Story of the Week: The Grammar of Grace

This week’s story highlights a growing community that stepped out in faith to build bridges through language, friendship and the hope found in Jesus.

Have you seen it?

Tucked away behind a grocery store in a quiet, tight-knit town is a humble trailer park. It’s easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. Yet it’s home to a robust community. Why do our neighbors here often go unseen? Perhaps it’s because many of them don’t speak English.

In late 2023, folks at Woodmen’s Monument Campus recognized a growing need for Spanish-language translation during weekend services. What began as a simple effort to provide language translation has blossomed into a thriving Spanish-speaking ministry. Today, a Spanish-language community group gathers during the week and every weekend, volunteers translate services in real time to make services welcoming for Spanish speakers.

AN INVITATION TO ACT

The growing Spanish-speaking community opened up one more important opportunity to serve. Angelina Byron, a Monument attender and high school teacher, shares, “Many Spanish speakers in our community can benefit from being equipped to speak English in their jobs, and some can’t yet read in their first language.”

Angelina was cautious to step in, worried that the need was already being met elsewhere in the Tri Lakes. Before starting something new, she focused on three key questions: “Is this a need? Is it already being met? Are the people of Woodmen the ones to do it?”

After researching English as a Second Language (ESL) resources in the area, the answers became clear. A nearby public school previously offered adult ESL classes, but the program was discontinued due to funding cuts. At the same time, Tri-Lakes Cares, a local social services organization, had just completed a community needs assessment identifying a strong demand for adult ESL education. The further Angelina looked, the clearer it became: God was inviting her to act.

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

After taking time to find the right curriculum, Angelina and her team needed volunteers. “Some volunteers didn’t speak Spanish,” Angelina says. “Some didn’t have a teaching background. One was a teenager.” The volunteers all worked hard and before long, 11 tutors were fully trained on the curriculum.

The path wasn’t always smooth, but Angelina kept trusting that God saw what she couldn’t. “The Lord kept putting ground under our idea at each step,” Angelina remembers.

They named the class Helping Others Practice English, HOPE for short. Word soon spread and 35 learners showed up for the first session.

Each week, students and tutors gathered, making cross-cultural connections and developing language skills. In addition to Spanish-speakers, immigrants from four different language backgrounds came together to learn English.

“We were transparent about our faith from the beginning, although many of the learners weren’t Christians,” Angelina recalls. “We told them this isn’t a Christian ESL class, but we are people of faith and we open each week by reading a Bible verse in their language and then in English.”

Learners were matched with tutors based on need, with each tutor typically supporting two or three students. “We had no idea who would mesh well with whom,” Angelina shares, “but it worked out beautifully.”

Week after week, a spirit of kinship began to grow in the classroom. One tutor, Cathy Roberts, remembers, “Tutors brought food to share during breaks. There was always so much food, and there was so much of an impact on the learners.”

FROM CIRCULUM TO COMMUNITY

By the end of the course, the profound impact on both learners and tutors was evident. Tutors started supporting their learners outside of class — visiting their businesses for a friendly chat. “The tutors are somebody who knows their name and will say ‘Hi’ to them in a neighborhood store. We recognize one another around our community now,” Cathy said.

One tutor, Patricia Maldonado, said the connections she made will last a lifetime. “One of the women is from the same city that I am,” she shares. “We talk on the phone regularly now that class is over.”

Several learners have since started attending worship services at Woodmen Monument. One Spanish-speaking woman recently chose to be baptized at Woodmen — a courageous step of faith made possible through relationships fostered in HOPE.

After the first semester wrapped up, some tutors and learners continued to meet monthly to catch up, share community and practice English. “You can learn English online,” Angelina reflects, “but coming together in relationship and community brings so much more.”

MORE THAN WE IMAGINE

This fall, the HOPE team is wrapping up their second semester of classes. Most of the learners returned from the first session, to keep growing in their English skills and to stay connected. In addition, several students have joined the Spanish language community group, diving deeper into God’s word in relationship.

The bond between tutors and students is a beautiful facet of the ministry. A young couple who joined the class this semester is expecting their first child, and HOPE attenders are excited to host a baby shower to bless this new family.

Angelina is grateful for the opportunity to serve those who are often overlooked. “You have to choose to see certain people,” she notes. And every week, the HOPE team does exactly that — they show up and create a place where everyone feels valued. Jesus loved to spend time celebrating with people who were unnoticed by others. Angelina and her team often say they’re simply “joining the party Jesus started.”

Her ongoing prayer is simple: Lord, what are You going to do? Who will You bring next? And week after week, they’re amazed by the ways God moves.

The team is filled with gratitude for seeds that have been planted. Angelina sums it up: “God has done so much more than we could ask or imagine through HOPE.”

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