The lessons are taught the old-fashioned way: The chalkboard has been at Christ Church since the 1930s.
On Thursday, September 5, Christ Church Chatham offered its first free Spanish lesson to the congregation and community at large.
It was an excellent turn out. The lessons, led by the Reverend John Maroney, a native Spanish speaker, are intended to equip the students with the basic skills to carry on a simple conversation.
There are hundreds of Mexican migrant workers in the Chatham-Kent area. They are away from their loved ones for extended periods of time, and the language barrier they encounter only adds to their sense of isolation. By learning basic conversational Spanish, the students will be able to engage our Mexican brothers on a deeper and more meaningful level.
On any given Friday night, large groups of Mexican migrant workers patiently wait outside Walmart, groceries in hand, for buses to transport them back to where they work. People walk right past them, as though they were invisible. It would make a world of difference to them to have someone take the time to stop and say " Buenas noches, amigos. ¿Cómo están?
A simple act of kindness goes a long way.
The lessons will run for four weeks every Thursday from 5-6pm. Additional lessons are already in the works.
Bendiciones infinitas!
Rev. John Maroney