January 2010: Walking Humbly
January 2010 Bulletin Insert Format [PDF]Enero 2010 en español
…what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
Caminante, “To Walk One’s Path”, is the organization I’m working with as a Global Ministries Intern. The name was created by the first children who participated in the program because it represented their main form of transportation, walking, and it is a symbol of various walks of life. I had the opportunity to visit the home of one of my students, a young girl, age 11. Her family makes candy in their home to sell to tourists on the beach.
I recognize the importance for this young girl to learn English. I also am humbled by the fact that she walks an hour through the Caribbean heat to attend my English class. She bought breakfast with the 10 pesos she probably made selling sweets and was gracious enough to offer me her breakfast.
In a community that is predominantly dependent on tourism, speaking English is crucial especially to acquire one of the better paying jobs in the town. All of the children are required to learn English in school; however, more often than not there is no English teacher, so the regular classroom teacher is attempting to teach a language that they don’t know themselves. I am proud to be teaching them English to help them have more opportunities in life. Yet, my students are giving much more to me, the gift of an example of how to live a life as Jesus has taught — to live in community filled with humble sharing. I continue to accompany the staff of Caminante to do as the Lord requires of us “To do Justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God” alongside the children and youth of this community in hope of not necessarily changing a world of problems, but being a world of change for the youth with which I work.
Let us pray and act with Erin to bring good things to our world.
Erin serves as a Global Mission Intern with Caminante in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. She works with children in Caminante’s Outreach Ministry.