New Challenges

10 years ago I was living in a foreign country.  I had to learn to pay bills, shop, navigate public transportation, and interact with others without being able to speak the main language.

I was not a good foreign language learner being the learner who was afraid to speak in case I said it wrong and being self conscious all the time.  Granted that was all my own doing and I should have and could have tried harder but I didn't.   And I understand immigrants in the States who struggle to speak and learn English.  I would be that person.  Actually, I was that person.  My desire has been to help these people for a while.

For the past 2 years, I have been looking for an English as a Second Language (ESL) ministry.   I had some leads.  But they weren't the right fit as I really wanted to do it in a Christian context where the gospel is also shared.  And then last Spring, someone posted about their church's ESL ministry.  I went to training this summer and my heart said "yes" this is the ministry for me- the desire for quality teaching, the desire to see immigrants speak English, and, foremost, the gospel to be heard.

We had our first official class last week. It was exciting and it was challenging. And it will continue to be challenging but rewarding.   I will be stretched as I have never taught ESL before - I have never lesson planned before.

So this year will be a year of challenges.  But I pray a year of growth, a year of reward in seeing people learn to speak English especially those like me who are self conscious of speaking a new language, a year of people learning of my God.