Retired but back to teaching English – but this time, as a second language
Have you ever thought about how some of your earlier career experiences may have seemed to be small stepping stones in your life at the time you were engaged, but later came back to serve you very well for another purpose?
Such is the story of Sr. Marie Chiodo, DW, who, after an array of ministries that have spanned over 56 years, is back to where it all began, teaching English.
Shortly after being professed in 1961, she began her first teaching assignment at Our Lady of Wisdom Academy in Ozone Park, NY. From there, she taught at Wisdom High School in St. Agatha, Maine. After a total of seven years as an English teacher, she switched careers, and over the next seven years, had ministries in San Diego, California as a campus minister, Atlantic City, New Jersey as a religion teacher, and Petersburg, Virginia and Pueblo, Colorado as the director of religious education.
In the early 1980s, Sr. Marie answered a call for a three-month assignment from the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief of the United States Catholic Conference. As a part of the third wave of Daughters of Wisdom to go, she was sent to Thailand to work at a Cambodian refugee camp. There she worked with orphans and unaccompanied minors. Of her experience, she said, “My role was to be with the unaccompanied children. We didn’t know if their parents were dead, or just separated in the turmoil of seeking refuge. I taught the older children English, worked with the younger ones to draw pictures of their experiences in Cambodia and the trek over the mountains to get to Thailand. The movie, The Killing Fields, documents much of what the children drew: people tied to trees and killed, people slashed with machetes. Those are the pictures I remember. It was horrendous that children saw family members slaughtered and worse. Drawing pictures helped those who did not speak and could not relate verbally, find some expression for the fears and pain they carried.
With one of the Thai social workers, we brought the children together to have the women teach them their Thai dances, so they would not lose their heritage, which is so beautiful in terms of music and dance and theater. We helped the children engage with one another, especially those who were orphaned or whose parents were lost. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had a huge bulletin board where pictures of missing children or parents were posted almost daily. A trip to the board was a daily ritual of seeking.
The care that refugees gave to one another was deeply moving. They celebrated life even with the little they had and always offered their best food when we would visit their small “home.” Many of the educated spoke French, and so I babbled along as best I could.”
Upon returning to the United States she lived in New York City and for the following ten years, worked with a Washington, DC non-profit organization, Community Creativity, Inc., as a planning consultant and facilitator for parishes, dioceses, religious congregations and non-profits groups. Her ministry took place within the United States, parts of Europe, the Pacific Rim, Canada and parts of South America. During this time, she returned to school, moving to Maryland, where she pursued a Master of Science degree in management and human resources at Johns Hopkins University. While in Maryland, she met Sr. Anne Marie Gardiner, SSND, and they decided to live in community and to continue their primary ministries of Consulting and Social Work, and at the same time help in the dire situation unfolding in the war in El Salvador. During the early years, they repeatedly went to El Salvador to show support and offer aid to the people during the war. They brought back crafts the women created and shipped them and the stories of the women to parishes for sale – the profits went back to the women in El Salvador. While this aided the women, it was not enough. So, on one occasion, they invited the women to dream – “What would help them to become more self-sufficient?” They said they wanted to start small businesses in their villages. And so Salvadoran Enterprises for Women (SEW) was born. Over repeated trips to El Salvador From Silver Spring, Maryland, they helped to organize efforts to raise money, fund training, equipment and start-up costs to empower women-run businesses that tapped into the expertise and talents of women in the most rural areas of Salvador.
Sr. Marie recently retired. And, during her 58 years of professed life, interspersed with her varied ministries, she has served on the Daughters of Wisdom Leadership team as a Councilor for four terms.
Flash forward to the present time where the thread of teaching English has resurfaced. Sr. Marie is retired- but back to a “retired-ministry” of teaching English as a second language. Her students are Ziba and Farashta.
Ziba, a refugee from Afghanistan, has been in the U.S. for six years and is studying to become a citizen. She was a cosmetologist in Afghanistan and is studying to become certified as a cosmetologist in Maryland. She currently works in a salon in Washington, DC. Sr. Marie says she is also a great baker! To celebrate the Muslim Feast of Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, a month-long period of fasting and deep reflection, Ziba baked and shared Afghan pastries with Sr. Marie - much to her delight.
