News

A Family’s Wise Investment
by Mrs. Jennifer M. Gaditano

• GRACE CHARIOT
• June 2019

Note: Mrs. Gaditano writes her thoughts about Justine Gadiel M. Gadiatno (standing, 2nd from the right) and the family’s choice of a school for her.

Proverbs 16:16 says, “How much better it is to get wisdom rather than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver.” I firmly believe that choosing which course to take and what school to go to is one of the most crucial decisions parents and their children face together. The decision to choose Grace Christian College (GCC) was easy enough primarily because I have always believed in the school’s Bible centered philosophy of education. Sure it is not yet well-known and the number of student population is small, but looking at the bigger picture, I was convinced that at GCC, I am not only sending my child for education of the mind, but more importantly, for the molding of Christian character.

In choosing which course, we prayed and considered several things: my daughter’s strengths and weaknesses, her natural inclinations and capabilities, the practicality of the employability demand of the program and her ambition in life. She ended up choosing accountancy course.

At GCC I am spared the worry of thinking if my child is in a safe environment. The Christian teachers and administrators of the college serve as her models in Christian living. Because the classes are small, I am confident that her professors make sure that she learns the lessons well. I am assured that she is treated fairly.

Grace’s special program called A Sophomore Taste of Taiwan (ASTT) was a big challenge for our family. We prayed hard for provisions. It was amazing how God provided for our needs. It was a time when our faith as parents became real to our daughter as she witnessed how finances were provided in unexpected ways and through people who gave at just the right time.

The ASTT has given invaluable lessons to our child. Since our resources are limited, we reminded her to spend her money wisely as we cannot promise that we can send her more. She faithfully stuck to her budget. I remember one time when she told me that the milk she bought for her breakfast cereal was unintentionally thrown out of the ref because it was cleaning time. I asked her to just buy another jug of milk. But then she told me, “I cannot buy anymore this week because I have already spent my budget. I will just eat dry cereal until next week’s allowance.”

Is ASTT worth all the sacrifices? My answer is a resounding YES! ASTT opened my child’s eyes to better opportunities. It has enhanced her desire to learn Mandarin because she saw how it can open more doors for her in the future. It has taught her to accept and appreciate other cultures and to value her own. It has taught her independence and at the same time, the importance of the love and support of family.