Get your learners writing!!


	Writing from the Heart Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley Students Offer Hope Volume X Published by Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley Roanoke, Virginia Copyright © 2005 Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley 5002 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia 24012 SCRABBLE® & ©2004 Hasbro, Inc. Used with permission. Contents Foreword Acknowledgements About Literacy Volunteers Evan McCreath Survival Guide to a Friend 1 Marsha Crowe My Favorite Vacation 3 Achieving Together 4 Agar Musa Longi My Story 5 Guerline Valescot Balisage Mother and Daughter 6 My Dreams 6 JoAnn Taylor The Best Place and the Best Job 7 Nohra Phillips Waiting for my Interview in 9 The Immigration Office Tumee Badnaabazar The Nicest People 11 April Overstreet Spring 12 Cathy Huang Trip to Dallas 13 Cecil A. Persinger I Am Feeling Low 14 Beverly McCreath Trip to Jamaica 15 Wayne Moran Camping 17 Rosiane Saintil Writing from the Heart 19 Kyoko Takemoto-Jennings Tomatoes 20 Rita Hastenreiter An Exciting Experience 21 Maria Elena Gil 22 Sergio Gil 22 Suttirath Hisaki My Tutor 23 Tokiko Natsunari My Family 23 Terumi Murakami I Like Blue Sky 25 Sonoko Kubota Valentine’s Day in 2005 26 Harold N. Thompson Letter to My Mother 27 The Joy of Being Clean 28 Look at Me Now 29 Noel Rizk It Wasn’t My Dream 30 Hamila Deriye Halima’s Story 31 Foreword Writing from the Heart 2005 is the tenth collection of student writings produced by Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley. From the writings and the information about the authors, you can readily tell that the learners have varied and interesting backgrounds with varied skill levels. However, they all clearly share one desire – to improve themselves and enrich their lives through literacy. This project, which was generously funded by the Foundation for Roanoke Valley, has served as a valuable teaching aid and has also allowed us to share with you the progress and pride of a small group of our learners. We are proud of our learners and our program, which has supplied free literacy services to more than 3,000 adults since 1985. We hope you enjoy this edition of Writing from the Heart. If you would like more information about our program, please give us a call at (540) 265-9339, e-mail info@www.lvarv.org, visit our Website at www.lvarv.org, or write: Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley 5002 Williamson Road Roanoke, VA 24012 Floyd Addison, President Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley Acknowledgements Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley would like to express thanks to each of the adult learners whose writings appear on the following pages. Their stories are inspirational to all readers, new and experienced alike. In addition, we would like to express our gratitude to the volunteer tutors for the time and guidance they have given to their students. We would also like to thank the Foundation for Roanoke Valley for funding this project. Special thanks to the students in Mrs. Bauer’s class at Glen Cove Elementary School for their message to our adult learners appearing on page 33. If you are interested in learning more about Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley or if you would like to participate in the program as a tutor or a learner, please call (540) 265-9339, e-mail info@www.lvarv.org, or visit our Website at www.lvarv.org. About Literacy Volunteers Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley is a non-profit volunteer organization whose primary function is to help adult learners improve their reading, writing, and English-literacy skills. All tutoring is free and confidential to adults in the Virginia counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, and Craig, and the cities of Roanoke and Salem. Each adult learner is matched with a trained, volunteer tutor. The pair is encouraged to meet two hours per week. Together they decide on the location and time of their meetings. The local library is the most common public place used for tutoring sessions. Learner goals are self-generated. One person might want to help his children with schoolwork; another might want to read the sports page in the newspaper; yet another might want to be able to fill out work orders. An English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages learner might want to acquire a basic conversational vocabulary or work toward successfully completing her U.S. citizenship exam. Emphasis is placed on authentic instructional materials that have meaning in the learner’s life. A wide range of resources appropriate for adults who want to improve their literacy skills are available at our learning center for tutors to use with their learners. The computer lab is a popular resource for independent practice of language skills. Our tutors are volunteers, trained to tutor either Basic Literacy or English-for-Speakers-of-Other Languages. Tutor training workshops are held throughout the year. No prior teaching experience or knowledge of a foreign language is required. Writing from the Heart Evan McCreath is from Jamaica. He and his tutor, Betty Jo Hayes, have been working together for 4 years. Evan has a daughter graduating from a Roanoke high school this year. He enjoys sports, music, electronics and cars. He also likes to travel to see friends and family. Survival Guide to a Friend by Evan McCreath I met a young man in Jamaica 25 years ago. We became very good friends. After a few years we migrated to America and started a new life. He called me one day and he was telling me about his problems with his job and family. He and his son lived in America and his wife and daughter lived in Jamaica. He made good money at his job but he still couldn’t make ends meet. He asked for my opinion because I had the same situation. He wanted to know how I made life work for me. I told him he would have to change his lifestyle by eliminating a few things from his life. Eliminating things such as cable TV, cell phone, credit cards, and other things he didn’t really need. I told him, “A paycheck is like a cargo ship on the ocean. The cargo ship has a water line on the outside. If you load it past the water mark and it hits rough seas, it could sink if you don’t get help quickly. When an over-loaded ship goes under it takes everything with it. If your budget is more than your income, you could lose your paycheck and everything else, including your family.” We kept in touch but it was 7 years later when he asked if I remembered the problems he was having. I said, “I did.” He told me that his paycheck was like that “overloaded sinking ship on rough seas.” He said, “You were my quick help. My family is all here with me now. My wife and I are working. All the things that I had eliminated out of my life 7 years ago, I have again. I am still able to keep my expenses below my income. Right now I feel like I bought a ship big enough to carry all my cargo without overloading. I just wanted to say, thank you, for helping me out in the time of need, and my house is open to you anytime.” This situation gives me the motivation to help other people. It showed me that what I was doing was the right thing to survive through rough times in my life. ♥ Marsha Crowe is married to former LVRV learner, Travis Crowe. They have a son who is eleven, and a daughter who is seven. Marsha is a production assistant at Best Printing, Inc. in