Welcome Home: A Day in the Life of Our New Teachers

If there’s one thing to note about our school, it’s that beyond being an educational institution, it is also a tight-knit family of believers who endlessly love and support each other. With each year, the MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) family grows larger and stronger. Last July, by God’s grace, the school welcomed nearly 20 new teachers ready to stand firm in Him. With one quarter of the school year down, why don’t we take a peek at how being part of this big family has impacted their lives?

Early Years: Ms. Shekina C. Dangan 

“Before, I worked in an office, spending most of my time in front of a computer, planning events and meetings. Now, I’m with children every day, constantly using my energy and voice to engage with them,” said the Gerizim Homeroom Teacher. After graduating as a scholar in her alma mater, she wanted to give back to her college and decided to work as a staff in the Development and Communication department. However, the Lord had other plans for her, speaking to her through Scripture. After seeing some of her batchmates teaching in MGCNLCA and researching more about the school, she found that the institution’s values closely aligned with her own. Now, she wakes up early each morning, getting ready to fill her young students’ days with joy and excitement.  

Lower Primary: Mrs. Feng Danqing 

What is one thing you realized after you started working in MGCNLCA? “I want to dedicate myself more to God (把自己多点奉献给上帝。),” the Chinese teacher explained. Majoring in language, Mrs. Feng Danqing, better known as 冯老师 (Fēng Lǎo Shī), had been teaching Mandarin Chinese to foreign students since her university years. When a shortage of Chinese teachers in the school surfaced, she took the opportunity to teach part-time at MGC New Life Christian Academy. Every day, she starts her morning with a prayer, dedicating all her plans to the Lord before organizing her materials and preparing for her first class. As she guides New Lifers in overcoming the difficulties of learning the Chinese language, she wishes that students also put more time into learning it. 

Upper Primary: Mr. Joshua C. Castillo 

Before working as a Grade 4 Unit of Inquiry teacher, Mr. Castillo wasn’t always an educator. However, after he felt a calling to pursue this field, he gave it a shot and learned of the joys of teaching. Previously working just right across the school in Treston International College, it was God, he says, who led him to his new home. He describes his lifestyle now as “more balanced than before.” Although he is still adjusting to his new schedules and routines, Mr. Castillo finds his time here both challenging and fun, discovering many things about himself in the process. “I have also improved my social interactions, especially with my co-teachers here at MGC New Life.” 

Junior High School: Mr. Elgin P. Mabolo 

“While the salary may not be high, the lives and hearts you touch are what matter most.” This is how Mr. Mabolo, the Araling Panlipunan 10 (Contemporary Issues) teacher, explained why he’s dreamt of becoming an educator since he was in Grade 3. Following eight years of experience teaching in both Junior High and Senior High School, he was eager to join an institution that shared his values. Thus, when the Lord led him to MGCNLCA, he felt blessed, stating, “I'm so thankful to God for using MGC New Life and its community to deepen my faith… My lifestyle now is more focused on spiritual growth, and I have developed stronger habits of prayer and reflection, which I didn't have before.” Mr. Mabolo describes a day in MGCNLCA as “truly unique,” expounding, “It’s not just about excelling in your area of expertise or discipline; it’s about being a Christ-centered teacher.”

MGC New Life Christian Academy—some know it for its green and white colors while others best recognize it for its achievements, both in academics and athletics. For the school body, however, the school is more of a second home and a family. To our new faculty members, we praise God for you and are continually praying for you. May He be your strength to stand firm in His Word and heed His call. 

Welcome to our big family and welcome home, teachers!