Yesterday I referred several times to an English Language school, and promised that more information would follow. This entry will bring you up to date on the much eluded to, but elusive school:
While Theresa and I were in Manitoba this past summer preparing for our extended return to Mexico, Theresa was able to enroll in an on-line TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) program. Upon returning to Cd. Valles she worked very hard to finish the intensive coursework involved in the curriculum and completed with very high grades as a certified instructor in English at several levels. For many years she has harbored the desire to teach English abroad. Theresa is a natural-born teacher, and will do extremely well.
Sometime during the latter part of 2009 I got the “wild-hair” idea to begin an English Language school. Over the summer in Manitoba we had been given a number of used, but very functional computers by PowerLand Computers in Winnipeg. These we now had in Cd. Valles. We had also been given software for an excellent computer-based English language program. With the help of our young friend Kalen (K.J.) Plett who came down from Manitoba to join us last fall, all of the computers were loaded with the English program, and all equipment was prepared for a language school.
I put pen to paper and began crunching numbers. I did an informal market study and was assured that there were many who would gladly take English classes if they were offered. We looked into the feasibility of renting a building, paying staff, and beginning a school which, although primarily focused for the Bible Institute students, would be open to the churches across the city. It would be a school which would charge a minimal per-hour rate, which would make it possible for us to keep the doors open. Any, and all profits above costs, would then go back into the Bible School. In fact, since one of the fundamental founding tenants of the Bible School is that it is to become self-supporting – a truly Mexican school run by Mexicans, and for Mexicans – this language school would be the first step in self-funding for the Bible School / Vocational School. In fact, it would be the model that we could then build on for the rest of the Vocational shops. The numbers looked great, the excitement and commitment was high, and we were ready for blastoff.
Miraculously, a wonderful two story building became available for rent only minutes from our place at the church building. We took over rent as of the first of January 2010 and began renovating and painting. Ben Sawatzky began building desks custom designed for a computer-based classroom setting. By the middle of February we had moved desks and computers into the building and were ready for the maiden run. God gave us two wonderfully efficient young ladies to take over the day-to-day running of the school. They were trained, and we pushed off into the current excited to embark on the voyage.
What a tumultuous expedition it has turned out to be! Even godly things are not guaranteed to be easy. The initial excitement soon dwindled when it was discovered that language learning actually took work. The minimal fee was a problem for many (however, it simply brings to light once again that anything that you do not value is too expensive, regardless of the price), and students began dropping off like flies. We made enough profit to pay the rent and our staff once – the first month. From then on it has been a red financial hole that just kept getting deeper week-by-week, and month-by-month.
About two weeks ago I needed to make some hard decisions. Were we wrong in hearing the need in the first place? Should we simply pull the plug and call “uncle”? Could we make changes and still make the idea work? Was there a need for an English language school in Cd. Valles? Was there enough interest here to make it work?
Our conclusion to the fundamental question was “yes”, but with changes. So, my first difficult executive decision was to lay off one of our girls as of the 17th of April. We simply could not continue to pay her when there was an empty classroom. Len and Leona, as well as Theresa and I are now covering her hours. Secondly, we were going to begin a heavy advertising campaign. Instead of focusing on the churches (who had proven to be uninterested in the program), we decided to make the shift from church-focused, to being outward-focused. We decided to take any church-referenced signs and verbiage out of our thinking, and simply shift to becoming a language school run by Christians. In this way, we believe that we can be open for those who will not darken the door if they feel that it is a church-driven program. If we are given the opportunity to witness, so much the better, but it will not be an overt, in-your-face program.
We then shifted our thoughts to advertising. Theresa and I got the help of one of the young men from the church gifted in computer graphics, and spent some days trying to come up with a proper logo and slogan for the school. We developed one which I am very happy with:
We then petitioned for permission to advertise through flyers and signs on the street. We designed several signs and banners which will advertise the location of the school, and got them printed. We placed the signage onto the school, and will hang the banners on the street as soon as I can get a couple of the young guys to help me. We then got 1000 flyers printed off and stamped as approved advertising. We have begun distribution today, and will continue to do so until we see some kind of results.
We are further combining oral, teacher-based classroom time with the computer classroom time. Tomorrow, Monday, Len and Leona and Theresa will begin offering the classroom-based language classes. These will be taught on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
We need your prayers for the school. I believe that it will, and can be a successful tool for witnessing as well as preparing men and women for the future. We are giving it another month, or at most two, before we will once again check its vital signs and see if its pulse is any better than it is at the present moment.
We will work hard in the mean time, but we will wait and see…