Roanoke. Claire Blake, a former teacher, is a financial paraplanner and office manager. Marsha and Claire have enjoyed working together for a year now. Claire is very proud of Marsha’s progress. My Favorite Vacation by Marsha Crowe My favorite vacation was at the beach with my husband and my two children, Elizabeth and Travis, Jr. Our vacation was special because my husband had never been to the beach before. I wanted to give Travis something that I have had all of my childhood, a great vacation at the beach. We walked on the beach hand in hand smelling the ocean breeze. Travis and I sat in the sand and watched the sun go down behind the ocean. It looked as if the ocean had opened up and swallowed it. My husband, two children and I walked down the boardwalk looking at all of the little shops. It was fun going in each one, seeing and buying different things to take home to our loved ones. Every day that passed, we all wished for one more to come. Soon it was time to come home but I will always have the perfect vacation. Knowing that, the feeling will never end. Achieving Together by Marsha Crowe Claire and I have been working together for almost a year now. Claire has been great. She has taught me how to read a ruler and divide all over again. Claire has a lot of patience with me. I tend to get upset or frustrated when I can’t figure out a problem. But not Claire; she has it all figured out. I am already one step closer to passing the G.E.D. math test. Claire has also been a special friend to myself and my family. As you all know, Claire was Travis Crowe’s tutor. Travis is my husband. Claire has made my life with my husband better. My husband and I can sit down and read together now. We all sit and play games together; games that consist of spelling and math. I hope to achieve a lot of things in my life time, like going to college, or just having my diploma on the living room wall so everyone can see it. I do not think I would have come this far if it weren’t for Claire. Thank you Claire for being my tutor and friend. ♥ Agar Musa Longi came to the U.S. in 1998 from Sudan. He has been working with his tutor, Kevin, since 2003. Please read on to learn more about his life. My Story by Agar Musa Longi My name is Agar Musa Longi. I was born in 1960 on August 20. My father was a farmer and my mother a housewife. I was born in East Sudan, city of Kassala. My family moved to the city of Gedarf and I went to school for six years. I had two sisters, one older and one younger, and two younger brothers, and helped my father on our farm for a long time. I got work doing other things too. I left my country in 1995. For three years, I was a refugee in Ethiopia. I went to English and French class for adults for one year and a half. I got married in 1997. I have two children, a daughter and a son; they are six and three years old. I came to the United States of America in 1998, and have been here six years and seven months. I had a teacher from Refugee and Immigration. In 2003, I asked for a teacher from Literacy Volunteers and have worked with Kevin since summer of 2003. I would like to thank Literacy Volunteers and thank you for reading this! ♥ Guerline Valescot Balisage is from Haiti. She lives in Roanoke with her husband and daughter and works at Carilion Hospital. Barbara Carraher is her proud tutor. Mother and Daughter by Guerline Valescot Balisage My name is Guerline Balisage. I am 25 years old. I was married on May 5, 2001. I have one child. Her name is Ashley. She was born on September 27, 2003. Ashley is 18 months old. I am so happy to have my daughter. I love her and she loves me too. My Dreams by Guerline Valescot Balisage I have many dreams. I want to read books to my baby. I want to get a driver’s license. I want to go to college. And some day, I hope to become a citizen of the United States. I am working to make my English skills better so I can make my dreams come true. ♥ This story about life in the workplace was composed by JoAnn Taylor. She and her tutor, Kathleen Lautigar, have enjoyed working together for the past ten years. The Best Place and the Best Job by JoAnn Taylor I enjoy my job at Goodwill Industries because the people I work with are so kind. It’s the best place and the best job. The floor managers are friendly and they pay a lot of attention. I can go to them when I have a problem and they listen and send me to the supervisor. My supervisor always helps me and I do what I am told to do. I even enjoy getting up early in the morning because I know I’m coming to work. After breakfast the Goodwill bus picks me up and brings me here. It takes me back home in the afternoon. It’s nice that this new Goodwill building is close to where I live and also close to my mother’s house. I love to get paid, and they like to help me get more money. Sometimes we have classes on money where we learn how to count cash and to save our pay in a bank. I do different kinds of jobs at Goodwill. Here are some of them: Counting paper towels Sealing plastic bags Putting new foot levelers in boxes Sorting coat hangers Counting screws, nuts, and bolts Folding bags It’s also nice to work in a new building that is so fresh and clean. The work area is big with lots of tables. The bathrooms are comfortable and you can lock the door. I sit with my friends at lunch. We laugh and talk when we eat. This building has a big break room where many people get to eat together. There are more microwaves, Pepsi machines, and refrigerators than where I used to work. There is a new phone for us to use too. The break room is very nice. Some days we have practice fire drills to keep us safe. We learned to go out the door and not to push. Everyone cooperates. I was so surprised when the staff put my picture on a poster telling about Goodwill. The work we do here is so important that tours of people come to see what we are doing. I’m very proud to work here. ♥ Nohra Phillips and her tutor, Emily Moore, have been studying together since August 2004, meeting at the 419 Library in Roanoke. Nohra, from Peru, is married to a U.S. citizen and wants to be able to converse more fluently in her adopted country. Emily has tutored in the Basic Literacy program and now enjoys the challenge of the ESOL program. Waiting for my Interview in the Immigration Office by Nohra Phillips I’m a person who doesn’t like interviews, and when I got the notice from the immigration office, I became nervous. I started to get all the documents together, and I realized that the date of my marriage was different from the date that was on my marriage certificate. Imagine how I felt at that moment when I saw the different dates – it was terrible! Well then my husband and I decided to tell them that the date we were married was the one on the paper, April 10. (The wrong date was the priest’s mistake.) The date on the picture was the correct date, April 9. That was another reason I was nervous. We didn’t have documentation, like letters or cards to show that we met three years ago. We didn’t have anything because we met through the Internet. Oh my God! I had just deleted all the e-mails we were sending each other. At this moment I was thinking we shouldn’t go to the immigration office. But my husband told me, “don’t worry – if I cannot give you residence here, we will move to Peru.” At that moment I became more relaxed and then we finally went to Fairfax, the place for the interview, which was a four hour drive from here. We waited there for an