It’s my first day helping teach an English class in Guatemala. We are walking into the school, a long line of gringas, feeling self-conscious and out of place as everyone stares. Since we hadn’t yet split up into smaller ministry teams, there are about twelve girls coming to help a teacher named Ellen with the organization that hosts us, Nueve Generacion.
The school is huge, made up of two loops of brick buildings and beautiful stretches of grassy fields in between. The white-walled classrooms are empty except for thirty desks, a whiteboard, and the colorful plastic chip bags that were discarded on the ground and never picked up. Large windows span across one wall, providing all the light in the room.
We split off into small groups with the students and begin to ask them basic questions in English. The kids are all teenagers, anywhere between twelve and twenty. They don’t know a lot of English and for the most part are timid and shy in their responses. However, as Ellen walks around the classroom observing the groups, their demeanor changes completely. They laugh and joke with her, calling her over to their group and teasingly asking for “One kiss, Miss!” That class was the first of many that I was able to see the student’s love for Ellen.
I’ve had the pleasure of spending almost every day with Ellen for the past three months. Her last name, Reyna, means ‘queen’ in Spanish, a name I believe she lives up to.
Ellen Reyna is twenty-three years old, 5’4 (but claims to be 5’5), sassy, loves colorful lipstick and dark clothing, a definite Slytherin, and has the voice of an angel. She is always on the hunt for good chile relleno and never passes up the opportunity to stop and coo “Que haces, chucho?” at every street dog we pass. When you first meet her, she is drawn back and quiet. She is one of those people that take a while to get to know, but once you do, it’s a constant stream of inside jokes and sly humor.
One of my favorite things is getting to listen to Ellen talk about our students. Whether we’re walking home or riding the bus, she’ll always start in with a long explanation of the kid she is about to talk about. “ You know the boy in Primero B who sits behind Kevin? I think his brother’s name is Pedro? Yeah well, I saw him at the grocery store and he said hi to me and it made me so happy!” Having nearly 300 students, it’s impressive that she remembers so many names. We often make fun of her for the roundabout way she identifies her students, but I really have an appreciation for how much effort and care she puts into remembering every individual.
During class, I love watching Ellen interact with the students. She is probably one of the few people in this world who is perfect for the job of teaching English to a classroom of Guatemalan teenagers. She is fun and laid back, but serious when necessary, relatable and young, but wise and respected by the students. She makes sure to meet the kids halfway between the two languages, pushing them to learn English while relating to them in Spanish. Her classroom is run in the same way, encouraging progress and improvement, while still making sure it’s an environment where you can have fun and feel safe. Sometimes we have a lesson, sometimes we just have fun, but most of the time we have a fun lesson. She always makes sure to have a bag of candy stashed in her backpack. Every single day we walk into the school, a small crowd of kids yelling “Dulces!” with their palms out, asking for candy, rushes up to us with huge smiles on their faces. Oftentimes in the middle of a lesson, the whole class will chant “Que canta, que canta!” and Ellen will, after a lot of encouragement and pleading, sing part of a song for the class. Times like these are the only moments our classes have been completely silent, and they burst into applause when she is finished. Some days, we’ll rush to finish a lesson so we can go outside and play soccer for the remainder of the class.
Above all this, the thing that makes Ellen so great at her job is her genuine love for these kids. Her individual love is amplified and creates a whole culture of love in the classroom. I know that every student of Ellen feels incredibly loved and cared about when they sit in her class. Each day, I leave the classroom with a glow and warmth in my heart because of the uplifting environment I was just in.
Yesterday, we had the last class of the year before their vacation. If nothing else was a testament to the impact she has, it was this past week of goodbyes. Even though she will be returning to teach in January to teach the same classes, there was no shortage of “I love you Miss” ‘s and selfies taken with Ellen and the kids. All of Ellen’s love for the kids is returned in full; they love her just as much as she loves them. I don’t think the kids consider her to be a merely a fun teacher that is also their friend, but a friend who has taught them something significant, far more than just the basics of the English language.
During these three months, I’ve also gotten the chance to learn a thing or two from Ellen. She taught me how to ride a chicken bus, not to be afraid of street food (for the most part), and all the best places to eat in Antigua. I learned that you can still look cute every single day and be a missionary and to not pay more than 30Q for a tuk-tuk. Ellen taught me the importance of loving the people you’re serving, even when it’s hard to do; and for that I’ll always be grateful.
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Guess what? I only have three weeks left in Guatemala. Isn’t it crazy how time flies? I still have over $2,000 to raise by the beginning of November. Please keep praying over fundraising for me! You can help by making a donation (which you can do through this blog), share this with your friends, and of course by praying! Thank you all so much! If you have any questions, let me know!
This is a pretty accurate picture of how crazy this class is. We love them!
Ellen and some students on the last day.
Class selfie!!
