By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Judy Hurst, center, who is director of the English for Language Learners ministry of Robertson County Baptist Association, stands with new students at a recent meeting. From left are Isidro Silva of Mexico, Samuel Nageeb of Egypt, Hurst, Naftali Piña of Mexico, Yaneth Morales of Mexico, and Karla Caballero of El Salvador.
SPRINGFIELD — Robertson County Baptist Association (RCBA), based here, has offered an English for Language Learners ministry for 18 years.
The ELL program of RCBA, draws about 100 people weekly from Spanish-speaking countries, Iran, Egypt, Brazil, and China to Springfield Baptist Church, said Judy Hurst, member of Springfield Baptist, who is ELL director.
Students attend Thursday evening classes which are offered simultaneously with the RCBA’s HiSET classes, or Thursday morning classes. Aspects of the program that make it popular are that childcare is provided and five levels of classes as well as a citizenship class are offered, Hurst added.
The Spanish language publication, “Vecino (Neighbor),” is published by Robertson County Baptist Association, based in Springfield.
The ELL ministry was developed by Peggy Grossman and the late Paul Grossman, emeritus missionaries to Africa through the Southern Baptist International Mission Board who retired in Springfield. Peggy Grossman now lives in Owensboro, Ky.
Wanda Palmer of Rock Springs Baptist Church, Greenbrier, who has taught an ELL class since it was started, said she enjoys being involved because “These people want to learn because they want a better life.”
Hurst, who has participated in ELL for six years and led it for five, said the ministry was an answer to prayer for her after she had to retire from teaching school. Also God provides when a teacher or another volunteer is needed, she added.
“I love it. The people here are so sweet and very appreciative of what we do. It seems it answers the prayers of so many.”
The RCBA is very thankful to Springfield Baptist for being such a stronger supporter of the ELL ministry for many years, said Luis Lopez, coordinator for Hispanic work for the association.