hour. Everything was easy for me because before the interviewer started asking questions, my husband started talking non-stop until she told him “okay, okay – I believe you; everything is all right! As of today your wife is a resident and her green card will be at your house in two weeks. Finally, I can say “thanks, Susie, and especially Emily because without her help, I couldn’t possibly understand everything at the interview and I didn’t need a translator. ♥ Tumee Badnaabazar is from Mongolia and lives and works in Roanoke with her husband and school-age son. She studies with her tutor, Emily Moore, and another learner at the 419 Library in Roanoke. Tumee is quickly learning pronunciation and idiomatic conversation as well as written English. The Nicest People by Tumee Badnaabazar I grew up in Mongolia. I came to the U.S.A. one year and six months ago. At first it was hard because I could barely understand what people were saying. It was like I was hard-of-hearing. But I was very lucky. One day one of my friends told me that there is a place that teaches you English for free, and it was LVRV. I went there and met Susie and she gave me a tutor. Her name is Emily. She is a great person. She helped me with lots of things. After I started going to study with her, my English instantly got better. I appreciate her spending time, money, energy, patience, and a lot of love. I tell every person about LVRV and my tutor. The U.S.A. is a country with high culture and developed industry and is a strong country. Americans are among the best educated people in the world. In the 13^th century Mongolia was a powerful nation during the rule of Genghis Khan, much like modern U.S.A. ♥ April Overstreet has worked with her tutor, Donna David, for four years. They continue to work hard together with great success. Spring by April Overstreet Spring is colorful. Flowers are blooming. Trees are budding. The grass is brighter green. The sky seems lighter and the sun shines more. The people are more active. You can hear the sound of children playing and grown ups working. The days get longer. People spend more time outside. The animals, birds have babies to care for. We have warmer temperatures in the day and cooler nights. Spring means the end of winter. We still can look forward to summer and fall. ♥ Cathy Huang moved to the United States two years ago. She and her tutor, Charlotte Hines, have been working together for a year and a half. They work well together and have become good friends. Trip to Dallas by Cathy Huang I went to Dallas the first week in April. This is my first business trip since I came to the States two years ago. I was so excited that I couldn’t stop smiling. This is my important chance to get to know an unfranchised business and a famous company. I have to say that I learned a lot of things from this trip. Before I knew this job I didn’t know what kind of job I could do and which way I could go. So my husband helped me find some easy jobs that I don’t have to say too much English. I worked day by day and couldn’t stop working because my boss paid me on how many hours I worked. Before I came to this country I was a teacher, but now I wash dishes every day in a restaurant. I am looking for something that can change my life, and I really hope that I can stand by myself. I want to be an independent woman. I have found a job that will help me become an independent woman. I am still working at the restaurant but my heart is full of appreciation because I know now I have to put a lot of effort to my new home business, so that I can be independent. We have a lot of wonderful products, and we have a wonderful group. Everybody helps each other out. I know I will do everything to make myself be a success. I love my new job so much and I will not waste time so that I can be stronger. ♥ Cecil lives in Roanoke and enjoys working in the computer lab. I Am Feeling Low by Cecil A. Persinger I am feeling low I need a job mowing grass and cleaning offices I need a job coach ♥ Beverly McCreath has lived in Vinton for three years. She has three sons. She has been a Christian for over ten years. She likes cooking, reading, and music. Maggie Nevers has been tutoring Beverly for two and a half years. Trip to Jamaica by Beverly McCreath I took a trip to Jamaica because I left there three and a half years ago. When I landed at the airport, it was so different. It was bigger than before I left there. The airport looks almost like Atlanta airport now. Then I went to my hometown. It was so beautiful. It didn’t seem like a storm had just passed through Jamaica, although it had. Because of the storm, there were no fruits to pick and no work for the people to do. Some of them tried to create jobs for themselves, like farming and raising chickens to make a way out. The reason why I went was to see my family and friends, most of all my grandmother, who is a hundred years old. She still reads her Bible, sews her clothes, and prays a lot. She was so happy to see me, and I was so happy to be back home again. That was the best thing about my trip. For me, going back to Jamaica was fun. I went into the country area where some of my friends live. I walked the mountain and the river. I sat and talked a lot with them, and they asked me about America. I said it was beautiful. They asked about the people. I said they are great people; loving, kind, and friendly. Then they asked me about the food. I said I like some and I don’t like some. I particularly like corn bread, crab salad and potato salad, but I don’t like sweet potato pudding or grits. Later I went shopping in the city of Montego Bay. That is where I went to school and that is where the tourists come when they visit. Jamaica is also a beautiful country. ♥ Wayne Moran lives in Roanoke. Among his hobbies are collecting race cars and Star Wars memorabilia. He also enjoys playing all kinds of video games. He and his tutor, Angela Rauenswinter, have been working together for four years. She enjoys working with Wayne and is very proud of him. Camping by Wayne Moran This summer I want to do a lot of camping. My favorite type of camping is in a tent. When you are in a tent you are closer to nature. I like finding wood to make a fire. The thing about camping is being close to nature and just hearing the birds singing and fish jumping. When you sit around a campfire, it is really fun. Most of the time I fix marshmallows and hot dogs. The last time that I was camping I fixed steak and baked potato for everyone. Fishing is another hobby I like to do. Sometimes I will stay at the water all day whether I have a bite or not. I enjoy going to the lake and getting a row boat. Most of the time I take the boat around the lake and just look at the mountains. Then sometimes I take my fishing pole and do some fishing. Also when you get a fish on your hook it is a great feeling. When you clean the fish you have to be very careful to get all the bones. Most of the time it is very good eating. When I go fishing the fish that I will be catching are perch, bass or catfish. Walking all the trails at the campground is fun to do. Most of the trails are mountain trails. I try to walk all of the trails if I can. When I do try walking these trails, I will be very careful. Sometimes there are trails where you can walk to see waterfalls. But most of the trails that I go on walk up a mountain. When you go up the mountain trails you better know how to get back down. This year camping will be a lot