30,000 Teachers is based on the true story of a young woman whose disappointed romance propels her on a journey overseas. When her fiancE breaks off their relationship, Ann Birkeland decides impulsively to move to China and become an English teacher. As she grapples with the realities of living, working, and sharing her faith under a crumbling communist regime, the culture, church, and social structures of the East come vibrantly to life. Through interwoven stories, 30,000 Teachers exposes the realities of life outside the United States and invites the reader to live the challenges Ann and her students face, from exam day jitters to racial discrimination, from comical friendships to the sacrificial passion of the underground church. This timely book demystifies the movement to teach English as missions, and, through humor and poignancy, encourages readers to live with God in their own precarious places of obedience.