Jacob's Well Language Institute
That title is kind of a joke, but there is something kind of cool happening around here. Last summer our family ministry coordinator, Phil Lesniewski, began an ESL program through our church and the Della Lamb Community Services Center. Phil has been working with immigrants and displaced people for a long-time, including a stint in Morocco with the Peace Corps (he was the displaced person in that situation). Anyway, given Phil's passion and the fact that he never asked and was never told no (I'm kidding), we now have a thriving little ESL community within our church.
The group meets Tuesday and Thursday nights and there is a beginning class and an advanced class. The way Phil knows if a person should be in the advanced class is that when they walk in the door and he greets them in English, if there is any flicker of recognition or response, they're advanced.
Out of that community has developed another connection point: homework helpers. Many of the immigrants who show up for ESL bring their school-aged kids who have passable language skills but are overwhelmed by homework demands (sounds like my kids). Now adults are connecting with those kids while the ESL is going on and tutoring them. Additionally, a guys' small group was looking for an opportunity to serve and had offered to change the oil in cars for people from the church. When no one showed up, the group ended up servicing twenty cars from the ESL community. Now they may develop an automotive ministry that will work on cars belonging to immigrants. Cathy Gordon from Mercy and Truth Medical Missions (in Kansas City, Kansas) has described this need as enormous.
Last Tuesday night marked a transition though. Now every Tuesday night there is another group meeting for language class. It's a SSL class: Spanish as second language. Fifteen students from the JW community came to the first Spanish class offered and tonight will be class #2. So in a sense, there is a little language institute developing. I have had a goal for about five years that I will be passably bilingual by my 40th birthday. I thought it was going to be French (given my background with the language in high school and college), but demographic research in Kansas City demonstrates the folly that that would be. Given current growth trends by the mid-2040s, Hispanics will be the largest demographic in Kansas City. I need to get cracking if I'm going to make it.
I am really excited about what is slowly unfolding.
Here's another amazing statistic, by the way: according to the February issue of Wired magazine, India will become the country with the most English speakers by the year 2010.
tim, this is great stuff. what an example of incarnational ministry...
Posted by: Todd | January 28, 2005 at 02:55 PM
I noticed that one of our cold-side cooks was becoming more and more articulate as each week went by. It wasn't until I noticed Jaun's picture in the Well's hallway that I realized why. So much determination. I took 3 years of spanish and all I can adequately do is ask where I can relieve myself.
D
Posted by: Daniel | January 28, 2005 at 05:24 PM
Wow, Daniel - that is really cool...I'll have to pass that along to Phil and Michelle and Wendy and the gang. And thanks for the comments, Todd.
Posted by: Tim Keel | January 28, 2005 at 06:41 PM
as a local business owner that has a staff of many hispanic men, i'm excited not only that esl is being offered (i might talk to phil and suggest some of my team members join the class) but also ssl is offered. i have heard the statistic that the hispanic population is one of the fastest growing in the kansas city area. i'll also take this opportunity to pitch to those politicians out there to support raising the cap for H-2B labor in the United States. if you are unfamiliar with this horrible political anti-hispanic agenda, i would suggest visiting our lobbying website for more information. this is a critical issue relating to, honestly, anti-economy in the united states... if you want more info, hit me up via email jason(nospace)cupp-at-mac-dot-com (gotta love that google search!)
visit: http://www.landcarenetwork.org/update3.htm
visit: http://www.raisethecap.org/
jkc
Posted by: jason | January 29, 2005 at 11:41 PM
Jason, thanks for the post. I will check out the sites to become aware of these issues.
Posted by: Tim Keel | January 31, 2005 at 08:00 PM
Katy Raymond accidentally posted a repsonse to this post in the blog entry, "My Girl." She mentioned knowing Steve and Cathy Gordon for a long time. I've only met them once but was immediately impressed by their ministry with Mercy and Truth Medical Missions. One of the things they may enable us to do is begin to do are some basic health clinic services that can be hard for immigrants to access. This could really be a positive development given our proximity to KU Med and the number of medical students/doctors/nurses around our community. I strongly encourage anyone interested in medical services to connect with Steve and Cathy.
Posted by: Tim Keel | January 31, 2005 at 08:06 PM
Thanks, Tim! In addition, there may be some chicks at JW who'd like to get involved in the fun work I'm doing for Mercy and Truth--making baby blankets for the babies born at Cathy's birthing center. My blog has all the info under entry called "Mercy and Truth." Blessings!
Posted by: Katy Raymond | February 01, 2005 at 05:55 AM
Cathy mentioned the baby blanket opportunity. I think it is amazing, especially in light of the knitting wave that has broken in our culture and church.
Posted by: Tim Keel | February 01, 2005 at 06:03 AM
I emailed Deanne about this and she sent an email to some of the JW knitting and crocheting chicks. Woo-hoo! JW knitters, feel free to contact Deanne!
Posted by: Katy Raymond | February 04, 2005 at 03:20 PM
thanks Katy, that's great.
Posted by: Tim Keel | February 08, 2005 at 09:27 AM