of fun for everybody. I have a lot of fun when I am camping. And when I go it is a new experience every time. ♥ Rosiane Saintil lives in Roanoke with her daughters. Among her hobbies are cooking and traveling. She and her tutor, Jane Ambrose-Cosby, have been working together for six months. She enjoys working with Rosie and is very proud of her. Writing from the Heart by Rosiane Saintil Sometimes I cry because I can’t help myself. When I want to do something by myself, I can’t do it. For example, I want to be able to read papers my child’s teacher sends home and to be able to write a note to the teacher. My goals are to be able to read, write, and pronounce something very good. I would really love to go to the supermarket and read something before I eat it. I also want to be able to go to the bank by myself. Now I have to take my daughter with me. However, I am making progress. I can now go to the doctor by myself because I can read where to put my social security number, my address and phone number, and my date of birth. I’m glad that God gave me a very nice, elegant and patient tutor who can help me accomplish my goals. Writing from the Heart is giving me an opportunity to express and show my feeling. I want the whole world to know how I feel about writing from the heart. ♥ Kyoko Takemoto-Jennings is from Japan. She now lives in Roanoke with her husband and daughter. She likes to cook and garden. Her tutor, Karen Recknor, is a real estate agent and appraiser. Tomatoes by Kyoko Takemoto-Jennings Last year, you may recall I grew a good size garden. We had an abundance of tomatoes. I made tomato everything. I canned tomatoes and I made tomato sauce for spaghetti. I also made beef stew with them. Delicious! I look forward to having my garden again this year loaded with tomatoes, because I ran out of tomatoes this year and I had to buy them at the store. How expensive! Everybody looks forward to our tomatoes this year also. Now, to go do it! ♥ Rita Hastenreiter from Brazil, Maria Elena and Sergio Gil from Mexico, Tokiko Natsunari from Japan, and Suttirath Hisaki from Thailand all enjoy working with their tutor, Karen Recknor. An Exciting Experience by Rita Hastenreiter Living in the U.S. for the past six years is a great experience for me because being so far from my family and my friends makes me realize how much I have been missing them. Staying away from my relatives and friends helps me recognize how important they are to me. When we are away from all the people and things that we appreciate, we recognize the worth or importance that they have. I am having a lot of new experiences. Traveling gives us the chance to know different places, different people and their customs. As a result of that, we learn about them and they about us, too. And we can understand what similarities we have. ...by Maria Elena Gil My name is Maria Elena Gil and I’m from Mexico. I came to the U.S.A. two years ago. Life is really different here but it is better in many ways. I would like to buy a house. Now I am living here with my husband and son. They mean everything to me. God has given me many blessings and to my family. I have many plans and goals for myself and my family. I hope to learn more English. It is really a help for our family. ...by Sergio Gil My name is Sergio Gil and I’m from Mexico. I work in a Mexican restaurant. I’m a cook and make tacos, burritos and many things. I came to the U.S.A seven years ago and this country is wonderful because there are many opportunities for everyone. I’m very happy with my job. My Family by Tokiko Natsunari My family came to the U.S. in January this year. I have two sons. Their names are Yoshinori and Norihiro. They are my precious things. My older son is studying at Green Valley Elementary school and my younger son is studying at preschool. They like friends and lunch better than studying, because they can’t speak English well yet. They are everyday studying English at home. I think they are trying. That way I also try, too. They like computer games and they play it everyday. I worry that their eyes will go bad. My Tutor by Suttirath Hisaki My tutor’s name is Karen Recknor. She spends a lot of time with us. She makes every effort to teach me to do well. She finds a good book, sometimes she buys them by herself for her students to read a good book which she found. Her attitude is very nice to her students. If I have a question she explains it to me until I understand it well. She explains clearly. She is very good tutor. I came to the United States on September 25, 2003. I did not know about the United States and could not speak English and I did not listen as much as I should have. Karen has introduced me to many things. How to live in the United States. She is a person who has taught me to understand English better than before. I firmly believe that I can live in the United States without any trouble. I call her every time I have a problem. She told me before that “if you have any problem, you can call me anytime”. She loves to help her students. I feel very warm. One day I got a letter for 50 percent discount to visit a place and I wasn’t interested until the lady calling told me many good points. That put pressure on me and then I agreed to sign up to go to this place. I gave her my credit card number and she said I could cancel at any time after I talked to my husband and wasn’t interested. Then I wanted to cancel because she lied to me about the hotel. I could not cancel because she would not authorize it. Then I called Karen and asked her, why did she lie to me? I thought I could trust Americans! Karen explained to me that I have to be careful when dealing with people no matter where they are from and do not give the credit card number to anyone on the telephone. I think this is an important lesson that I have learned along with my English study. ♥ Terumi Murakami lives in Roanoke with her husband, Tex, and one year old son, Leo. She and her tutor, Carol Sheahan, have been working together since November, 2001. I Like Blue Sky by Terumi Murakami I like blue sky It makes me feel comfortable. When the sky was very clear, I tried to clear my mind. It makes me feel relaxed When the sky didn’t have a cloud, I tried to refresh my mind. My son, Leo, likes to watch the blue sky, too. He likes to find something in the blue sky. A bird is flying high up in the blue sky. A plane makes a beautiful sign in the blue sky. He likes to find something in the blue sky. When I feel tired, I try to find something in the blue sky. Look up above your head. You may find something in the blue sky. ♥ Sonoko Kubota lives in Roanoke with her husband. She and her tutor, Carol Sheahan, have been working together since January, 2002. Valentine’s Day in 2005 by Sonoko Kubota When I was a child, Japanese didn’t know Valentine’s Day. It was started in Japan by chocolate companies. The Japanese custom is for girls/women to give boyfriends/men chocolate on February 14, and boys/men who received one, give her something (cookies, candies) on March 14. After I knew the American custom, I baked chocolate cakes and shared them among my children and friends. I live here with only my husband now. I sent Valentine’s cards to my sons who live in Japan and to my daughter who lives in Fredericksburg. But I didn’t give my husband one. February 14 I didn’t bake a chocolate cake. It wasn’t a special day for me until my husband came back. Surprise ! He gave me a box of chocolate. ♥ Harold