Growing popularity of Connexus language school

We invite you to share the following story with your congregation. It should take no more than 2 minutes to read aloud. You might also wish to include the story in your church newsletter. This story is part of Equipping #64 March 2006.

Cheryl Woelk is a Mennonite Church Canada Witness worker in Seoul, South Korea. She is on staff at the Korea Anabaptist Center (KAC), and also serves as a coordinator of the Connexus language school that is associated with KAC. She wrote recently about the ministry of teaching English at Connexus.

Who would’ve thought? In only fifteen months, Connexus has gone from sixteen to 150 students with more on the waiting list. Most students find Connexus by hearing from friends about their good experiences, or through a Korean internet search engine where former students share their positive comments with others. Students like Connexus for many reasons, but two in particular stand out. They enjoy the small classes which not only allow them to practice speaking more than a class of fifteen or twenty, but create a community in which to build relationships. Several classes have taken the initiative to have study times together, go for movies, meals, or coffee outside of class, or even start web chat rooms together. Students also enjoy learning at Connexus because teachers become a part of this community. Both in and out of the class, teachers show interest not just in their students’ English, but in their lives. Relationships built through the classroom extend far beyond.

With two teachers finishing their terms at the end of January, everyone at Connexus wonders how we can continue to keep addressing the needs of all these students without teachers. From my experience in Korea, though, things always work out… and particularly at the last minute! Looking back, I see how both staff and students grow and transform through all this change at Connexus. We give thanks to God for this unexpected response.

Please pray for the Connexus teachers as they build relationships with their students. Thank God for the way that Connexus is helping to broaden the network and ministry of the Korea Anabaptist Center. Pray that enough teachers will be found for the coming year.

- Cheryl Woelk, Education Coordinator, Korea Anabaptist Center