It has been fifty-nine years since I taught the seventh grade honors class in La Puente, California, while my husband, Doug was a student at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.  Oh, I did some substituting while we were in Kansas, but that wasn’t really teaching. I was just an adult sitting in the classroom while the students did their homework.

For the last seventeen years I have been blessed to have the joy of teaching Asian immigrants to speak English. The Rock Mountain Baptist Church began the class as an outreach ministry.  I’ve been stretched as I transcribe Bible stories into conversations for use in the classroom so that they learn about God at the same time that they are learning to speak English.  The students are bright adults who are eager to learn.  There are no discipline problems; there are no problems with homework; there are no problems with tardiness.  My delight is in seeing their face and eyes grow bright when their tongue and voice finally produce the correct pronunciation.

“Thank you, Teacher!”

“I am so happy to be able to learn to speak English!”

“Oh, Teacher, I am not afraid to answer the telephone now that I can understand what the person is saying!  Thank you! Thank you!”

Oh the joy of serving others with the skills that we have.