Thompson lives in Roanoke at the Rescue Mission. He has graduated from the program and is now on the staff. He loves to cook and is in charge of the food pantry. His tutor, Barbara Norton, is very proud of how he has turned his life around and grown close to the Lord. Letter to My Mother by Harold N. Thompson Dear Mom, I am doing fine. I have changed my ways and found a new way of life. I have grown closer to the Lord after the Emmaus walk. I can feel the Lord’s presence in my life by taking one day at a time. The mission has helped me with finding who I am as Harold before I started my addiction. My life is wonderful without anything in my body because Christ died for me and I love my father God because he never left me no matter what I did. He loves me and I am going to stay in his arms until I die. Life feels so good without the use of drugs in my body. There are lots of people on this earth who can help me and care for me with faith. You can be the best you can be. Christ is Lord of Lords; with him I can’t lose. I am about to graduate as soon as I find a job because I must work for two weeks before I leave the program. I love you, Mom, always take care. Tell everybody I said hello. The Joy of Being Clean by Harold N. Thompson I look at things in a different way like looking at a raining day I feel sunshine in my heart love is all around me, the joy of knowing how to love someone unconditional that is faith and goodness that falls from my heart to understand someone else’s feelings about what I say to them and think before I speak the joy of being in love and someone to love me back is a strange thing to me I can feel peace within my soul the caring and sharing of each other’s problems where there is two but that come to one as in unity eye for eye love to walk and talk together. just understanding where he/she is coming from in all aspects of life, the getting to know one another as they are and understanding that we are different no one is the same that is what love does to a person cannot live without the other in all ways sleeping and working with the person on the mind Look at me Now by Harold N. Thompson On the six months in the program, the Lord blessed me when I asked to take the taste of drugs from me. The next day I felt so good, all over and under. My heart and mind has been changed. If you asked me what happened the only thing I can say is Jesus. Jesus changed a drunk to a outstanding loving person which deals with life on life terms. I never seen this side of life. It is beautiful just to wake up and thank the Lord for another day. ♥ Noel Rizk moved to America from Egypt in 1993. She and her husband, who is a doctor, lived in Indiana before they moved to Roanoke. They have two children in graduate school. Noel is a member of two classes at Literacy Volunteers; the Wednesday evening class taught by Tricia Traubert and the Friday morning class taught by Pam Reilly. It Wasn’t My Dream by Noel Rizk From the beginning, my husband told me it was going to be hard for me to come to the USA. We had a good life in Egypt. My husband was a famous, successful doctor. I was happy working as an agricultural engineer, but I decided to support him and his dream because I had learned a lot about the USA from my dad and how the USA is the land of freedom and opportunity. So I started to dream with my husband, and I let the kids dream with us too. My husband took the board exam for an American college, and we came as a family. My nephew came with us too. When I look back, I see what I did with my family was perfect. I stood with them, I supported them, and now I see the world differently. Because I dreamed with my family, the success they have now is also mine. Both of my kids are achieving – the boy is in chemistry and the girl in biology. And my nephew has finished his master’s in marketing. And now our dream comes true! ♥ Halima Deriye is from Somalia and enjoys working with her tutor, Gail Johnson. Halima’s Story by Halima Deriye My name is Halima. I am from Somalia. I came here about five years ago. I didn’t know how to speak English at all because I never went to school in my country. Now that I am older it is hard to start school. I always thought English was hard to learn because when I hear people speaking it seemed really hard to understand. So when I came here I got a tutor from the RIS office. She helped out quite a bit with my first English words. In between the time before I met Mrs. Gail I taught myself how to learn English. I would ask my children few sentences on how to start up a conversation. From then on I was confident enough to start ESL classes with Mrs. Gail. This was something I could look forward to because Mrs. Gail was different from the other tutors I came across. She has a way of making the process of teaching easy and simple. Every teacher I met helped me get ready for the next one. And I think I have connected with Mrs. Gail in a right way. As far as her teaching goes she is easy to talk to and teaches very slow and explains everything. ♥ Mrs. Bauer's class at Glen Cove Elementary have offered the following submission in support of our learners. Dear Adult Learners: We are first graders in Mrs. Bauer’s class at Glen Cove Elementary School in Roanoke County. We come to her four days a week for extra help in reading. We think learning to read is hard sometimes. It is difficult to sound out the words, and sometimes we even forget what sound a letter makes. Sight words are hard because many of them can’t be sounded out – you just have to memorize them. Big words are hard, and sometimes the little ones can be too. Some words are confusing, like for example was and saw or there and three. They have the same letters, but they’re not in the same order. We have a hard time when we get stuck on a word trying to figure out what strategy to use. Even though it’s not easy, we really want to learn to read. It’s fun, and it makes us happy. Reading helps us learn all kinds of things. Our advice to you is to keep working and try hard. Always do your best. Practice reading a lot because the more you practice the better you’ll get. We wish you the gift of reading. Brandon Dallas Alexis Nahzha Elizabeth Ericah Luke Joshua Kendrick The Unbearable Heat by Tim Hayes My hunting buddies and I had the whole week off from work. I had been practicing with my bow for months to be prepared for the big day, but I wasn’t prepared for the heat. I got up early on Saturday so I could get to the top of the ridge before daylight. When I finally got to the top of the ridge, I was out of breath and wringing wet. I sat down on a log to catch my breath and cool off. It began to get light and the critters started to move around. I saw some crows flying overhead. A bunch of snowbirds landed around me. The redheaded woodpecker landed in a dead pine tree next to me. He was making so much noise that it was driving me crazy. I wished I had my shotgun, but I picked up a rock and threw it at him and he moved on. As it got lighter the wind began to blow up the mountain. I heard the leaves crunching. My heart started to speed up. I got my bow ready. The noise got louder and louder. Suddenly, everything went quiet. I slowly looked around and at the other end of the log sat a squirrel looking at me. He walked slowly toward me, and then he stopped and looked at me, twitching his nose if to say, “What in the world are you?” I watched him for a few minutes. Then his nerve got the best of him and he