English as a Second Language

Me with two of our students, Nidya, Luz, and baby Soraya, Ash & Audra's daughter


Ash handing out graduation certificates


Alicia, posing for the camera, Federico and Hellen

I had the privilege of helping two of our dear friends, Ash and Audra McEuen teach English this trimester. They definitely did all of the planning work, which I am SO thankful for--I just needed to show up and do whatever they told me!

It was a great experience. The uniqueness of each of our cultures comes out in unexpected ways at times. I love it! Many times, they would be so busy talking, being loud, and just generally helping each other that we would need to practically scream to get their attention. One week, two of the ladies had a loud discussion over who got to sit closest to the white board. And you should have been there when they all chipped in to buy a birthday cake for Ash and he was sick that week and couldn't come! Last week, all of the students were delighted to receive their certificates of completion for the course.

I have to admit that I have reveled in the fact that for once I was doing the language correction and not being the one constantly corrected! : )

We met once a week at the AMCA house--a house for Christian ministry: for teams and/or individuals to stay in near the language school, for the English speaking youth group to meet on Saturday nights, for Bible studies in Spanish throughout the week, and for teaching ESL. The AMCA house is a busy place! Wednesday afternoons at 4 pm, we gathered there to have an hour of English instruction, then a time for coffee and cookies, a praise song in English, then a Bible study in Spanish. Then half an hour more of English instruction.

Since last week was the final week for this trimester, a Tico pastor came in to give a short sermon. It was wonderful! Several people gave their lives to Christ during the service.

I am already looking forward to helping out with this ministry again in the next trimester.



The students put their names on slips of paper in a cup, and Baby Soraya pulled out the name of the winner. The prize was a bilingual Bible.


One of my classmates at ILE, Angela Edwards, teaching the students a new song



The devotion/worship time of ESL at the AMCA House