Read the Chinese version of this prayer letter (requires PDF reader).

From the beginning, ACCESS has built its program on a foundation of prayer and listening to God’s direction, as we seek God’s guidance in being God’s extended hands in Chinatown. Please join us in prayer to the Lord for the following items of thanksgiving and need:

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Thank God for…

• a successful re-launch of all 5 levels of ESOL classes this summer, with 88 students enrolled.
• the use of space at Tufts and Josiah Quincy Upper School.
• a very good substitute teacher to cover the Level 2 class while Ms. Yoo is in Korea.
• a very hard-working group of teachers with very caring hearts for our students.

Pray for…

• continued coordination of classroom use at Tufts and JQUS.
• teacher Ahyoung Yoo who returned to Korea to visit her ailing grandfather, who then needed to extend her stay for the funeral.
• level 2-0 class working with a substitute for 3 weeks.
• level 1-0 class in general.
• building up of the Body of Christ among our staff.
• the coordination of parking spaces for ESOL and EP staff.

Summer Enrichment Program (SEP)

Thank God for…

• a fully-enrolled program with 52 students enrolled. 32 have so far signed up for the 8th week Summerbridge program.
• the marriage of two Summerbridge leaders on June 27.

Pray for…

• teachers needed on Fridays for our Fun & Fitness Team.
• 7 new teachers and 21 new students.
• a safe and fruitful summer for both students and staff.
• unity and servant hearts among our summer staff.
• the Summerbridge preparation.

Computer Literacy Classes

Thank God for…

• 3 volunteers teaching the pilot children’s computer program.
• full enrollment of the children’s class and 7 attendees of the Beginners’ Adult computer Literacy Cantonese class in May/June.

Pray for…

• 2 adult computer classes starting in the fall.

Family Life

Pray for…

• several particularly needy families in EP program and for those helping them with their difficulties in family relationships.

Administration & Volunteer Support

Thank God for…

• donations of a new desktop computer and an old laptop.
• invitation to provide a recreational program for Mass Rehab SHIP (Statewide Head Injury Program) consumers.

Board & Committees

Thank God for…

• a successful start to our new ESOL scholarship program; with 10 full scholarships and 3 half scholarship awarded.

Pray for…

• clarity about moving forward on fundraising and program planning goals and about board committee structures.
• God to call new members to serve on the board and committees.

Financial Need

Thank God for…

• faithful supporters and new donors who have given so generously to stabilize our cash flow.
• grant awards of $25K from Chinatown Trust Fund and $20K from English for New Bostonians, both for the period 7/2009-6/2010 for the ESOL program.

Pray for…

• $30K projected annual deficit for 2009.

The Re-launching of the Adult ESOL Program

by Mei Kee Wong

The Adult ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Program suffered a drop in enrollment during 2008 due to the recession. In 2009, while offering only 1 class during the Spring Semester, our ESOL coordinator conducted a community survey and found that the need for survival English classes among Chinese immigrants was still great. The finance committee also conducted an in-depth analysis into the viability of providing the ESOL program and its ramifications for the financial health of the agency. The board of directors, after much prayer, decided to re-launch the Adult ESOL Program with the implementation of a new scholarship component.

The scholarship drive was a success. Pledges for 48 semester-scholarships ($400 per semester) were raised. Support for one teacher for one semester also came in. We are extremely grateful to those who gave so generously. On May 26, our ESOL Program was re-launched with five classes, one at each level. So far, 10 full-scholarships and 3 half-scholarships have been given out. Enrollment went from 18 in the Spring Semester to 88 in the Summer Semester.

Among the scholarship recipients, there was a family that had arrived in Boston in mid-June with two teenagers, one in middle school and one in high school. The Boston Public Schools told them that they could not enroll their children until mid-August for the 2009-2010 school year. Worrying about their sons’ English abilities, the parents came in less than a week after their arrival to inquire about enrolling their two sons in our adult ESOL program. Allowing teenagers into our adult ESOL Program has been done in the past, as services for them have been scarce in the summer. When they found out that scholarships were available, they all signed up for our summer classes, the parents in lower levels than the sons, taking advantage of this initial time to improve their English before they were able to find a job. We feel privileged to be able to serve the entire family when they first arrived in Boston. The relative who brought them to us is a Christian, and we are praying that this family will experience God’s love, besides having the opportunity to learn English.

We are also thankful to report that we have been successful in two of our grant applications for our ESOL Program. We have been awarded $25K by the Chinatown Trust Fund, and $20K by English for New Bostonians, both in support of our new scholarship program for the period of July 2009 to June 2010. We continue to seek support to sustain this scholarship program over the long-term. Would you prayerfully consider contributing to support our new scholarship program for July 2010 and beyond?

This entry was posted on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 10:08 pm and is filed under Prayer Letters.