The English Language Learning (ELL) classroom is the perfect place to personally connect with local internationals by teaching English, building relationships, instilling confidence and independence, and ultimately pointing them to Jesus. Two Knox County ELL programs have facilitated incredible friendships, impacting lives on a deeper level along the way. They began with different target groups, but have the same beautiful story of network collaboration! 

by Bobbie McClain
West Hills ELL started their program in West Hills Elementary School Cafeteria after Northstar Church asked KIN to help them carry out their faith journey in fall 2022. KIN provided a teacher and encourager (teacher assistant), while Northstar volunteers formed program teams and worked with school staff to share about the class with parents of ELL students. God also brought a new couple to Knoxville, and to Northstar, at just the right time, as they were seeking a church where they could carry out their calling to teach ELL. ​

by Anna Garlington
When Sabrina, a native of Honduras, and her daughter, Luna, arrived in Knoxville, they moved from another state; so they were not new to the US. However, they felt unsure how they would fit in and how Luna would make new friends and adapt to a new school.

​For Sabrina, she wanted classes to improve her English and to also find some work.

Through an encounter with a lady taking a walk in their apartment complex, Sabrina heard about the ELL classes at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church and she eagerly began attending last year. Making friends was easy, and soon she felt part of the community.

She also began attending the ELL Community Sunday School class at the church, and was eager to join a Hispanic Bible study.

One day, Sabrina shared that she was looking for some work, and a KIN volunteer was delighted to connect her with a part-time position caring for an elderly woman. The opportunity was a perfect fit for her skills, desires and needs: the position requested that the employee speak Spanish, the hours were during school hours, so she could still manage Luna's school transportation, and taking care of an elderly woman was something Sabrina enjoyed greatly.

As for Luna, well, she auditioned for a part in a children’s theater, and was chosen to be Goldilocks in a production that showcased how talented this 11-year-old is! She loves acting, as well as being part of the children’s ministry at church. She is thriving and making plenty of friends.
​
Welcome to Knoxville, Sabrina and Luna! We're glad you're here and that your ELL program and KIN could help you find just the right connections in your new home.

​In the spring, an article ran in KIN's e-newsletter explaining the "network" and how it functions. So, how is that going? Does the network work?....

Not only does it work, it works well: facilitating relationships to support acquisition of individual needs, sharing resources so each volunteer doesn't individually have to beat the bushes to find them, and sharing systems and processes information (healthcare, insurance, government assistance) so new volunteers learn from what others have already discovered.

Check out these examples of the network at work:*

Sometimes it takes a village…or in this case, an Embrace group. When KIN was notified that a family from Afghanistan would arrive at the Knoxville airport within a week, a call for an Embrace group went out to our church partners. Immediately, the Mission Director at Shoreline Church responded enthusiastically, “We’re in!!”

Although there were steps to be completed such as applications, background checks, and training, the group of nearly 20 quickly and eagerly did what was needed to be paired with the family of eight. “I was initially apprehensive; but once we met the family, I realized they weren’t much different than us and simply needed friends to guide them on integrating into Knoxville,” stated one Embrace member.

by Blythe Thompson
Growing up an American missionary kid in Ecuador, now residing in the US, Geri knows the challenges of feeling at home in a foreign land, which for her, is the US.

So, since moving to the US as an adult, Geri has always found a way to connect with internationals in her community, wanting to help them feel more at home. Additionally, volunteering had always been part of her retirement plan, to give back to the community, and help people find Christ or grow in their faith. 

​​Mary and Doug had recently enjoyed housing an African refugee family in their finished basement. They shared with Anna, a KIN volunteer, that they would love to be able to help another family in the same way, and to let them know if she knew of anyone needing housing. 

So when Anna received a call from Lena and Mustafa that their neighbor's behavior had escalated to the point where the police had to be called, she immediately knew how she could help. Eager to make the connection that seemed such an obvious provision from God, Anna called Mary. And within the week, Mary and Doug had opened their home and welcomed new friends to stay with them for as long as needed. 

There were a couple of cultural "hurdles'', such as the fact that dogs lived in the home, which isn’t allowed in the Islamic faith. The families also had to share a kitchen, a potential challenge in meeting halal+ requirements, but it instead turned into a great opportunity to grow close. And when Mary needed help due to a medical issue, Lena was more than happy to help take care of her and provide upkeep of the home.

As they saw God at work, both families were joyful and thankful. For Mary and Doug, they got to share their gift of hospitality with strangers, and for Mustafa and his family, they felt tangibly loved and accepted. Mary's grandson became an instant friend for their little boy, and the tension of the previous weeks melted away as new friends found refuge, love and acceptance in the home of Christ's ambassadors!  "I was a stranger and you invited Me into your home." (Jesus--Matthew 25:35)
​
*names changed
+denoting or relating to meat prepared as prescribed by Muslim law

Then she went to her amazing ELL (English Language Learning) teachers, one of whom is an international herself. ELL teachers quickly get to know the families of their students. They thought adult English classes might work, so they surveyed the families to be sure. Twenty people were interested in an evening class!
 
Working with KIN, the ELL teachers interviewed those interested parents to assess their existing English communication skills. A couple of weeks later, 14 parents attended the first evening class, and the numbers have gone up since then. On one recent evening, they had 24 participants. WHES provides rooms at the school. KIN staff teaches one class, and a volunteer teaches the other. Additional volunteers encourage learners, take care of children, and supply snacks so the parents can study effectively.
 
