supplies on their own and completed the whole journey. The potential of children is truly amazing. 

With the love from everyone and the contribution of all kinds of resources, we are allowed to bring the children different experiences and to activate the appreciation of the beauty of life in their hearts.

With your help, one day our children will be able to fly high in the sky with their own brave strong wings.