From Strangers to Friends
“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 NRSV
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 6 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 out of the possible 100 civics, geography, and history 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 2 teachers
in class each week and 3 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:
- practice for the real interview
- mock interviews
- 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.
Submitted by Missi Young