Shrimp Salsa and Immigrant Life

Few things bring me greater pleasure than getting to know people from other cultures. Well, eating food prepared by people from other cultures is in close rivalry. And I was lucky enough to do both last Thursday!

I have been teaching English as a Second Language on and off the last several years with a non-profit called Wisdom 31. This past school year I was privileged to spend two hours a week with adult students who come from Mexico, El Salvador, the Dominican Relublic, Honduras, and China! And as the tradition goes, on our last day of class, before summer break, we end early and eat a pot-luck lunch together with all the other classes. And boy-oh-boy! No one leaves hungry! Can I tell you how cool it is to see an entire table full of mostly Latin American food but none of it looks like Taco Bell? My only complaint this year is that no one brought any mangu (mashed plantains with cheese). However, the chicken-filled corn tortillas with guacamole and the homemade salsa with baby shrimp more than compensated. And everyone raved about Quadria's Iranian rice, who replied with a shy smile and quiet "thank you."

More fulfilling than any meal is the opportunity to learn about these brave and hard-working immigrants. I sat next to Wenru, our only Chinese student, who patiently and sweetly brings along her aged husband--who speaks not a word of English and has dementia. I listened to her talk about her children, her Chinese-American church, and her love for God. I've heard stories from my Colombian friend who had to flee her home country and comfortable lifestyle when her husband's life was threatened and who now works long hours at a little grocery store he opened in Reading. I've listened to stories from my Mexican friend who took a dangerous risk with her mother when they crossed the border when she was only twelve years old and then how their church lent her mother money to help bring her younger siblings over. All the mothers have stories to share about their children, many who have hopes for college; some of these mothers have plans for higher education themselves. Most work low-paying jobs at the factories or bus tables at a local restaurant or spend their days cooking and caring for children.

Life is not easy for the immigrant. It never has been. I'm certain that when my English, German, and Irish ancestors came over from Europe they also worked long hours with little pay. They surely struggled to find housing, feed and educate their children, and battle homesickness. I would like to believe that those who had come before them welcomed my ancestors into their communitites, taught them English (well, to the German speakers anyway), invited them to their churches, and overall accepted them as "brothers and sisters."

This is the kind of work that Wisdom 31 does. It offers English and citizenship classes, but just as importantly, friendship and a place to connect within the Reading community. It brings together people of various nations and reminds us that we are all connected, that what we have in common is more than what differentiates us. It reminds me that the human spirit desires the same things... A place to belong, a space to make a contribution (whether through work or child-rearing or volunteerism), adequate food and shelter, opportunties for the next generation, and love and friendship.

I only hope we can always be a nation that welcomes the immigrant (and expands our tastebuds), remembering that all of us are descendants of another land.

Meet Caroline

I'm excited to introduce you to the newest member of our family.  Her name is Caroline. She lives in Kenya. She is twelve years old, and she shares the same birthday as mine.  We met her through Compassion's child sponsorship program, and she is the fourth child our family has had the opportunity to sponsor.

The story behind our coming to know her is very cool.  See, Jarred and I had been considering sponsoring another child for quite some time.  When we first got married we continued to sponsor James from Haiti, the boy I had been sponsoring since I was in high school.  When Jarred moved into a sales position five years ago, our income increased, and we decided to sponsor an additional child, Deboshree from India.  About a year ago, James had to leave the program, so we began sponsoring another little Haitian boy, Marvens.  Just recently, we refinanced our home, which helped decrease our monthly mortgage payment.  We talked about sponsoring an additional child but drug our feet.  Spending increased during the holidays, and we were waiting to see how things shook out.

Then right after New Year's, I met with a friend for lunch, and at the end of our outing, she handed me an envelope to open in the car.  She told me she felt like she was supposed to give it to me.  When I opened it, I was shocked.  Inside were five $20.00 bills!  What?!  I thought.  Doesn't she need this more than me?  Her family is going through a major job change, and so I am assuming their financial security is much shakier than ours.  And yet she was moved to give during this shaky time.  I was very touched by her generosity and thought I must put this to good use.  It didn't take me long to realize now was the perfect time to begin sponsoring an additional child.  No more excuses.  That $100 would nearly cover the cost of the first three months of sponsorship.

So we sat down as a family and did a search for children who shared my birthday.  I was drawn to Caroline for a couple of reasons.  First of all, she's a girl.  The saying goes something like this: when you educate a girl, you educate a village.  The empowerment of women is directly linked to the decrease of poverty, violence, and disease around the world since girls become women and women become mothers.  Secondly, I had the opportunity to visit Kenya when I was in college and so have a special place in my heart for Kenyans.  Thirdly, Caroline's community has been touched by HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases, so I love that we are able not only to help her receive an education but to have access to health services and nutritious meals.

I believe that child sponsorship is one of the best ways to combat some of the greatest social evils in our world.  When you provide the basic needs of a child, you are helping a child remain in his or her family (combating the need for orphanages).  You are offering a child an education (combating illiteracy and ignorance). You are offering a child a future (combating extreme poverty or prostitution). You are offering a child health (combating starvation and disease).  You are offering a child love and hope (combating violence and despair).

If you are considering sponsoring a child, I would urge you consider these two sponsorship programs, Compassion and World Vision.  Both are highly reputable and allow you to have written correspondence with your child, which I think is of vital importance.  Our family likes to send family and school pictures, stickers, bookmarks, and handmade notes and pictures to our children.  Consider changing the world, one child at a time.

Big, Beautiful World!

The world is a beautiful place, isn't it?  So rich in diversity!  I have not traveled it extensively by any means, but I feel that one of the blessings of living in a suburban area such as mine is that you get to rub shoulders with a lot of different people!

Take just today for example.  This morning I ventured into the city, a ten minute drive from my home, to teach my weekly ESL class.  Most of our students are Latino, but there is a quiet Iranian woman who wears some beautiful head scarves and an elderly Chinese woman with a big, toothy smile and a passionate zeal to learn.  After that I drove to Lancaster County to visit my Mennonite friend for spiritual direction.  Then I made a stop at an Amish grocery store where I listened to a conversation between the Amish girl with a Dutch accent behind the counter and her customers--a short, elderly couple with a strong Asian accent.  That's when it hit me.  Wow!  Such diversity!  In my own backyard!

Two weekends ago I had another experience that struck me with how huge, but also how close, the world is.  I attended a spiritual retreat at a Jesuit Center, only fifteen minutes from my home.  If you don't know much about the Jesuits as I hadn't, they are a priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church.  At this enormous, grand Jesuit Center with statues and stained glass windows was a quiet Quaker woman who gave a seminar on the topic of discernment.  The woman who sat beside me during the seminar was a first generation Philipino-American pastor. And the other retreatants I met during the weekend seemed to come from a wide range of faith backgrounds.

I am often reminded that my story, my understanding and experience of life, is just that... mine.  There are countless other stories, understandings, and experiences that are separate from my own.  Our world is definitely getting smaller, and if I want to get along with my neighbors, I must listen to their stories.  I must try to understand other perspectives.  I must be willing to learn from my brothers and sisters from around the globe and from my brothers and sisters who may have a different faith perspective than my own.

This is a part of the "glo-burban" journey I am on.  I believe it is the journey of life.