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?

Click here for Chinese Version

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