Reaching out to the children

OREM — Their names read like an international who's who list. There is Bing, Lili, Julie, Doshka, Kitty, Andrew and Helen. There is Feng, Shakuntela, Steven and Yanji. They are the "borrowed" children of Audra Moss.

Her life's mission has been to reach out and feed — with love — the children of the world with her gifts as a teacher, with theater, music, parenting and values. That mission has been accomplished on nearly every continent, but most particularly with her students in China.

Of course, her first love is her husband, Joel, their children, Kevin, Lani Sue, Katheryn, Shauna, David and Janine, their spouses, the 20 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

As a young woman, it was Moss' mother who gave her the guidance and inspiration to carry on and reach for your dreams.

"I would attribute my mother as the keynote of my aspirations and achieving," Moss said.

Her resume is proof she took her mother's advice.

Moss went on to be the valedictorian of her high school class, to become a master violinist and anything she set her mind to. She has a bachelor's degree in speech and theater arts, a master's degree in theater and communication, and a doctorate as an education specialist. She has taught elementary, junior and senior high school and at eight universities and colleges. She has been an actress on the stage and television, a writer, producer and director of countless productions, including her notable one-woman show, "Circle of the Cross."

She has been a member of several national, state and local councils on family living, was on a national educational TV series and received a National PTA award.

Moss is dedicated to her religion and has served in all the auxiliaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was on the general writing committee for the Relief Society and Sunday School, taught 20 years at BYU Education Week, and has served three missions where she used her dramatic talents touring throughout the world.

While her dossier fills pages, it is her example that has taken her to places many would never venture. She was called to be a teacher at Xiamen University in China. She was encouraged to teach the students first and the subject matter second.

Teaching in communist China, with the Cultural Revolution in recent memory, was a challenge.

"My first drama class in China had 40 kids. They had never had a drama class," she said. "They wanted to be taught but were afraid to voice opinions."