The Journey: Teaching English

Hi everyone!

Hope your new year has started well. For me, I (Paul) work on writing the correct year (such as on documents e.g. 2019). It seems I finally “settle in” around Super Bowl time. Also, around this time our annual ICDI meeting.

To prepare for the annual meeting we present a review of the previous year in our respective areas of responsibilities and goals for the coming year. Many of you, I’m sure, have been a part of an annual meeting in one way or another and can relate about the preparation involved. There are a number of reasons for having annual meetings and I appreciate getting together to share and hear how the kingdom of God is making inroads and changing people lives.

In some of our newsletters you have heard me share about our vision and purpose as we serve Costa Rica. One of the aspects of the annual meeting I like the best is how it shows me if I am within the parameters of our mission statement and are resources being used efficiently and effectively towards what we are about? It is our desire to walk lock-step with the Lord and His agenda. Each of our team presented great reports, but for Bridget and I the one thing that stood out for us was Bridget’s report about English as a second language. I’m sure you will see what I mean after you read the following summary.

2018 My favorite girls English class.

Highlights from our annual ICDI meeting February 1, 2019:

English Classes – Bridget’s students (kindergarten, elementary, high school, and adult) logged 846 hours in 2018 and new classes are beginning in February.

That is an increase of 442% from 2015 when she began! Not to mention all the preparation that goes with it.

In the last year Bridget has been doing quite a bit of research on teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) programs offered here and in Oregon. Her goal for 2019 is to raise $1800 ($500 of which has already been donated) to attend a TEFL course in Costa Rica in May 2019. This four-week course is accredited and includes 100 academic hours and 6 practicum hours. The graduates work with all ages, and are hired by public and private schools or work as individual tutors. Bridget earned her master’s degree in education in 1984, but getting specific TEFL training will add to her credibility in the education community. We believe the program here is a good investment and would better equip her to serve her students. (Being a teacher widow, I hope it will also cut down on her preparation time.) We would like to ask you to prayerfully consider helping so Bridget can attend this program. Having taught for years, she is excited for the opportunity to acquire new tools for her “teaching tool box” and she’d be grateful for any donation you could make.

Here are the ways to donate http://icdi-cr.org/donate/ and please include a note that it is for “English”.

Walking with the Lord Jesus,

Paul and Bridget