The IAFR Blog

"Bienvenue en classe." I welcome my students.

The French classes we teach for asylum seekers in Lille are always at maximum capacity. I am surprised to see my friend Gio among the students today. He messaged me just two weeks ago that he had finally received his kidney transplant. I am pleased to see he is looking well. He meets my eyes and smiles.

Beyond Language

Our students' fluency levels vary, so we offer several different class levels. I teach the more basic classes. My teammate SJ and our dedicated French volunteer Susanna, a young mom from our church, teach our more advanced French classes. Susanna generously gives her time every Thursday to assist our students in their learning journey and provide a warm and supportive environment. Her presence is an encouraging reminder of the power of community and the impact one person can make.

Beyond language learning, our primary aim is to create an environment that empowers and encourages our friends. Although all of our students are already multilingual, French is not easy for all of them, and learning a new language can be especially difficult for our students with limited literacy. We do our best to make our classroom environment a place of hope as they learn. We also provide educational opportunities on French culture, which is helpful for integration and cultural adjustment.

La Piscine

Our class visited La Piscine, a local art museum, for a class fun day. We were a vibrant mix of seven nationalities, each bringing their unique perspective to the experience. L., who has an educational background in art, gave a lecture as we tour the galleries, viewing the busts and paintings. She did so in English. We probably should have spoken in French, but it was a fun day, and everyone was happy, so I decided to not worry about it. We went back to speaking French when we returned to the classroom.

"We feel cozy with you."

My greatest joy in teaching French classes is seeing the doors opened to foster meaningful connections with our asylum-seeking neighbors. Hailing from Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, they come from diverse backgrounds and have unique stories of loss and resilience. As these friendships extend beyond the classroom, we receive their hospitality and extend ours, whether it's Gio and his friends treating us to a lavish Georgian meal or L. and A. joining our weekly small group to discuss spiritual things.

Their words, "We feel cozy with you," warm our hearts, reminding us that being present to each other in a foreign place can help provide a crucial sense of belonging amid uncertainty.

CLICK HERE to learn more about our work in Lille, France!