On our arrival at STT HKBP we found that the students in the Master’s programme had not responded to the invitation from the Director of Post Graduate studies to enrol in the proposed TOEFL coaching course. It was then difficult to find any information about course possibilities as the Rev Dr R.O.M. Tampubolon, the coordinator […]

On our arrival at STT HKBP we found that the students in the Master’s programme had not responded to the invitation from the Director of Post Graduate studies to enrol in the proposed TOEFL coaching course. It was then difficult to find any information about course possibilities as the Rev Dr R.O.M. Tampubolon, the coordinator of the Post Graduate studies programme, was absent from the campus.

Eventually, a meeting with Dr Siriat (the Director), and Mr Bakara (our coordinator in the seminary) was arranged and it was decided that the course would be offered to staff members of the faculty who wished to further their studies by joining a Doctorial programme, either in Indonesia or overseas.

These lecturers then joined the meeting and it was stressed that regular attendance and punctuality were essential if they decided to join the programme. Dr Siriat also advised them to change their lecture times to fit into the course time of 10am to 12pm.

Later a deaconess and a part time lecturer also enrolled in the course, making a total of nine students.

TOEFL is divided in Indonesia into three categories and students need a great deal of practice in actual examples before they can master the very difficult TOEFL examination which they usually sit in Medan. English as the CD material is in very pronounced American accents and is spoken very quickly.  The listening section is particularly difficult for students whose first language is not Lessons were conducted daily from 10am until 12noon and we worked together team teaching. Our methodology included setting many model TOEFL tests as well as formal teaching of strategies for interpreting questions while concentrating on listening, structure (grammar) and reading, writing from books and CDs we had sourced in the US through Amazon. We gave hints on how to interpret questions, how to search for key words and to generally familiarise students with the type of questions found in a typical TOEFL examination in Indonesia. We concentrated on pronunciation and used an academic word list consisting of 570 common word families found in academic texts. Students needed to find a definition for each word and use them in sentences. This was done as homework and discussed enthusiastically in class.

The students were highly motivated and very keen to participate in all the activities. They also exhibited a very good sense of humour and it was a pleasure to be associated with them.

David found himself assisting many of our students in writing their submissions for study scholarships to the Lutheran World Federation, universities in Germany and Jakarta, and background notes for a conference in the Philippines. The editorial staff of the student magazine ‘Majalah Kampus’ asked David to write an article on ‘Education in Australia’ in English and this was published during our last week. Ruth was asked to proof read a new Order of Service for the Monday English services in STT HKBP. It included about two hundred hymns, many of them not very well known. We enjoyed these extra curricular tasks as it enabled us to get to know our students better.

At Mr Bakara’s request we arranged an evening class for the Director’s office assistant and one of the computer room’s operators. A niece of the office assistant also attended. The class was conducted in the home of the office assistant as she is a widow with a four year old son. Ruth organised this section of our duties and we concentrated on basic conversational skills with an emphasis on pronunciation. Singing in English also helped pronunciation and vocabulary.

STT HKBP arranged for us to enjoy a weekend at Lake Toba and we were able to renew our friendship with the Simarmata family who own the Sopo Toba Hotel. It also enabled us to attend church at Ebenezer, Sopo Toba where they were celebrating their eleventh anniversary. Later we were guests at the 100^th jubilee of a HKBP congregation in Siantar.

We were also privileged to be guests at the annual Graduation Ceremony of STT HKBP and this was very satisfying as at least three students we had first taught English to in 2001 graduated. We were delighted to be able to renew our acquaintance with them.

Later we also attended the graduation of students from Nommenson University. We had been befriended by a graduating student in the education faculty and her family invited us to join them for the day.

We were also able to spend time with Josh and Kimberley Pfeiffer when they were volunteering at Elim Orphanage and were able to introduce them to the coordinator of Margaretha Orphanage where they were also to serve.

Our last week at STT HKBP was a very hectic time. Ruth’s birthday fell during this week and both our classes celebrated the occasion. Our home group supplied a birthday cake and had a party one evening. Our TOEFL group took us out for a farewell dinner at a fish restaurant and we again had a cake. The staff associated with the Post Graduate programme also took us out to another fish restaurant for a farewell dinner.

We enjoyed our teaching and the opportunity to build relationships with the seminary community. The blessings we receive as volunteers far outweigh the small frustrations we encounter. We are thankful to God for our good health and safety and thank the LCA for allowing us the privilege to again serve at STT HKBP in Sumatra.

If you would like to consider the opportunity to serve as a volunteer in mission, serving in practical ways, teaching English, teaching in the seminaries and institutions of our partner churches, or in local churches, you are invited to phone LCA International Mission on (08) 8267 7317 or email lcaim@lca.org.au. For more information, go to http://www.lcamission.org.au/join-gods-mission/volunteer/

Read more stories about volunteering at http://www.lcamission.org.au/category/join-gods-mission/volunteers/