October 1 saw the beginning of citizenship classes hosted by St. Luke's United Methodist Church in collaboration with the Immigrant Welcome Center of Indianapolis. St. Luke's Outreach & Justice, Jenny Durica, and myself worked with Giovanni Rivera, an immigrant specialist with IWC, to offer the six-week program here at St. Luke's. The goal of these classes is to help lawful permanent residents (green card holders) prepare for the next steps in becoming U.S. citizens.
For me, the beauty of this was the way in which our church welcomed this opportunity to support our immigrant neighbors. Students were invited to enjoy a Wednesday night dinner before class at no cost to them. Childcare was also provided which enabled parents to attend class knowing that their children were safely being cared for just down the hallway.
I was humbled by the determination and hard work students put into their class work. Each week they were exposed to history, civics, and geography questions that would prepare citizenship candidates for their naturalization interview. The interview process is quite extensive and our classes provide the opportunity to go through the entire interview process, which includes:
- Reviewing and confirming their own application
- Reading and writing in English
- Answering 10 of the possible 100 history, civics and geography questions
- Communicating in English throughout the interview
I can only imagine the anxiety of being in front of a total stranger and having to communicate in a foreign language to prove your understanding of U.S. government and citizenship expectations. These adults came to class each Wednesday after a long day's work ready to learn and practice for their interview. They were happy, joyful, and positive students and so appreciative of this opportunity. We were fortunate to have two teachers in class each week and three dependable volunteers to help with small group discussions. I think I speak for all of us St. Lukers that we gained as much from being a part of this program as our students did. Strangers in week 1 became friends and neighbors very quickly. Our last week of class involved final practice for the real interview, a mock interview for each participant, and a celebration of class completion.
And what a celebration it was! It was my honor and privilege to be a part of this very important, sacred experience.
“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were once foreigners in a foreign land.” — Leviticus 19:33-34