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Dear ACCESS friends and supporters:

What can you buy with about $4? A large Starbucks coffee or a roundtrip on the Boston subway? Did you know it also pays for an hour of instruction for an adult English Speaker of Other Languages (ESOL) student at ACCESS?

Would you prayerfully consider contributing to our new ESOL scholarship program to support an ESOL student for a month ($100), a semester ($400), or even for a full sequence of 5 courses ($2000) for the next 2 years?

Donate now!

It is our hope that students in our ESOL program would not only gain valuable skills, but also experience the love of Christ through the relationships with staff and volunteers, and the support and prayers of donors. To our knowledge, this privately-supported scholarship program would be unique in Chinatown.

Why now?
During this past Easter season, the board of directors, staff, and volunteers of ACCESS have been praying for a new season of ministry. The past year has been difficult economically for many, and ACCESS was no exception. Due to economic pressures, enrollment in our adult English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program dropped significantly in 2008, threatening the viability of the agency. In early April, the ACCESS board met with some staff, volunteers, and founders during a retreat in order to consider the future of the ESOL program and the agency as a whole. The board voted to implement several cost-cutting measures. However, at the same time, we felt strongly encouraged by God to re-commit ourselves to the original vision of ACCESS to be Jesus’ servants in Chinatown. In the words of our Executive Director from ACCESS’s early years:

Do we see what He sees? Are we following His footsteps as the incarnate Christ: being and living among the common people, enjoying their company, sharing their joys and sorrows, healing and ministering to their needs, informing them of God’s love, care and provisions?

Rebirth for the Adult ESOL Program
In faith, the board voted to re-launch the ESOL program this summer, with a renewed commitment to serving adults with the lowest levels of English language proficiency, a new focus on tailoring instruction to meet the needs and interests of the particular students in each class, and new morning and evening class times. Most importantly, we voted to begin a new scholarship program. Until now, our ESOL program has always been fee-based (even though our tuition fee covers less than half of the actual cost). In order to make as many free- and half-fee slots available to the students in the community, all seven members of the current board have already agreed to seed this scholarship program with a total of $20,000 for the period from May 2009 to December 2010, above and beyond their regular support to ACCESS. We are excited to re-launch our ESOL ministry in the Chinatown community in the midst of this economic downturn as a testament to the abundance love and resources of God. Please join us on this faith journey.

With hope and blessings,

Mei Kee Wong
Executive Directory

Cliff Chuang
President, Board of Directors

Learn more or get involved at ACCESS!

Serve on our ESOL Scholarship Selection Committee and hear our ESOL students’ stories. If interested, please email

Read about one ESOL teacher’s experience here.

Watch a video about ACCESS here.

Join our Intercessory Prayer Team. Please email access- with Intercessory Prayer Team in the subject line.

Work with ESOL students. Our new schedule allows for more flexibility for those considering part-time work, including 4-day-a-week morning classes and 3-day-a-week evening classes. If you are interested in teaching or serving as a conversation partner, please contact or call 617-426-1070 and ask for Susanna.

Work with K-5 Enrichment Program students. We are looking for staff and volunteers for our summer program, and always welcome volunteers during the school year. If interested, please contact or call 617-426-1070 and ask for Becky.

I was an ESL teacher at ACCESS during my summer term 2008. During the 12 weeks at ACCESS, I had many opportunities to connect with the Chinese immigrants that were to be my students. As the instructor of the first level of adult ESL classes, I was the students’ first point of contact in learning structured English. With my bilingual background (I am from Singapore), I was able to communicate with them in Mandarin, introduce them to new English vocabulary, and help students to construct simple sentences in both languages. I had 17 students, one of whom returned to China midway through the semester. Over the course of the 12 weeks, some of them gradually trusted me so much as to be willing to share with me personal stories of their hardships, struggles, and desire for a better life not only for themselves but for their descendants. Not every system is perfect, so while seeing more clearly the corruption in their system, and the preferential treatment for the rich, I understand why they wanted to come to the US so badly. As a theological student, my system of clearly demarcated lines has often been challenged by them. They led me to question my responsibility as a Christian.

I had once asked my church pastor for her opinion. She pointed out that the US started as an immigrant country, and that many Americans are utilizing the services of undocumented workers without acknowledging it. It is a flaw in the US system, and it is only right that I render any form of aid to people who are exploited by the system. I believe it is not only the exploitation inherent in the US system, but that these students come from a system that denied them equal opportunities for progress. I once shared my concern with another Chinese student (from China) who is now studying in my school of theology. He pointed out that the Chinese in urban cities have more equal opportunities; whereas those in rural or suburb areas are usually neglected and more easily exploited.

As I read Isaiah 1:12-17, Amos 5:21-24, and Matt 25:34-46, I recognize the important roles that ACCESS is playing for the Chinese immigrants. Though I may not be as visionary as Martin Luther King, Jr.—to challenge the system, or to rally others to street demonstrations—at least I can inspire hope among the Chinese immigrants who come to ACCESS. I can teach them elementary English so that they can navigate through the system and culture better. I can show concern for their well-being by buying them some snacks once in a while. I can decode some of the cultural symbols here so that they are less fearful of the unknown. It is in this setting that most of them feel safe and comfortable.

During the last day of class, some of them burst into tears. One of them said, “I feel like I’m a part of a big family here.” Another acknowledged that and said, “Other students are just like my own brothers and sisters.” Another remarked, “This is the place where I can forget my woes for a while and indulge myself in laughter and joy.” One of them added, “I look forward to coming here every day.” I thank God for the wonderful time that I had with them, and for the memories that I might have brought into their life. I think it is the least I can do for them, and as Jesus said “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do to one of least of these, you did not do it to me.” (Matthew 25:45, NRSV)

Some may beg to differ by questioning that the least of these refers only to Christians. My reading of the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 convinced me that the word neighbor refers to anyone whom God has placed within my capacity to render good deeds. In the environment here, I identify these Chinese immigrants who have little education to benefit from the system to be my neighbors, and the least of these. ACCESS is instrumental in helping these immigrants bridge the cultural gap. By integrating Christian values into the curriculum without explicit evangelism, we are bearing testimony for Christ. These Chinese immigrants could benefit from the service rendered by ACCESS, and yet have the space to explore their own identity. I believe God has laid upon the founders of ACCESS the vision and mission for the Chinese immigrants. For the Chinese churches that identified their mission beyond evangelism, and who recognized the mandate of doing justice for these Chinese immigrants, I would suggest that ACCESS is the place where they could turn to.

—Arthur Koh

An evening of dinner, thanksgiving and sharing!

Saturday, November 22, 2008
6:00 pm

Empire Garden Restaurant
690 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111

cost
$75 per person
$750 for a table of 10
(Banquet includes ten-course dinner and beverages.)

donation
Seat price includes $45 tax-deductible gift
Table price includes $450 tax-deductible gift

Please make checks payable to ACCESS and mail your check and response card to
K.C. Lam
c/o ACCESS–Dinner
2 Nash Lane
Weston, MA 02493

If you would like to be seated at the same table with your friends and family, please batch everyone's checks and mail them in together, indicating that you would like to be seated at the same table. Otherwise, seats will be assigned according to the order of the checks coming in. Thank you for your understanding.

We have a downloadable paper response card here.

In lieu of sending in a check, you can also buy tickets online:

If you are unable to attend the dinner but would still like to donate to ACCESS, you can visit our donation page for more details.

Please email if you have any questions.