was gone. I gathered my stuff and started walking slowly down the ridge. The sun started to heat up the woods and me. I stopped to pull off some of my clothes. Then I made about ten steps, and the bushes and leaves in front of me moved furiously. I jumped back quickly to see what it was. A big bullfrog was moving quickly away from me. I started to get a little worried. I knew if the frogs were out, the snakes were out too. I looked down the ridge to see what I would have to go through, and it did not look good. There were bushes about knee high everywhere on top of the ridge. On one side of me were thick bushes and weeds, and on the other side was a good sixty or seventy foot drop down to the creek. I paused for a moment and thought about going back the same way I came, but it was getting hotter by the minute. I looked around and found me a long stick to smack the bushes. I hoped by smacking the bushes the snakes would move out of the way. I walked slowly smacking the bushes and looking hard for snakes. The wind was swirling in all directions. As the sun got higher in the sky, I could smell a stink in the air, and I got really nervous. I have smelled that stink before when there were bears in the area. I dug around in my bag looking for my binoculars as I glanced around for bears. I finally found my binoculars in the bottom of the bag. I began scanning the area as I walked slowly down the ridge. I would stop every few minutes and smack the bushes hard hoping that the loud sound would scare everything around me. I walked about forty feet and scanned the ridge. I saw something big and black standing between two big trees. It looked like a bear. I wiped the sweat out of my eyes and looked again. It was still there. I trembled and I tried to stand still. I knew if he saw me I would be dead meat. I glanced to the left. The bushes were too thick. If I tried to run through there, he could nail me. I glanced back over my shoulder and thought of running, but he would catch me in the open. I looked down at the creek on the right. If the bear didn’t kill me, the fall would. I knew I had to make a stand. I pulled my arrows out of the quiver and laid them on the ground. It didn’t look good. I only had four arrows. I hoped he would smell me and move on, but he was still there. I picked up my arrows and moved toward him. My legs felt like noodles, and my heart beat in my throat. My eyes burned from sweat. I wiped the sweat from my eyes and looked again. I thought he would have moved by now. I moved in a little closer. He didn’t flinch. I pulled my binoculars from my pocket to get a better look. The heat was getting unbearable. Sweat ran down my back. I couldn’t understand why he would not move. I made up my mind to take a shot. I estimated the range about fifty yards. There were lots of bushes and trees between the bear and me. I laid my gear on the ground and pulled my handkerchief from my pocket to wipe the sweat from my face and hands. I leaned up against a tree to steady my shaking body, so I could get a better look at the bear. He was still there. The sun was beating down on my head like a blowtorch. I knew I had to make the first shot count, or I would be dead. I pulled my bow back and put the pen right on his chest. It was now or never. I turned it loose. Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through hollow. It sounded like a rifle shot. I looked around to see if there were any other hunters near by. I pulled my binoculars from my pocket and looked at what I thought was a bear. I could see the feathers on my arrow. I fell to my knees in relief. I had just shot a big black log. I gathered my stuff and walk quickly to the big, black, vicious bear. I looked around to see if anyone was looking. I felt right foolish at that moment. I pulled my knife from my bag and began to dig what was left of my arrow out of the log. Then I gathered my stuff and ran for camp. When I got there, Dad said, “Boy, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “No, Dad it’s just this unbearable heat.” Kyoko Takemoto-Jennings is from Japan. She now lives in Roanoke with her husband and daughter. She likes to cook and garden. Her tutor, Karen Recknor, is a real estate agent and appraiser. Teaching Piano Lessons and Japanese Songs by Kyoko Takemoto-Jennings I have been teaching piano for four years here now. I have just a few students. I’m teaching my daughter and neighbor’s child every Wednesday. They want to learn piano together so I like to give a group lesson. I’m teaching them piano and Japanese songs. Now they can sing three Japanese songs with an imagination dance. I’m so impressed! Their Japanese is very good, and they are enjoying it. I wish we could have concert so that all neighborhood people can listen to their great playing of the piano and awesome Japanese! Robert Bowles lives in Roanoke City. He enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters, and listening to his old school music. He and his tutor, Karen Gray, have been having fun, working hard, and learning from each other. Excellent Knowledge by Robert Bowles I have always had an excellent knowledge of things. I have also had to deal with dyslexia. Once I got to junior high, as long as I played sports, I just got passed along. One time I failed English and Math. My coach went to my teachers and then came to me at lunch and told me to be at football practice. I told him I had failed classes and he said don’t worry about it. It turns out I had a D in the classes and was allowed to play. But because of this, I cannot read very well. I have not been able to place what I think on paper. I have a lot of thoughts about things that go on around me. Such as things that people do to kids. I wonder how people could mistreat children. I have heard of people hollering at and beating their children. I can’t see beating a child for not washing the dishes. They are just kids; they forget things sometimes. I try to coach my kids along, not be forceful with them. I give them options. Like when I need them to clean their side of the basement. If they don’t want to, I tell them they can put their things away or I can gather them up, put them in a trash bag, and throw them away. They then have no problem cleaning up their side. I try to teach my kids there are options about how to deal with people. Hitting and having an attitude is not a good way to work with others. I try to teach them balance. These are some of the thoughts that I would like to write and maybe turn into a book someday. I would like to write about how I’ve raised my kids and how I have had to deal with problems and things in my life. My kids have helped me through a lot—their love is unconditional. Ninfa Di Prosperis, who is from Venezuela, has worked on her English in our program for two years. Her improvement has been dramatic. She currently works with tutor, Karen Recknor. The Garden of My Home by Ninfa Di Prosperis Last year I decorated furniture for the outside that has the Spanish saying “the garden is my home” with a painting of sunflowers. I planted the plants according to the season. I prefer spring and autumn because the back yard is filled with vegetables and fruits and I like good weather. Every day I pick onions, peppers, potatoes, lettuce, broccoli, grapes, and black berries and prepare different foods. My husband prepares blackberry pie, wine, and many salads. Now I am working some time in the garden and plant different flowers. It is my best