by Butch Green
Have you ever wished you had your phone ready to video as something happens? It happens all the time to me.
The other evening we had our last ESL class for this session. I always give out certificates to those students who completed the course. Most of them are glad to receive the paper, but Beatrice from Rwanda became so excited. It reminded me of the women in Africa we worked with. When they were filled with joy, they would giggle and clap just like a little girl. Beatrice did this as she received her certificate. I could tell she was so happy and proud of herself. She stated, “This is my first one.”
She has been in US for about two years, but had never had a chance to attend an ESL course. She had picked up some, but really desired to learn the language. She was a great student, who participated and did all of her homework. She has three small children and her husband works as a dishwasher at one of the hotels downtown. She is hoping to get a job cleaning offices now that her English is improving.
Again, I wish I could have recorded her reaction to the certificate. A giggle, a clap and pure joy!! This is from a lady who had to flee her home country and travel to a refugee camp where she lived for several years before being resettled to Houston with her family.
Why are we dramatically cutting the number of refugees allowed to resettle here? How can we refuse more giggles, claps and pure joy!!