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I am a huge believer that the principles taught in God’s Word are relevant today and in our lives.
In March 2018, I began working for VIPKID (an international company where I taught English to children in other parts of the world from the comfort of my home). As with every job, there are certain training criteria that needed to be met before I was let loose to fly on my own. For me, I had to teach 5 trial classes (children who are trying the program free of charge and are not yet enrolled).
Sounds easy enough, but my opened teaching slots were not being booked by students, and 5 days in, I had only taught 1 student.
So, I asked for help.
My sister, Faye, also a VIPKID teacher, had recommended that I offer to be a sub for teachers who needed to cancel their class for some reason. So I did. I woke up at 4 am every morning and messaged the “firemen” (mediators between teachers and parents/students) that I was available from 5-10 am EST. The firemen and I had spent several days messaging back and forth with there being possible openings and then nothing coming from it. (Side note: my kids had total access to me the entire time I was teaching.)
On a Thursday night, 12 days in to my time with VIPKID, I messaged the firemen one last time and said, “I can sub from 5-10 pm Beijing Time (5-10 am for us),” and went to bed.
The next morning, I woke up and had my devotions. I read the March 23 selection from “Jesus Calling” and the accompanying passage was John 6:12-13, “When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.”
I thought about my asking for sub positions as “gathering the fragments”, and, if I kept offering to collect fragments, I would end up with a basket full!
And then my phone buzzed.
I had been booked for a short notice class!
And then it buzzed again!
I had two classes for that morning alone! As soon as I finished teaching my first class that Thursday morning, my phone buzzed again letting me know that my 5:00 am slot had been filled for the following day! When I finished teaching my second class that morning, my phone buzzed AGAIN! You guessed it! I had 2 classes booked for the following morning.
Between the one class I had taught early on and the 5 classes I taught in those two days, I was one class away from my Level 2 certification, which meant I would be certified to teach both trial students and regular students.
I will admit, I cried each time my phone buzzed because I could see God’s Word in action in my life. Because I was willing to pick up the fragments, He filled my basket.
As of the original writing of this post, I have been employed by VIPKID for 1,965 days, taught 895 students in 5,230 classes, clocked 130,750 minutes of teaching time, and gained 44 more certifications. God has indeed filled my basket. (Because VIPKID was no longer allowed in the country it originated in, I was in another season of waiting as I waited to be invited to their new global platform, which did happen in late 2022.)
How about you?
What are you trying to do in your life today? What is a milestone you are trying to reach? Have you considered looking for the fragments that could be gathered? Ask God to reveal to you what the fragments are in your situation. Remember, when you pick enough fragments, you can fill a basket!
If you need encouragement today, remember that the God of the Bible is alive and well and working on behalf of His people. Nothing is impossible with Him.
So inspiring! You have a true gift of communicating. Congrats on your position with VIPKID. I am sure your students do not want to graduate so they can keep you as their teacher! Blessings to you and I hope you enjoy your summer! Thank you for posting, Suzette!
Thank you for your encouragement!