Each Tuesday and Thursday, we offer our beginner English-as-a-Second- Language course. By 4 p.m., students start to pour inside. We have made provisions with an extra table in the spare room and extra chairs around our kitchen-turned-classroom. We exchange familiar hellos with our students, always so jovial and friendly as they arrive.
Morgan MartinIt’s hard to believe some of our students walk two hours to come to our one-hour class. It amazes me that they are this devoted to learning English.
This particular class, we are giving an assessment to our students that Chandler and I created together, quizzing them on material we have taught the past two months. As we hand out the assessment and pencils, more and more people arrive. Chandler and I rush around, trying to provide a chair for everyone and making sure each student has a pencil and paper.
Honestly, I am getting a bit frustrated. It takes us close to 30 minutes to settle everyone, so we can begin the listening portion of our assessment. Part of my heart is angry that it has taken this long. Yet, God reminds me that it is not about me. He will use whatever we provide.
After the listening portion is complete, our students work on their own to complete the assessment. Chandler and I walk around to provide help and see how they are doing. I become so overwhelmed with all that they have learned. My heart is so full as I see them answer questions and craft sentences that they weren’t able to do only two months ago.
I step back and count the students we have today—close to 60. Wow! Again, I am reminded of the faithfulness of God. We have simply said yes to a somewhat overwhelming task, and the Lord is faithful to bring it to completion. I stand back and watch for a minute the students chatting and working—most of them working so hard that they whine when we tell them class is over.
It has been so amazing to watch what God can do. There really is no limit to his ability to accomplish his will. I am so thankful I get to be part of it.
Morgan Martin, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, is serving with Go Now Missions in Haiti.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.