Hello, hello from Literacy Connexus! We hope that this post finds everyone in good health and good faith on this wonderful Friday.
Today, I just wanted to write a little food for thought. Earlier this month, on our social media (follow us on Facebook!), I posted about the realities of war and how, sometimes, war is what brings people to the United States, or any other country for that matter. While only a small percentage of our immigrants end up here because they are fleeing from the war, nearly all immigrants have faced something that has driven them from their homes and onto the soil of another land.
I was talking with some of my students about the differences between their native countries and the United States and the things that brought them to America, and while none of my students have had to flee from war (thank Goodness), many of them had to flee violence, corruption, and most of all, a dire lack of resources and opportunities.
Interestingly enough, the American Dream wasn’t mentioned once. What was mentioned however, was access to affordable food, opportunities for education, and the opportunity to work. More than any of those things, the word I heard repeatedly was hope. The hope for a better life.
Lucretia* and her 8-year-old daughter, Rosmeri,* loved their homeland of Guatemala, but the failing economy forced them to leave.
Life has become intolerable for many indigenous peoples in the Guatemalan highlands as changing weather patterns have led to crop failures and farming families have been pushed deeper into poverty and desperation.
“We tried to stay in my country,” said Lucretia. “I moved from my village to [Guatemala City] to find work, but there were no jobs there, either.”
Language, culture, and discrimination against indigenous peoples make finding jobs even more difficult. Like Lucretia, many migrants seek options in Guatemala or Mexico before making the dangerous journey to the U.S.
All of that to say, that while the circumstances that bring people to this country can be less than ideal, painful even. For many immigrants, the new communities that they settle in here represent hope and a fresh start, and the English language is a key component to that fresh start. English can be the gateway to education, work, and becoming self sustaining in this country, and THAT is something that we can help with!
So while you’re teaching your classes, or beginning your ministries, remember what English represents to your students. Hope. Empowerment. Opportunity. As always, blessings and happy teaching!