Over the year, there has been a reasonably steady increase in the number of attendees -- five or six per day early on, to as many as ten to twelve per day at the present time. On one occasion, 18 refugees came. The earlier attendees were primarily from Myanmar (Burma), with a sprinkling of Iraqis and Bhutanese. During the intervening time, we assisted a family from Ethiopia, a family from Honduras and a growing number of families from Bhutan. Today, the majority of guests are from Bhutan, with a few from Iraq and Myanmar. Many are waiting at the door when we arrive at 8:45 A.M. or even earlier, and some seldom miss a day.

Because Warwick UCC is on the "other end of the wall" along Jefferson Avenue from the Candlewood Apartments -- where Immigration and Refugee Services resettles many refugees -- it is in a uniquely convenient location for the guests to walk to "school". Six of the computers offer a choice of Rosetta Stone or Ultimate Phonics as the instructional software, and one has Microsoft Word. Some guests like to type their name, address, phone number -- alphabets and numbers, etc.

One computer provides access to the Internet. Many of the younger attendees want to communicate with their friends who are still in the refugee camp in Nepal. Because it costs money for refugee camp residents to send each message from Nepal, they send one message to their friend here, who then distributes it to a list of other friends both in the U.S. and elsewhere. One young man was listening to a news broadcast being streamed from a station in Nepal, and he relayed to me that President Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. So you see, I heard the news first from Nepal, before hearing it on the local news.

I think these indications prove that, in expanding our ministries into the larger community, we are doing unto others what we would hope they would do for us under similar circumstances. Should some readers wish to join Warwick in this needed and very satisfying endeavor, there are still times in the evenings or weekend afternoons when the Lab could be extended to those who are fortunate enough to have a job, but who still want to expand their English proficiency. Give us a call at 757-249-1059.

Harlan Holmes created and maintains the English Language Learning Center
at Warwick United Church of Christ in Newport News