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Pluck, Determination, and a Miracle
Sister Jeanne Jarvis proudly stands with her student and United States citizen, Maria Elena.
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One morning my tutoring at the Literacy Council was different. As I was helping my regular student, a woman came in and sat down across from us. “Listen?” She asked. And so she did. When the tutoring session was over, she, Maria Elena, didn’t want to leave. She repeated, “Teach me. Teach me.” I responded, “Es imposible ahorita.” (Not right now.)
This happened on two or three more occasions until the director told her she had to first go downstairs to the class to learn English. I explained to her that when I could help her I would call her.
In December, I called. Unfortunately she had had a surgery and was ill. During that time, however, she had tried to study herself and had gone to Milwaukee for a citizenship interview. She did not pass. The interviewer told her to return home and study all of the questions on her application form. She would have another opportunity to pass on March 30. Maria’s visa was to expire on April 4.
Another call came. “Please, please!” Maria arrived in a hurry. There was so much to be learned. She had failed her citizenship interview because she did understand plain, simple speech, like stand up, sit down, read or write. She could not distinquish between question words like why, where when, how, what, how long how many, are you willing. She also needed to learn the answers for 50 more technical questions that are asked in the interview. We plowed into the material. We prayed. I said, “Dear God, this is one of your little ones. Take care of her. We do not have much time.”
March 30 arrived and Maria passed! She is now proudly awaiting notice of the swearing in ceremony in front of the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, WI.
Congratulations, Maria! Thank you, God!
Sister Jeanne Jarvis
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