Page 14 - HCC Vol 25 Issue 11 - 2024

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In Term 3, Year 9 English focused on the art of interviewing. Students were introduced to a range
of interview techniques, and equipped with essential skills such as crafting open-ended questions,
respecting privacy considerations, and understanding the structure of a well-conducted interview.
With these tools in hand, students embarked on their own interviews, selecting a person of their
choice as their subject. Most opted for a family member or close family friend.
Students had the creative freedom to choose the presentation format of their interviews. Some
opted for video recordings, whilst others presented their work as written reports, either in a
question-and-answer format or by transforming their interviews into narratives.
Although the experience initially seemed very daunting to most, after the interviews were over
students reflected on the value of the process, with many finding it enjoyable and enlightening.
They discovered stories and insights from their interviewees that they might never have learned
otherwise.
This interview was conducted by Isaac Ayoub (and used with permission).
Year 9
English
Earlier this term, I had the privilege of visiting John Short, a
missionary who has worked overseas spreading the gospel to
communist countries and other socialist areas, and his wife Karen
at their home dubbed by them as “The Refugium”. As Mr Short was
eager to point out when we first arrived, refugium is the Latin word
meaning refuge or shelter for an endangered species, which he, as a
firm Christian, believes he and his wife are in today’s culture. This is
because he lives by the term “living by faith”, which he describes as
“having a firm rock at his feet rather than a board of supporters at
his back”. He believes that since Acts 13 states that we [evangelists]
are “sent forth by the holy spirit” that because God sent him, then
he will provide and care for him. This is why he is known as a faith
missionary, because he trusts God to supply for his needs rather than
being backed by others (trusting in others rather than God).
John Short was born on the 26th of January 1939 in Barmera, South
Australia. He became a real christian (accepted Christ as his lord
and saviour) at the age of 18 on August 28th 1958. In 1963, at the
age of 24, he heard the call to evangelise in China, when he heard
the message from a Chinese doctor from Shanghai who was visiting
Adelaide at the time. This man spoke of the state of China and Mr
Short was inspired to move to China so that he could tell the good
news of the gospel to those who had never heard it before.
In the following year, Mr Short, without any organisation or group backing him (giving him financial support),
moved to Hong Kong, which at the time was still British territory and the only open door into communist
China, which was at this stage locking down under totalitarian government. China, in 1966 would entirely
lock down for ten years of the disastrous Cultural Revolution. This proved to be rather difficult because at
that time China was in the convolution of the great revolution, a mass uprising led by the communist party
chairman Mao Zedong, who was to later founded the People’s Republic of China. This revolution lasted until
1976 and because there were so many refugees trying to escape at the time, it was very difficult for Mr Short
to receive entry.
When he eventually was granted access to Hong Kong in 1964 Mr Short began working daily as a dental
technician in a refugee clinic. By day he worked on people’s
teeth in a nearby refugee camp on the outskirts of Hong
Kong, while at night he learnt Cantonese (the main language
spoken in that area) which was no easy feat, as it took him
nearly a year. Once this first year was completed he knew
enough of the language to be able to have meaningful and
impactful conversations with the Chinese citizens of Hong
Kong. He began volunteering at a local YMCA, (previously he
had been the Activities Secretary of the YMCAs in Elizabeth,
Kilkenny and Glenelg and was thus well fit for the job). This
gave him the opportunity to speak to the young Chinese men
who attended the YMCA, spreading the gospel.
Isaac’s Interview