April is a month when many special people have birthdays. This is Grace and she is turning 21. I actually saw her growing up, more than that, I feel part of what she became. I met her when she was 14 years old. I was her English teacher at a language center. Yes, I used to work with teenagers, they kind of liked me; some of them, including Grace, even went to my wedding! I feel special about Grace because we identify with each other, she had her difficult times during adolescence, and one day she came and said to me that during her classes with me she could escape from her troubles, the English classes were a motive for her to overcome her difficulties. So I realized that I wasn't just teaching, I was making a difference in her life. We had a play in English "Romeo and Juliet" and she was my Juliet, as sweet as she can be, as a student she was my proud and joy, as her English is also perfect!,To my surprise she is following my steps, she was approved at the federal university, and she is studying languages, the same course and university I went to. In 2005 we had a program at the church called LST (Let`s start talking) for teenagers. I invited all the teenagers of the language center, including Grace, she was charmed by bible studies in English, and by the people she met. She made good friends, she visited some missionaries in the US. And she was finally baptized last year!
This is her mom, Ivoli! She is also coming to one of our house churches, she and her husband haven't decided yet about being baptized, but Grace already did the first step! As a teacher and evangelist I feel that my mission is accomplished with Grace!Ah! She also wants to be a teacher and work with English, just like me! Maybe we can work together sometime!
The message that I get from this story is that every act is important, I try to be the most patient teacher I can be, and work with love, maybe I can influence my students with my example!
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