Patricia, a lovely French speaking woman from Cameroon, Africa sat across from me in the classroom as we worked on her English as a Second Language (ESL) intake exam. Her passionate determination to engage in quality English classes was evident from the beginning. She would not settle for an education that did not challenge her to improve. One week, Patricia´s homework involved writing a recipe in English. I was so surprised when not only did she bringt back the written homework, but she also made the recipe and brought crepes to class! This was not the end of the lesson however, as the next week, Patricia invited me to her home to learn how to make those same crepes. I was ecstatic! This is just the kind of relationship all of the staff at CNMC hope to build with the wonderful people of Cactus. As we entered Patricia´s home, my roommate and I were greeted warmly and offered fresh mango juice. To our delight, Patricia not only planned on making crepes, but she also prepared a feast fit for royalty. She told us bustling around the kitchen while we enjoyed a delicious meal reminded her of cooking for her family back in Africa. The dinner was followed by dessert and crepe lessons. Spending time with Patricia exemplifies one of the amazing gifts teaching and learning a second language can offer. That is, the ability to build friendships with people you may have never otherwise met or been able to communicate with otherwise. If you would be interested in helping a student develop their ability to communicate in English, please contact Sarah Alvord at sarah@cactusministries.org to learn more about a virtual tutoring opportunity.
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