Next month Bob Towell plans to go to Torreon, Mexico with a brother from here at Westside, Maurice Kemper.  Maurice's interest is the Casa Son Risa children's home there, which he helped start several years ago.  He goes down every other month.  There is also a School of Preaching there and Bob's purpose will be to see what use they might make of WEI.  We'll see .....

Pressing on ....
Jan Towell

Sharon Saenz of Livermore, CA

Greetings,

This is such an exciting ministry.  After about three meetings with just the teachers, we had our first class with students on Thursday Feb. 27, 2003.  Our curriculum is the new books put out by Dick Ady for students who know little or no English, and the goal is to bring their English up to the point where they can begin to study in WEI Basic English Book 1, where the Bible is the text.  We are also trying to establish relationships with our students, and invite them to our service on Easter Sunday, etc.

We chose Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm because we have several adult classes going on at that time, a really good class for the children that starts at 6:45,  a nursery, and a teen class.  That way, if they need childcare, it is available, and the whole family can get involved.  It also gives them opportunity to meet their children's teachers and other Christians. 

We started out with four teachers, four students, and a waiting list of about thirty, thanks to one of our elders, Brian Springer, who works with a lot of Spanish speakers.  Now, we have seven students and seven teachers.  The students all seem very committed,  are doing very well with their English, and are bonding with their teachers.  We may eventually try to move two students, that are about at the same level, together.  That way we can bring in more from our waiting list.  We are also having this ministry announced so that others can join us.  When a new teacher joins us, they are asked to sit in on another teacher's class once or twice, until they are comfortable with taking their own student.  We have a rule, as in the yearly campaigns in Albania, that if a student misses two classes in a row without calling anyone, they will be replaced.  We make sure they have the phone numbers of all the teachers, and Holly has someone at her work who can translate when she calls the students, or they call her.  She has done a great job coordinating everything. 

We have purchased workbooks, magnetic alphabet letters, flash cards, and simple readers to give our students extra help.  Several have almost finished Book One.  One of our teachers has been an English teacher at a Christian school, one speaks fluent Spanish and English, and all of us have a heart for God and for this ministry.  We've experienced a few minor setbacks but compared to the rewards, that is nothing.  We have determined not to let Satan's attacks deter us from our goals, and to always pray for God's guidance, without which we could never succeed.

Yours in Christ,
Sharon Saenz

As for the WEI classes for Spanish speakers, I think it is going very well.  As in any effort of this kind, we are there to plant and let God give the increase.  As long as we remember that, and pray for our students daily, I believe we will be successful.  I really enjoy these classes.  My only regret is that I only have one student.  I would love to have more.  But right now it is only set up for us to teach on Thurs. evenings.

I believe we started with 7 teachers and 4 students (some didn't show up).  Then we found students for all 6 teachers.  We have been blessed with 4 more teachers.  There are now 11 teachers and 10 students.  They are...

Brian - He is one of our Elders.  He and his wife are very special and are very involved in the Church, with the youth group, etc, etc.  Most of our students are from Brian's work.  He told them about it and they were so excited that we have a waiting list of about 30.  Brian’s student is named Saul ( saw-ul).

Errolyn - Brian's wife, an her student is named Angelica.  She is in her early 20’s and dating Saul.  She is doing very well in her lessons.
Holly-She, along with Brian, coordinates the program. Holly is very organized and does a great job of always making sure we have materials, etc. She teaches whoever is in need of a teacher, sometimes several students at a time, when other teachers can't make it, etc.

Bonnie-her student is Leticia, a very nice and outgoing young lady who has been with us since the beginning.   She has an 11yr. old daughter named Gabbie.  They both have attended services several times.

Dodie - Her student is Joel.  He is doing quite well.

My (Sharon) student is Joel’s wife, Maria.  Both Joel and Maria have been there from the beginning and have only missed one class when Maria was quite ill.  They are both on  the same lesson (beginning book 3) and so if Dodie or I have to miss we take each others student.   Once they finish Book 3, we will be able to see if they want to continue with the next books that use the Bible.  That will be exciting.

Lavonne - Her student Daniel.  Daniel has been there from the beginning.  He is a very nice young man, and really seems to like Lavonne as a teacher.  He is quite intelligent, so he asks a lot of questions, and shares a lot with her

The other 4 teachers are Don and Georgia, who team teach, Frankie (a lady), and Veronique(Ne Ne), who is also a school teacher. 

Since we work closely with the Benevolence ministry, we have been able to help our students in that way a couple of times also.  Some of the teachers have had their students over for dinner, given them rides home from class, etc.  Next Thurs., July 3, we will have a barbeque for them, instead of our regular class.  That way we can get to know them better.  It is a lot like the campaigns I’ve been to in Albania in that we are bonding with our students and paving the way for teaching them God’s Holy Word.  The only difference is they only come once a week, so we have to have a lot of patience.  I am so thankful that God is using us in this ministry.  Praise His name!


Yours in Christ,
Sharon