"Luga moja haitoshi"
In English, that means, "One language is never enough". In our continually globalizing society it is increasingly important to speak more than one language. The practical truth is that refugees and immigrants will be more able to get jobs that allow them to meet their needs if they can speak the common language where they live. Conversely, English-speakers would do well to learn any of the other languages of the world to better communicate with our neighbors across the globe.
Unfortunately, access to education is not always easy. People who cannot speak English fluently often work multiple jobs at hard hours for minimum pay, which means they cannot attend most English classes due to their work schedule. Also many people, such as the African refugees we teach, do not always have access to education in their home country, and in fleeing for their safety wind up in a new place where they are safe from harm but can't speak the language, which leads to a number of other troubles.
A common concept among pro-English groups is that people should either know English before they get here or learn it as soon as possible once they're here; the unfortunate truth is that that is not possible for everyone - not to mention that gaining fluency in a new language takes years to accomplish for an average person and even longer for someone who is not accustomed to formal education. Regardless of how you feel on the issue of foreign peoples entering our country for a variety of reasons, the fact is they are here, they are seeking a better life, and education is one key to a better life.
Everyone, regardless of race, creed, nationality, or socio-economic class, deserves the right to a quality education.
At the base of the Statue of Liberty is this a plaque quoting a poem by 19th Century poet Emma Lazarus. In the poem, Lady Liberty herself is saying:
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
There are many "tired, poor... huddled masses" here in America. In the DFW area we have the unique opportunity of living in a complex social situation where a great variety of very different people live ever so close to each other. Rather than isolating ourselves from those who are different, we should focus on our similarities - we are all human, and deserve respect from our neighbors. One way to respect another person is to make sure his or her practical needs are met. Education is a practical need that helps people to meet many other needs by furthering themselves in society, allowing them to meet food, shelter, health, and safety needs for themselves and their families.
What We're Doing
The goal of Reformers Anonymous is to bring glory to God through the gospel of Jesus Christ in the shape of lives poured out into the service of others. Taking the commands of God in Isaiah 58 and the words of Jesus in Matthew 25 to heart, Reformers Anonymous seeks to live out its mission statement by working with those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, poor, and cast out. In particular, we work with the refugee and share the gospel with them through the teaching of English and other necessary life skills needed to provide for themselves and their family members.
Although we hold our meetings in a church facility, our classes are not exclusive to Christians - we welcome anyone with the need to learn English to attend our classes and learn with us. Our goal is not only to teach education and life skills but to equip others to teach their friends and family who are unable to attend classes due to work or childcare issues. In this way we hope to spark change for the better in a community very much in need of help, and we hope that in our service to others God's mercy and love will shine forth and He may be glorified above all things.
What You Can DO
Feel free to visit the Reformer's Anonymous website to see our list of needs for the refugees we work with.
Also, we hope to inspire others to create the same sorts of programs in their area. If you have questions about how to start this sort of organization, feel free to contact us.