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History

Inspiration | Founder Beth Cordes Thompson | WELS Model ESL Program
Serving Other ESL Programs | Debts of Gratitude | Outreach at Gethsemane

Stories Behind the Inspiration for ELPW by Beth Cordes Thompson, Founder

STORY #1 
I would LOVE to get to know people of other cultures, to share with them and to help them if I can. But I don’t know how to meet people from other cultures. I don’t know how to get started. 

This is what Susan said to me in 1995, after my husband had preached a sermon about reaching across cultures to show Christian love. I realized that my life had been blessed with opportunities to learn how to connect with people from all over the world. Even before I married and accompanied my husband to Zambia, I had lived in another country.

STORY #2
Hero
My hero is a strong survivor. 
No other person is as strong of heart. 
She is my understanding of the World. 
Other heroes can be hard-hearted. 
My hero is as kind as they come. 

Her embrace is like a warm, summer 
     breeze grasping the trees. 
She gives me the respect I need every day. 
The sight of her is the sight of a rainbow, 
     all bright and colorful. 
This person is the door to my future. 
This one person is the guide to my right path. 

My hero is the best 
Because I know she will always be there 
     for me—through good times 
     and bad times, 
My hero, my beautiful mother. 

- Karen M. (used with permission) 

In 2000, when working towards my masters degree in TESOL, I set up a six-week class that was the prototype of ELPW’s program model. One of my students was Elena. One evening, her fellow students showed me this poem written by her daughter. As I read it aloud, Elena beamed with pride. More...
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English Language Partners of Wisconsin * P.O. Box 342891, Milwaukee, WI 53234-2891 
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