Publisher's Synopsis
From the Forward: The cycle of extreme poverty and disease that plagues many of the world's citizens, stems in part from a lack of access to the resources that are in abundance for those of us who have been blessed to live in an environment of wealth and opportunities. But the truth is, we who have access to the blessings of trustworthy medical care and higher education, oftentimes take them for granted and our ingratitude can blind us and harden our hearts to the needs of others. I had been employed by HOPE worldwide for thirteen years when I was invited to San Pedro Sula, Honduras in 2009. During those thirteen years, I had traveled extensively throughout the developing world and had helped develop & provide support for the medical programs operated by HOPE worldwide in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Pakistan, India, Ivory Coast and Jamaica. I clearly thought I had seen enough to have a true understanding of the depth of depravation many of our fellow citizens living in 'extreme poverty' endured daily, and on some level, I believed that what I had done thus far to help relieve that suffering was good enough.In October 2009, during my visit with the leadership and some of the 450 members of the Iglesia de Cristo in San Pedro Sula, it became crystal clear that God had more for me to do. I learned that the brothers and sisters in Honduras and throughout Central America earned on average less than $300 per month. Consequently, a family of four could not afford to access medical or dental care and many were sick and suffering from chronic illnesses: diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, GERD, and parasite infestation went untreated for years. I could not turn a 'blind eye' to the needs of my brothers and sisters and their children, and I recruited the 1st HOPE worldwide Community Service Brigade Team of 15 volunteers from the United States. We traveled together to Honduras in January 2010 to begin conducting outpatient medical clinics to meet the desperate healthcare needs that I now had a much clearer understanding of.A few years later, I realized that our 'patients' health and well-being had dramatically improved. The children were now growing and developing at a normal rate and because they were not sick, they were doing better in school. That's when it hit me, to make real headway into breaking the cycle of poverty, we had to equip people with the tools to go further with their education and advance their careers beyond that $300 per month brick wall. What was the key that would open these seemingly locked doors, of course, it is the English language! The ESOL, 'English for Speakers of other Languages' Program, and this first Student Book has been a labor of love for the original ESOL Team of Bill Ellis, Jeannette Borjas, myself and my wife Lori. We believe it will provide you a solid phonetics-based, English language foundation in all four areas of communication: listening, speaking, reading and writing. And, because the program is rooted in the Bible, we pray you come to a greater understanding of the depth of God's love for you, and as a result you will begin to put your faith, hope and trust in Him.Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all our donors, friends, and the many volunteers who have contributed your time, energy and resources to see this dream become a reality! - Uncle Wally. (Walter Kotkowski, HOPE worldwide, Ltd)
