In October 2012, Chen and Xiaoying (last name withheld), of Beijing, China, saw the sign in front of Calvary Baptist Church in Florence and paused at the advertisement for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes at the church.
Earlier in the year, the couple moved to Florence, and they were excited about the birth of a new baby. Chen’s company asked him to return to China, but Xiaoying’s pregnancy prevented her from taking any flights. Unable to leave his wife, Chen quit his job of 10 years.
Then, Xiaoying miscarried.
Xiaoying and Chen
“We felt so hopeless, and our world was dark,” Chen said. “We were thinking about a return to China. Then, one day we passed by Calvary Baptist Church and saw a sign for the ESL classes. We wanted to improve our English, and so we went into the church. We met Sue Johnson.”
Johnson, retired South Carolina Baptist Convention literacy missions consultant and wife of the late pastor and director of missions Carroll Johnson, remembers when the couple came to their first ESL class.
“As they registered, I asked them, ‘What is your religion?’ and they said, ‘We have none, but we want to learn about Christianity,’ ” Johnson said.
Chen said, “We had held our emotions in for so long, and we couldn’t speak to any of our family or friends here. Xiaoying cried in Sue’s arms just like a girl cries with her mom. From that day and week, we go to church for English and gradually learn about the Bible and God.”
During November and December, Johnson, Chen, and Xiaoying spent lots of time studying the Bible, and the couple attended ESL classes three times each week. The couple also attended worship services at Calvary.
“They were asking a lot of questions about Scripture and often wanted to talk further about our pastor’s sermons,” Johnson said. Landon Reynolds, Calvary’s minister of music, met with Chen and Xiaoying to help answer questions about faith and their relationship with Jesus.
“By this time, they had a spiritual depth to them,” Johnson said. “Xiaoying even said, ‘If it had not been for the miscarriage of our baby, I would not have come to know Jesus.’ With no family in Florence, they were searching for help and comfort, and they turned to the church, to Christians, and to those who share the love and comfort brought by faith. All of our ESL teachers were encouraging them and praying for them during this time.”
Chen and Xiaoying made their profession of faith on Sunday, Dec. 16, and were baptized at Calvary on Dec. 23.
The couple has since moved to San Jose, Calif. Johnson contacted the Baptist association there and found it had a staff member who was Chinese. Since moving to California, they have become members in a Chinese church, sing in the choir, attend Friday evening Bible study and Sunday services, and have had opportunity to share about Jesus.
“I’ve been a pastor’s wife for a long time, and I’ve never encountered anyone more excited about understanding faith and coming to Jesus,” Johnson said. “It was an awesome walk with them, and their story reminds us of how God can use ESL teachers to influence others through faith. We need to commit our ESL ministries to God and let him use us.”
Xiaoying also surprised Chen on his birthday, Feb. 22, with news that she is pregnant again and that the baby is “God’s gift to us. We miss our ESL teachers and classmates very much, but we are doing well, and we now have faith in the One who can do all things.”
Tim Rice, director, missions mobilization group, SCBC, said that the story “illustrates why we are teaching English using the Bible. This couple saw the sign outside the church offering ESL classes, and they came in. They met Jesus through the love and compassion of the ESL volunteers.”
Dot Whitmire is the SCBC’s literacy missions consultant and works part-time in the field training individuals and church groups interested in starting an ESL ministry. Certified by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, there are five other certified trainers in South Carolina. There are currently 45 churches in South Carolina that offer ESL ministries.
“ESL is a tool to reach people with the gospel,” Whitmire said. “We’ve built into the ministry sharing the gospel, teaching people how to get involved with internationals’ lives, and to love students regardless of their need. We’ve had ESL teachers walk with international students through the paying of a traffic ticket, preparing for college, and helping some become U.S. citizens.
“One of the big needs is overcoming loneliness. Many are so very lonely and need English to build relationships. They need to know and want to find people who care.”
Whitmire estimates around 1,400 students are involved in South Carolina classes. While the majority of students are Hispanic, she estimates 45 different countries are represented by the students, and those countries include Russia and Iran.
“Because we use the Bible, many will attend evening classes and then come on Sunday mornings, too,” Whitmire said. “We teach a Sunday school lesson and ESL at the same time. It’s fascinating to see students with very different international backgrounds become friends together at a church setting while learning English together.”
Church volunteers come from in ages, including senior adults. “Some of our best volunteers are those who have retired and want to serve,” Whitmire said. “We provide great training, and it’s not necessary for volunteers to be professional teachers or to speak a foreign language. All you need is the ability to speak English.”
Statewide ESL training will be offered in August. Churches interested in learning more about ESL may contact Cheryl McCullough, ministry assistant in missions mobilization at the SCBC building in Columbia.