therapy and relaxation even though it is a lot of work. Dianne Neal lives in Vinton. She loves music, movies, and magazines. She is an avid fan of Lord of the Rings. She and her tutor, Tracey Reynolds of Salem, have been working together since September 2003. Tracey enjoys working with Dianne and is very proud of all her efforts. Tweetsy by Dianne Neal Tweetsy is a little guinea pig. She is black and white. Every time you try to pick her up, she runs. She is so cute. She doesn’t bite. She is six inches long. Tweetsy is six weeks old. Her favorite spot is in the corner of the cage. We got her at Petland. She is so soft. We thought that Tweetsy would be better for it. She is in my Mom’s room. We hold her all the time because we love her and she is so cute. My Dad thought of the name. We chose a female guinea pig because they do not bite. The Passion of The Christ by Dianne Neal The movie, The Passion of The Christ was very emotional. Jesus was hit and spit on. A man came and helped Jesus with His cross. The man defended Him. They got closer to the place where Jesus was going to be hung. Jesus had flashbacks from when He was little and when He was with His mom. God sent His son, Jesus, to die for our sins. I would recommend this movie to people so they could understand why Jesus was crucified. Mel Gibson made the movie. Easter plays a role in the movie because following the crucifixion, Jesus was put in the tomb. Then, He rose from the dead three days later. This is what Easter is. Tutoring by Dianne Neal Tutoring is good for me because it helps me with money, times tables, skills, and math. I want it because it is things I need help in. I read books, magazines, stories, poems, and letters. I do spelling tests, look up words in the dictionary, sight words, cursive, and unscramble words. I did New York and Hollywood projects. In math, I do multiplication, addition, and subtraction. In science, I studied astronomy. I also read Bible stories. Then, I write out answers to Bible story questions. For life skills, I am learning to write checks and balance a checkbook. I learned to tell time, work with money and am studying driving skills to get a learner’s permit. I filled out job applications and read job ads. I have also written fan mail to some of my favorite actors (Elijah Wood, Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen). My tutor rewards me with stickers. She gave me a Lord of the Rings agenda/calendar book that I write in. My tutor’s name is Tracey Reynolds. We have been working together since September 2003. She prepares work for me each week and we have fun working together. Beatrice Ponton comes from Columbia and has lived in the United States for several years. She wants to teach Spanish in the public schools. She works with tutor, Karen Recknor. Educational Philosophy by Beatriz Ponton I believe that “to teach is to touch a life forever” is a perfect statement for describing the importance of a teacher’s role in our times. When you are working in a company manufacturing any kind of product, any imperfection affects a “thing” that can be fixed or replaced easily. In the schools the product is a “human being” and we are not allowed to make mistakes because whatever good or bad we teach our students lasts forever. The educational philosophy should be to focus on developing a student’s mental, cultural, physical, moral, spiritual, and social areas with emphasis on values that contribute to valuing ourselves, our families, and our communities to insure an active participation in society and to permit a maximum contribution to the wellbeing of the individual. The highest degree of responsibility with our students should be to prepare them for the next steps in education, training, and employment and to equip them to make informed choices at school and throughout their lives. To teach requires dedication, patience, sacrifice, to devote oneself, and—the last not least—to love. If you do not love this job, you cannot do it. All the preparation at school, university and college will be useless if you lack a love for students and teaching. Mark Nance works hard with his tutor, Gina DeAngelis, toward his goal to pass the GED tests. When I Get My GED by Mark Nance Once I get my GED, I plan to get a job and get a car. The kind of jobs I am thinking about doing are working in a warehouse or doing maintenance in an apartment complex. If I get one of those jobs, or any job, that would be good. Those jobs would be good jobs to start out with until I go to Virginia Western and take some classes in art and computers. When I finish college I hope to get a better job doing stuff like drawing people, cartoons, or even working on the computer drawing animation characters. This would be something I would like to do because I love drawing all kinds of things. The two cars I would like to have would be a BMW or a Focus, like my brother has. My dream car is a BMW. BMWs look cool and are really fast. Because they are so expensive, the BMW won’t be my first car, so I would like to get the same kind of Focus like my brother has. It’s a hatchback and I heard that they are good cars and also look cool to drive around on the road. If I can’t get one of those cars it really doesn’t matter what kind of car that I get as long as it takes me to work, school and other places where I need to go. America Vinces came to the United States from Ecuador many years ago. She enjoys her life in this country and also greatly values her Chinese heritage. She works with tutor, Karen Recknor. America by America Vinces Here is something very interesting that I would like to share with you. My name is America. I am originally from Ecuador, my grandfather immigrated from China to Ecuador and he gave me this name. I have always asked myself why this name? However, now I know that he had great wisdom, because we came to America and now I have lived in the United States for many years. Two of our children were born here in the U.S.A. Our oldest son was born in Ecuador, when he was 21 months old we moved to America and he attended school here. My children learned English here as natives and we spoke Spanish in our home. All our children are bilingual and my oldest just recently assisted the tutor to teach the Asians, the Spanish and the Portuguese students to learn English. People say to me what a beautiful name you have, and it makes me smile to be named after such a beautiful country. By the way, because of my Chinese ancestry, I look a little Chinese and I play tricks on the tutor’s Asian students and sometimes my Spanish friend and facetiously tell them I am Chinese. Being multi-cultural has its advantages. Andree Mesadieu came to this country from Haiti in July 1999. She works at Elizabeth Arden and is studying hard to learn English. She and her tutor, Pam Reilly, have been working together for over 1 ½ years. Andree dictated this story to Pam to describe her recent visit to New York to see her granddaughter for the first time. My Trip to New York to Visit My Daughter and Gabriella by Andree Mesadieu I went to New York Saturday morning on the bus. It was April 3, Saturday night at 9:50 pm when I arrived at New York. Gabriella was still awake. This was the first time I saw her. The next morning I got up and took a shower. Then Gabriella woke up and took a bath. I took care of Gabriella and Alden, her mother, took a shower. Gabriella patted my face. She likes me. I put on my dress and went to church at 10 