Can you come back tomorrow?: Moldova, Republic of

Country Profile

Can you come back tomorrow?

Moldova, Republic of | Kate Stephenson

In the Local Ministry Team in the south, English lessons are part of our outreach programme in three different villages. Every lesson is different, even if the subjects are sometimes the same. I really enjoy teaching English because it is something that I can give the children that can really help them with their future.

For the children who attend our classes, English lessons are not like what they are used to at school. Here they don’t hear that they are stupid. Here they can spend time with their friends, learn a new language and have fun. Every lesson has lots of games to help the children learn and practice the vocabulary that they have learnt. Preparation costs a lot of work beforehand and sometimes I find myself thinking, Is it really worth all the effort? But when I see a child, proud that he rememberd a word from last week, then I’m motivated again.

Recently we started work in the village Nicolaifca. There is a special admosphere in our lesson. I sense this is a nice place for children to escape from whatever awaits them at home.

Sometimes lessons are cancelled because we can’t reach the villages when there is too much snow. Just before the Christmas holidays, we had a lesson in Nicolaifca. I was very discouraged because the day before, a lesson in another village had been cancelled by the pastor.

Seeing 19 children waiting for us encouraged me instantly. In a small village, this is quite a lot. We had fun as we taught the children the colours and played some games to help memorise the new words. After 90 minutes I wanted to finish the programme. One boy called Vitalie said, “Can we not learn some more? Is this all for today?” We explained that we had to go somewhere else but we would be back next week. His response was, “Can you come back tomorrow?”

I am learning to see teaching English as a way of reaching people with God's love. Through English lessons we are able to have greater contact with the children, and show them a better way to live.