If You Want to Reach Mom, Teach Her Kids ESL

Two women sit and discuss the Bible
All over the world, Christians are taking advantage of the opportunity to share the Gospel through ESL. Keep reading to see how TEAM missionaries in Mexico used it to reach Aitana!

Aitana didn’t know much about Jesus.

Although she lived in an area of Mexico that was strong in religious traditions, her understanding of spiritual things was vague.

Even after she grew up, got married and became a mother, Aitana had questions

She couldn’t understand the emphasis in her culture on worshiping saints. It seemed like there was a major focus on bringing lots of offerings, too. Was she doing enough good deeds to get into heaven? Would the sins she struggled with, like pride, be her undoing?

Little did Aitana know that an English class would help her find the answers to her questions.

ESL Ministry Leads to Trusted Friendship

When Aitana first noticed the English as a Second Language center near the local park, it caught her attention.

She and her husband worked in an importing business, so she knew how helpful it was to know other languages. The center offered classes for kids, so she enrolled her two school-age children.

And that’s how she met Jann and Paul, TEAM missionaries who served at the center.

A woman in Mexico puts her arm around her son.

Aitana knew that knowing English as a second language would be beneficial for her kids later in life. So she signed them up for a class led by TEAM missionaries.

Over the next few years, as her kids attended English class, Aitana got to know the couple better. When Aitana needed help translating a few letters, Jann was happy to help her.

What began as more of a professional transaction soon grew into a trusted friendship. Aitana could see that Paul and Jann were sincere about helping her community through these English classes.

When Aitana decided that she too could benefit from an ESL class, she became Jann’s student.

Missionary Friend Answers Questions

Paul invited Aitana to their house church a few months later, and she and her two children came the very next week.

It became obvious that while Aitana was indeed interested in improving her English, she was even more hungry to learn about Jesus. It wasn’t long before she and Jann were regularly meeting together to study the Bible.

As she and Jann spent more time together, Aitana’s trust in her friend grew.

Aitana confided that she had felt God’s presence since she was a small child. She’d known some Christians and seen how committed they were to understand the Bible. She was curious how Christians worshiped God. That’s why she accepted Paul’s invitation — and why she had so many questions about her own culture’s religious traditions.

Aitana began to understand that her relationship with God didn’t depend on her good behavior. She learned what Jesus had done for her and how much He loved her. And so she decided to put her trust in Him.

New Christian Shares Her Faith

Since coming to Christ, Aitana has continued to grow in her faith. She’s learning to depend on God when difficult times come. She has more peace. And the pride that used to be so prevalent has lost its grip on her.

Her new life in Jesus has impacted others, too.

Aitana’s children continue to attend church with her, and her husband regularly comes for the fellowship time afterward. She enjoys inviting friends to the house church, too, and her one-on-one Bible study with Jann has grown to include five more women.

“We praise God for bringing her family into our circle,” Jann says.

When Aitana decided to take an ESL class, she hoped it would improve her life. Thanks to caring friends like you, her decision has led to a completely changed life!


You can reach more people like Aitana through ESL classes and other ministries today! Your gift to TEAM will help start new ministries, recruit missionaries and so much more. Please give today to share Christ’s love with those who need to know Him!

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About the author

Heidi Chupp

Heidi Chupp grew up as a missionary kid in South and Central America and then served as a stateside missionary before pursuing a writing career. She loves to use her words to share about what God is doing around the world.

12 Comments

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    • Glory to God,It was 1995 April when I was very sick ,when my mind was aroused to think more about the love of God to human beings and Jesus died on the cross for us,I felt urge calmness peaae and joy in my heart and in that moment I vowed to God that when heals and raise me from my sick bed bed I will be saved and serve God the rest of my life, God did it and now i’m saved and serving God as a pastor in victors Grace chapel ,kenya

      • That’s awesome, Muoki. Praise the Lord for what He’s done, and thank you for your service to Him!

  • When I think about all that God has done for me, I am amazed. God’s presence has protected, loved and strengthened me since I was a small child, around four years old. I was tormented with nightmares that had me literally walking the floors at such a young age. My mother would hear my little feet running across the floor and she would say, “Alyce, get back in the bed.” But I was afraid. I didn’t want to go to sleep because the minute I did I was tormented by the devil. One day I told my mother and she took me up for prayer the next morning during Sunday service. I remember shouting and thanking God. The dreams didn’t stop but as I got older I understood my purpose and why I was having most of the dreams. I was born with a purpose. Most of my dreams came to past. God used me to warn people, even myself. Years flew by, and the dreams never stopped; my vision became clearer. I am an intercessor. I would see and dream things that most people would be afraid to talk about or experience. God visited me in my dream a few times growing up and in my adulthood. He would even send prophets to pray over me and to tell me my purpose and not to fear anything because God was with me. I was chosen and He was a jealous God and wanted me all to Himself. Those words drove me back to Him many times because at some points in my life I didn’t make God my focus so He always reminded me of my purpose. That’s how good our God is. He loves us so much that He will give us multiple chances to get it right with Him. God’s presence has save me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I would be dead and in hell right now if it were not for Him. Thank You, Jesus for you endless love and mercy.

  • I am so happy for the Aitana Her story and very good teachings to Me and My life at large So I am very blessed with Her teachings.let Us give glory to Our heavenly Father Our God. It has helps Me and My co-workers too.So We thank Our Almighty God for Her blife abundantly.May nGod sustain you all Amen

  • The first time God spoke to me was in a village where I was working with a Government organization in Nigeria. I was sitting at my office premises around 5 pm after the day’s job and my guardsman was working outside of the office premises. By then I was living a wayward life; drinking and sleeping with girls. After I had just finished listening to the news on my transistor radio, I suddenly heard a voice clearly spoke to me as if closeby in the sky: “If you don’t stop this kind of life that you’re living I am going to inflict you with one of these deadly diseases.” I quickly looked around, looked up and down, but there was nobody. It was just me sitting alone and leaning on the office wall and the guardsman was working on his farmland far away from where I was and he was not even educated that he could speak such good English. I then realised it was God speaking to me. I quickly said, “Lord, I am sorry, forgive.”

  • God is the most important in my life. The goodness in everything comes from the Lord and whenever something positive happens it is due to the Lord. Love Wins Amen.

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