Thinking It Through

Children from very poor families often focus on finishing school and then buying their own apartments. Few think it through. How will they pay for the apartment? What qualifications will open doors into better jobs and higher salaries?

Those of us who are able to donate to various charities may feel that's the best we can do for the poor. But some of us have the gift of encouraging children to think things through - and more... Nick is one such person.

A few years ago when Nick was working for a corporate bank, employees were offered the opportunity to get involved with charitable causes. Nick heard about Christian Action and grabbed the opportunity to encourage schoolchildren. He gave them new insights on life; new ways of thinking; new experiences, and the knowledge he himself had gained over the years.

He no longer works for the bank, but Nick continues to volunteer weekly at our Mongkok Centre for New Arrivals. He avoids focusing on homework assistance, preferring to engage in conversations that will expand the thinking of children from extremely poor families.

"One of the things I try to do is talk to the older children about their ambitions. In many cases, their thinking is very narrow," said Nick. He wants them to consider their options; mentor them on a group level, and think through their career paths.

All of the students who come to us have the potential to contribute to society in really healthy ways, but many will end up in similar circumstances to their parents, simply because they lack the role models to learn new ways. It is people like Nick that introduce them to new ways of thinking, and help turn their aspirations into reality.