These parents’ English skills are improving, but also, they are now familiar with the school building. Perhaps they are also beginning to feel what Ms. Harrison has felt all along: that every family at West Hills E.S. belongs there.
 
READY TO GET INVOLVED?
Ms. Harrison looked around her and started doing something to improve the lives of internationals in her circle of influence. At KIN, we say, "Start Here." Where is your “here?” You don’t have to be a school principal to start an English class for adults or meet 1-on-1 with an international to work on communication skills. Explore ways to Get Involved on our website today!

Junior lost his wife and new baby in a refugee camp shortly before his name reached the top of the list. Still mourning, he took his 8-year-old son, Jonas, and boarded a plane to Knoxville, Tennessee—a place he’d never heard of in a country where he didn’t speak the language. Bridge Refugee Services found him a place to live and a job. They helped Jonas get into school, and assisted in other ways, too. But this small family needed more long-term support than Bridge had the capacity to provide.
 
As Dan and his group learned about Junior’s struggles to manage life in Knoxville, they dug in, tackling one problem at a time. That’s when Dan realized, “We had to quit being social and be more like missionaries.” It wasn’t easy, and everyone in the group stepped up.

• One guy taught Junior how to hold and strum a guitar.
• One man negotiated with Junior’s landlord about past-due rent payments.
• Another guy went to the bank with him and helped him set up a checking account.
• Yet another person showed Junior how to pay his KUB bill online.

 
Some things were easy, others were hard. But even the small, seemingly easy things were big to Junior. Along the way, the wall between Junior and this Embrace group began to break down.
 
One day, they simply went for a walk. Junior and Jonas both relaxed, and Junior talked more freely to some of the men in his group—men who are the same age but have lived completely different lives. That’s the day they moved from being people who helped him to being friends.
 
Friendship. It seems like a small thing, but it’s big.
 
Junior still leans on this small group as he learns how to be self-reliant in his new hometown. But the learning isn’t one-sided. The group learned they didn’t need to provide all the answers. They needed to be present, sometimes learning alongside Junior, sometimes just listening. Because listening is a big, small thing too.

KIN: Did your family there expect the invasion? 
S: Not in a thousand years! Ukraine was never looking for war and had much respect for the Russian people and their rich culture. Also, many Russians have visited Ukraine and demonstrated much appreciation for our welcoming and hardworking people, delicious cuisine, stunning architecture, crystal clear rivers, and beautiful mountains.
P: My family didn't expect an invasion from our brother nation. They are in shock and stress. No one expected a nation with such close ties to attack their neighbor. 

KIN: What are their plans at this time? 
P: My family will stay where they are, and those who are able may pick up arms. I would love to bring them here, but right now, all I can do is pray for them.  
S: Because we are fighting the second largest army in the world, no males 18-60 years old may leave Ukraine at this time. Besides, my son wants to stay and help protect his beautiful city. In regard to his wife and children, they are very worried about how long they will be able to last with limited food and medical supplies. They are unsure and will continue re-evaluating the situation daily and sometimes several times a day.
S told us separately that she’s not sure her elderly parents, both with health issues, could make the journey to become refugees.

Both P and S are praying for their families and trying to help them financially. They asked all our KINfolk to pray as well. S added, 
“I am so thankful for the overwhelming response from the US and many other countries who have helped financially and in other ways. I have also been humbled by the amount of care and prayers my homeland has received. We serve an awesome God who goes before his people. The truth is on the side of the Ukrainian people and if it is His will, Ukraine will win this war and all the glory will go to Him. Meanwhile, we are praying for continued wisdom for the US administration and the Ukrainian leadership, and for protection and stamina for our people. We are fighting for the freedom of many generations to come.”

READY TO GET INVOLVED?
S points out that “everyone has a story and unique needs.” Get to know people of Ukrainian and of Russian descent in your circles of influence. Pray with them and for them. You might also reach out to one of the Russian-speaking congregations in our area. Many older Ukrainians speak Russian and may worship there. 

If you have the means, consider donating to a reputable humanitarian organization such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, or your denomination’s crisis relief ministry.

2021 n07
Nate* could have chosen any city when he immigrated to the USA, but he chose Knoxville. He had friends, he says, who were “giving me good words about Knoxville.” They said his children would have a good future if he moved here, and the cost of living was reasonable.

Three years later, Nate is “giving good words” about Knoxville himself! He wants to buy a house and see his children grow into adulthood here. 

But getting to Knoxville wasn’t easy.

Among the young men at the table, you’ll find an American named Joe,* who grew up overseas and finds himself naturally gravitating toward others with global experience. Issa sits there, too. He came to Knoxville as a refugee with his father and brother. In 6th grade, these two met through a mutual friend (also an international from yet another country!) and rose through the ranks of middle school band together. Now they are best friends. They both march in their high school band, and they choose to sit together in class whenever they can.

What’s natural for Joe (befriending people of other nationalities) may not be natural for everyone but take a bit of advice from this high school freshman: “People aren’t actually that different.” Joe treats Issa just like he treats everyone else, and Issa has opened his life to Joe, whom he now trusts implicitly.

The international person next to you at school, at work, or in your neighborhood wants to be treated the same way Joe and Issa interact: just like everyone else. Why not invite them to sit with you at lunch? Sure, you’ll have to get used to an accent, but you may find a new friend more easily than you thought possible.

READY TO GET INVOLVED?
KIN can equip you to more confidently befriend your international neighbor, either formally (through ESL, for example) or informally (through events, question suggestions, or background information). Start the conversation by emailing info@kin-connect.org!

*Names have been changed for privacy, but the story is true.