o’clock. Gabriella is learning to walk. She walks in her walker and holds on to the table and chairs. I read my book “Busy Witch” to Gabriella. This was my book from class and it was a gift to Gabriella. Her mother thought I should bring the book home. I told Alden the book was for Gabriella. Part of the gift was that I could read the book to her. I worked hard to learn how to read that book. On Tuesday I went outside to the market with Gabriella and Alden. Alden pushed Gabriella in a carriage. Then we got in the car. I sat next to Gabriella. We visited Gabriella’s grandfather. I came back to Roanoke on the bus the next Sunday. I left New York at 6 o’clock. I arrived home at 3:30 in the morning. I would like Gabriella and Alden to come visit me in Roanoke. Carlton Jackson lives in Roanoke. He enjoys all kinds of flowers, loves fishing, cooking, and spending time with his grandchildren and children. He and his tutor, Melanie Parker, have been working together for the past six months. She is extremely proud of Carl and all that he has accomplished in such a short period of time. I Am Not Alone by Carlton Jackson I thought I was alone not being able to read, but then I met a friend who cared. His name is Travis Crowe. He told me about the Basic Literacy Program at Literacy Volunteers. Then I met Jack Spraker. Jack also showed me that I am not alone. I am not afraid to try. Learning to read is my goal and my desire. Life will be so much better once I feel better about my ability to read. Since my two sons died, I have wanted to read even more. For myself and my children, I know how much reading will enable me to better my life. I have a wonderful tutor. Her name is Melanie, and she is very patient and caring. I am going to continue to work very hard to learn to read. There’s no stopping me now. The writer whose piece appears below chooses to publish anonymously. He and his tutor, Anna Cork, began work together this past spring. Things are cooking along quite well for the two of them already. My Favorite Foods My favorite food is fried chicken. You clean it first. A whole lot of people take the skin off. Put your grease in and let the pan get hot. Put pepper, seasoning, and a little salt in the flour. You make sure the flour is on the chicken real good. Put it in the frying pan and let it cook slowly. Keep checking on it. Flip it over when it is done – when it isn’t bloody. When both sides are done, drain all the grease off. I like meatloaf too. She (my wife) puts green peppers, onion, bread or crackers, and ketchup in it. Then you spread it out. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees and let it cook for thirty minutes to one hour. I also like potato salad. First you boil your potatoes. Once they get soft, you cool them off with cold water. Then you peel them and dice them up. Then you cut up your eggs, onions, green pepper and celery. Then you put in mustard, mayonnaise, and a little dab of salt and that’s about it. I’ve got one more. I like ribs. You wash your ribs real good to get all that dried blood off. You boil them for about an hour. Afterwards, take them off the pot. Put them in a pan and let them cook. Put BBQ sauce on and let them stand for twenty minutes, then you are done. Harold Thompson works with Literacy Volunteers through the Rescue Mission. He participated in a reading and writing class offered there in the spring and just recently started work with his tutor, Barbara Norton. Rest in Peace by Harold Thompson On August 15, 2003, I lost my twin sons because their mother had a miscarriage. By her drinking and smoking cigarettes, the babies did not have a chance at life. I feel that if I could have done something about it like telling her about N.A., maybe we would have lovely children by now. I wonder if they would be tall like me — six feet two inches or six feet five inches like their sisters in DC and their brothers in Birmingham, Alabama. They are hard working people with blue collar jobs, nice cars, and their children are very smart. That’s why I wonder if they would have been. My heart lies with you, sons, and with all my heart, “Rest in Peace.” JoAnn Taylor dictated this story about her job to Kathleen Lautigar, her tutor of nine years. Why I Like My Job by JoAnn Taylor Several days a week I go to work at a place on Melrose Avenue. The bus comes to pick me up right where I live. It comes at the same time everyday and I’m always ready. I like to get to work on time. In the afternoon this bus takes me home again, and I don’t even have to pay for the ride! I feel lucky to work at Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. This is a good job. I do different things on different days. My work mostly has to do with paper towels, screws, and coat hangers. It’s not a difficult job. Anything I need help with, the supervisors are there to help me. We even joke around a little. They’re very nice to me. They explain things and I catch on quickly. No one hollers at me. Everybody’s nice to me here, and I get to work with my friends. The hours are good for me because I enjoy working in the daytime, especially in the mornings. We get off early in the afternoon. So that gives me time to relax with my friends at home. The manager lets me have time off for reading lessons twice a week, and that’s good. Other days I get a break in the morning. That’s when I talk to my friends and get a snack out of the machine. At noon we have plenty of time to eat our lunches. I bring mine from home. We get off on many holidays, with pay. We’re off for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Sometimes we even have holiday parties with refreshments like cake,peanuts, potato chips, and sodas. The building on Melrose is fine--warm in winter, and cool in summer. It’s quiet in the big room where everyone works , and I like that. The pay is good on this job. And I get paid right on time, every payday. So you can see I have no complaints about anything here. What a great job! Racheal Yang and Tracy Mulholland have been working together for just over a year. Racheal is currently enrolled as a student at Virginia Western Community College and recently won an award in an art showing. The Library is My Favorite Place by Racheal Yang I like the library here, reading books is my favorite pastime. It has all kinds of books from all kinds of topics to all kinds of culture—for example, Albert Einstein, Biology, Chemistry, and Zachary Pike. What I like to do in the library is hide in the magazine corner, which is the quietest corner in the library, and enjoy reading all kinds of magazines from The Times, Weekly News, and any special fields of interesting magazines like automobiles and Photo Land. What I enjoy the most is the internet. It is always available for you and the speed is much faster than the dial up service in my house, it seems like the world of knowledge is just a click away. I like to observe the people in the library to see how concentrated and devoted they are in the world of books, there is a kind of hush all over the library because of the silence, you can hear each person has a different way to show their feeling with the development of the plots in the books. some frown, whisper, or even cry when they feel sad but some just feel grief. It seems as if I can hear my heart beating. I can hear the sound of fingers typing on a keyboard. Occasionally a flipped page will rustle. The thing I like most about the library is that it is a peaceful and magical place.