English skills are growing!

Refugee Family Update
October 2, 2017
 
               With the start of school the English skills of our Eritrean friends are growing by leaps and bounds!  Abraham, the quieter one who is now in 1st grade, is suddenly chattering away.  Both older boys have become good at riding the bicycle----and another bike has been donated so they both have their own.  Wudase, the mom, is now in English class at the boys’ school (Easton elementary) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and the report from the caregiver at the school is that she is the star of the class!  That may be because everyone in the class except Wudase speaks Spanish so that pushes everyone with their English.  Wudase thinks it’s as funny as we do that she is going to be tri-lingual since she’s picking up Spanish words as well. Her English, though is suddenly blossoming and she’s very happy in the class.
                Natinal, who just turned two stays at the school with the caregiver during class. I haven’t heard him speaking Spanish yet but his verbal skills are exceptional for a two-year-old……”Stop”, “sit down”, “no”, “hello”, “bye”---of course those words flow easily.  The first time I heard him whining, “mine, mine” I thought he was being a typical two-year-old----and then I learned that is the Tigrinyan word for “water!”
             The men continue to work hard at their jobs.  Debesay has been working since the Spring for a company that is now operating out of High Point.  He sews mattress covers.  Sewing was a skill he brought with him from Eritrea though he had not used electric equipment.  Now that he’s finished a period of training, he has gotten a raise and is very proud of his work.  But it’s hard work as he is standing all day. Gobezai continues to work for Salem Baking (Dewey’s)-----making Moravian cakes and cookies which we all know and love! The whole family (including us!) likes that he gets to bring home products.
               Some folks at CPC have recently said they are available to help with such things as transportation.  And that’s good!  We are taking Wudase to and from her English on Tuesdays and Thursdays and so far are able to handle it but we need folks to call if we hit a snag.  Also,  we would like to be able to bring them to church occasionally----on Sunday morning or even Wednesdays—and it takes two cars.  If you’d like to be available to help with that, please contact the church office and they can let us know.
                         Please continue to remember this family in your prayers!
                                                                                                         Felicia Stewart Hoyle

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