Growing in Community
Wayne Schock
English with Friends gives non-English-speaking new arrivals to the Tacoma area an opportunity to practice English. Coming from various countries in Asia, Africa and South America, many are already followers of Jesus.
The evening starts with fellowship over food: sometimes we have takeout pizza. Other times new arrivals bring dishes showcasing cuisine from their home country (it’s delicious and gives us a chance to expand taste buds!). Occasionally, LC3 families and community groups deliver American food (thanks, guys – you know who you are).
Next comes Discovery Bible Study with Ali and Sela leading us through the book of Mark. New arrivals practice English by reading and discussing God’s Word and all of us grow in our walk with God, discovering new insights from people of other cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The evening ends with prayer for one another (this is where it gets personal). Several months ago, one of the men shared with me about being arrested and imprisoned in Iran for several weeks for preaching the gospel. We pray that all of us can learn new relational skills and grow in understanding and compassion for people who are different from us but still need Jesus. For immigrant families, we pray that they learn to navigate American culture and the English language, and that God helps them find work to provide for their families. Most of all, we pray for all of us to be changed, to be more like Jesus in all we do and say.
English with Friends gives non-English-speaking new arrivals to the Tacoma area an opportunity to practice English. Coming from various countries in Asia, Africa and South America, many are already followers of Jesus.
The evening starts with fellowship over food: sometimes we have takeout pizza. Other times new arrivals bring dishes showcasing cuisine from their home country (it’s delicious and gives us a chance to expand taste buds!). Occasionally, LC3 families and community groups deliver American food (thanks, guys – you know who you are).
Next comes Discovery Bible Study with Ali and Sela leading us through the book of Mark. New arrivals practice English by reading and discussing God’s Word and all of us grow in our walk with God, discovering new insights from people of other cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The evening ends with prayer for one another (this is where it gets personal). Several months ago, one of the men shared with me about being arrested and imprisoned in Iran for several weeks for preaching the gospel. We pray that all of us can learn new relational skills and grow in understanding and compassion for people who are different from us but still need Jesus. For immigrant families, we pray that they learn to navigate American culture and the English language, and that God helps them find work to provide for their families. Most of all, we pray for all of us to be changed, to be more like Jesus in all we do and say.
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