Success Stories

Never Give Up!

During the past 36 years I have been a wife, working mother of six children and learner of English.

I was born in Honduras, C.A. I’m the second of six children. I grew up in a household where the main characteristics were to love and serve everybody. My father was an evangelical pastor who practiced what he preached, my mother was a teacher which she enjoyed, and loved very much. They gave me the best education possible including some English classes. After a while I married a very simple man, who was kind, loving and a gentleman. We had six children.

My husband was offered a job opportunity in the United States. When we arrived in the United States I had a little recognition about the language, enough to express and communicate in our daily life, but I realized that it was not good enough. I needed to learn more English so I could talk, work, and understand my new community as well as I understood Spanish in my own country.

It looked impossible to accomplish. Feeling very afraid and challenged, I remembered what my parents had taught me. “Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece”—”I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.” I remembered that God who was in my country was here, too, in America. I learned not to be afraid because He will always be with me, a big reason to never give up.

During this process of learning I had many experiences that show me why is important to learn to write and speak English correctly. I would like to share one of my learning experiences about the language.

One day I went to the grocery store to buy some soup. I asked the clerk where the soup was for me to eat, but I pronounced it “soap.” The clerk opened his eyes wide and looked at me shocked and took me to the detergent aisle. He showed me the soap, and I insisted that I wanted “soap” (soup). When I did not agree to the product he showed me he immediately looked around for a bilingual person that could help us. Finally he found out what I needed. This was one of the many lessons of how important it is to have good English pronunciation.

Because of lack of time, money and opportunity I wasn’t able to take formal English classes. Every day I learned a little bit more English, and then I realized that it was not good enough to fight the daily battle. When I didn’t speak English it was a struggle because when I went to a restaurant, church, my job, school, stores and markets I was misunderstood. When I tried to order food they brought something else because of misunderstanding. Going to church I only understood half of what the preacher said. I wondered if I would only get half a blessing if I understood only half of the message. There was always something new to learn about communication.

Because of the lack of time, money and opportunity my husband and I were not able to take formal English classes. But I never gave up, there is always a way to learn. I prayed to the Lord to help my children learn to read, write and pronounce English correctly, and at the same time not to forget their language (Spanish).

My advantage was helping all six of my kids with their homework from kindergarten to high school. I had repeated examples with six sets of homework again and again. When I saw them going to school day by day, they had determination; they didn’t want to miss any school. They were very committed and dedicated to their studies to advance in life. That encouraged me to do the same and continue learning the language to be a better helper. I helped them and they helped me.

I worked for a dentist for 18 years who spoke only English. At that time I had to learn medical terms in English to translate to his Spanish-speaking patients.

Every time I found out there was a community English class I took it, and of course, it helped me a lot. Eventually, I took some Spanish courses and got a diploma in biblical studies, and I completed my G.E.D. in Spanish.

Three years ago my husband passed away from colon cancer, so it was a struggle situation for our family. But this was the time when God decided to call him. With this loss, we had to continue living and looking for our goals. I had to be mother and father. Before, I had someone to share responsibility. We were together for everything. Now I felt like I had to be stronger. Even though he’s gone I didn’t give up, even though I miss him. My children grew up and I am studying again—at the Adult Reading Center in Pearland, trying again to do my best helping my grandchildren with their homework.

Do you believe in angels? I do and I know some of them. My neighbor who is from Pakistan directed me to the Adult Reading Center, a place that has an open door for everybody that wants to learn English, without discrimination of any kind. She took me over there and the second angel, her name is Angie, gave me an evaluation test and accepted me as a student, and they assigned me another angel for a tutor. Her name is Wendy, who with dedication and patience took my hand to teach me English conversation and writing.

I want to continue studying to be prepared to return to the community what I got from angels in my learning process.