Come learn English! And hear about Christ!

I watched as yet another burka-clad woman squeezed in the tiny class-room. This woman I had not met before. What was her name? What was her English level? What was her story?

My heart buoyed to meet yet another Muslim woman who had fled to our country for refuge, and was now hungry to learn English and was making herself available to hear the gospel by coming to our class. (We always teach a Bible story as part of the lesson, and openly identify ourselves as Christian.) But how was I to teach so many?? There were now 13 students crammed in the tiny room!

For months, Muslim ladies had begged my teammate Nicole to teach them English. Their beliefs prevented them from attending normal ESL classes where there are men present. Yet their disparity in English bound them to a life of loneliness and incompetency. In their new home, they feared even answering the phone, much less making doctors visits, applying for a green card, interacting with their children's teachers, and making friends.

I am one of the teachers for the ESL class my friend Nicole coordinated to help these women. Despite my not having any prior ESL experience, I HAVE learned languages in foreign countries, and I'm finding that many of the language acquisition techniques transfer. The women seem to be really learning!

In my class, there are 3 from Burma, 2 from Syria, 1 from Iran, 2 from Mexico, 1 from Morocco, 1 from Afghanistan. Despite MANY language barriers, there's a delightful atmosphere in the class and genuine camaraderie developing.

I'm all about a demonstrative teaching style! Here I'm teaching prepositions.
"I am UNDER the chair. The chair is ABOVE me."  

The woman above in the burka is from Syria. I've been meeting with her separately to give remedial English help since she is one of the lowest in the class. She is bright and motivated though, and we are developing a genuine friendship through the English lessons.

In the foreground is our tea tray. Beyond teaching English, we want these women to feel safe and loved. Refreshments help create a warm and hospitable space to build bridges of friendship. 

Here I'm teaching "how many".
"How many ears do you have?" 

As we build trust with the parents, we gain access to the kids who are the future teachers, doctors, and leaders, whose English is much better than their parents, and who have less resistance to believing the gospel. 

This young mother came from Afghanistan literally 2 weeks ago!

Pray for these women! Pray that as they comprehend English, they'll also comprehend the Gospel through the stories we tell, the words we say, and our loving actions toward them and each other.

"They will know that you are My disciples by your love for one another." 

John 13:35

"You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."

Leviticus 19:34