A Lasting Impression

By Dori McCormick, St. John’s Lutheran Church

We don’t always know what impact we’ve had on students in our English classes. But we hope we’ve helped make their lives a bit better.

I can still remember Marvin, who was one of my students 20 years ago. I was in my early years as a volunteer with the St. John’s Lutheran Church ESL program in Alexandria, Va.

Marvin often stayed after class to chat with my co-teacher and me. He was very friendly—and also very lonely. He told us how he worked seven days a week to send money back to his wife and four kids in Guatemala where they were struggling to survive. We gathered new and used clothing for his children and shipped them to his family. We invited Marvin to church events. We became friends.

In a year or two, Marvin moved to Florida for a construction job. But he would call or email me from time to time. He went through a dark time after learning that his wife in Guatemala wanted a divorce. While he was in the U.S. working to provide for his family, his wife had begun a relationship with someone else. He worried that his kids wouldn’t remember him because he was gone for so long. Ultimately, we lost touch. I hadn’t had any contact from Marvin in more than 10 years—until recently.

Out of the blue, he called me. He said he always remembered my kindness to him. He said his English skills weren’t good enough to express his gratitude back then. But he wanted to let me know how much of a difference I had made in his life. He has remarried. His wife got on the phone and also thanked me. He sent me pictures of them and their two children. He told me he’s been sober for 13 years and is attending church regularly. He’s re-connected with his children in Guatemala. He sounded happy—and proud.

I wonder how many more of our former students remember us as Marvin does? We might not hear from many of them, but Marvin’s phone call reminds me that teaching English to our immigrant neighbors is about more than vocabulary lessons. It’s about making a human connection—and that can make all the difference.