The room was full. Fourteen women sat on chairs occupied an hour ago by students at the Centre of Hope. Several women held babies in one arm whilst balancing books and pens in the other. A toddler explored the room and someone’s dog occasionally poked its head in.
It was three weeks into a women’s English language program began at the Centre of Hope, and already the class had grown in size and enthusiasm. The women eagerly practiced sounds, learned new words, and took notes in their books.
Despite my lack of Arabic and their lack of English, we were able to communicate through pictures, gestures, and shared laughter at my attempts to draw and mime as I explained English vocabulary. When we stopped for a break the women chatted as they passed around drinks, obviously enjoying the chance to gather and connect with each other.
The women in the class are Sudanese refugees, most of whom cannot read or write in any language. They are also attending evening classes to learn Arabic. I asked them, through translation, why they want to learn English.
One mother, Ranya, was thinking of her children. She wants to help them learn English because it is a useful skill, and they could perhaps end up in an English speaking country. Another woman, Nasren, explained that when she was in Sudan she didn’t have that kind of opportunity, and now she wants to make the most of the opportunities available to her.
I have only been with this class for a few weeks, but I feel that one of the hardest parts of leaving North Africa will be to leave these women, who are so enthusiastic to learn and are just at the beginning of their journey in the English language.
Please pray for this class, and consider whether you might be able to contribute your time to help it continue successfully. There is a need for native English speakers to volunteer with the class. If you could come for a few weeks or a few months, please get in touch!
I found that for everything I gave, much more was returned through the privilege of spending time with these women who are facing the struggles of life as a refugee with resilience and courage.
Eve Batchelder, Australia