Farashta and Sayeed, also refugees from Afghanistan, are the parents of three children. In Afghanistan, Sayeed worked on a US Army base from age 15. Now he works as a mechanic for Toyota. He speaks English very well, but cannot read or write it.
Farashta studied English in Afghanistan and is learning how to carry on a conversation. She is a gifted seamstress; as evidenced in the garments she creates for her children. She designs beautiful clothes for families in her apartment complex, thus contributing to her family’s income.
Sr. Marie is a member of St. Camillus Parish of Silver Spring, Maryland, who partners with AYUDA, a non-profit working with vulnerable immigrants and trafficked people, helps guide them through legal, social, and language services; and access to justice through their immigration clinics.
At a recent clinic held at the church, where Sr. Marie was a volunteer, one hundred and one families showed up. There were twenty attorneys, ten social workers, twelve translators for three languages, and a dozen parish helpers - all pro bono. Scheduled for only three and a half hours, the overwhelming response and commitment of the professionals, kept the clinic open for eight and a half hours. Ten families were given a path forward, and twenty-six learned of steps to secure their children and property in case of deportation.
And getting back to teaching English all began one Sunday, when as Sr. Marie explains, “I got involved with Ziba, Farashta, and Sayeed because, after church one day, a friendly parishioner approached me to ask if I would be interested in teaching English to a woman who could not get to classes. The program, One on One, is run by the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. They provide monthly in-service days to help instructors of English as a second language, and talk about cultural realities the women need to face, especially regarding their children (who usually excel in school); and navigating the legal, school, and social work systems; as well as political information they need to know to thrive and to protect themselves and their families. It involves going to the home of the person at least once a week and teaching English, US culture, and trying to get them out into the community. I have not been successful with Farashta in terms of going out into the community - she is quite shy. Ziba is one of the most compassionate women I have met and is a listening heart and hand to so many of the Afghan women in the huge apartment complex.
I had been working with Farashta for three months, and one day when I walked in, she was taking measurements of Ziba for something Farashta would sew for her. Ziba is very outgoing. She immediately asked me if I could help her the way I was helping Farashta. I could not refuse. So that is how I came to have two students. I go to each of their apartments on Wednesday morning. Their learning needs are quite different. I have been doing this for close to a year and a half.
Ziba is a dedicated student. She is close to setting up a date for her citizenship test. Reading and writing are a struggle for her, but she speaks with fluency, having been here six years. I marvel at her determination. I never realized how complex and difficult the English language is. There is no consistency of spelling as sound-related and so many idioms. I am grateful for my phone which I use to find pictures of many unexplainable words. Ziba will not be deterred as she wants to take the cosmetology test and become licensed to better her situation. We always start the time with a cup of tea and her baked goods, which are delicious!
I have learned so much from each of these very different women. Farahsta is introverted, very smart, learned English in Afghanistan, but is shy to speak it. She is the most delightful mother. The clothes she makes for her boys and now her four-month-old girl are stunning. We have talked a bit about Islam, she is very devout, as is her husband. Her door is always open to other Afghan women in the complex. While she misses her very big extended family in Afghanistan, she is so happy to be in the US. She becomes most animated when I can get her to talk about her family, Islam, cooking, and, of course, about baby Safiyah.
Wednesdays are the highlight of my week. After working the morning with these amazing women, I come away filled with hope and deep appreciation for the simplicity of their lives and the sense of purpose with which they are pursuing a better future.
There is no immigration process I have to attend to with Ziba and Farashta. They are here legally and have green cards as refugees. Both have caseworkers with whom they can consult if something comes up. The refugee community and their sponsors here seem to be well functioning.
The Immigration process is a learning area for me. My parish, St. Camillus, has Franciscan Friars, who are deeply engaged in justice work at all levels. The parish is multicultural. At the multicultural celebration on Sunday, we sing in 5 or 6 languages. There is an active Latino, Haitian, Island, African, and Indian population. Many are living in fear- given the situation currently in our country- as many are undocumented. There are monthly intercultural afternoons with discussions and sharing stories and eating one another’s foods.
Currently, I am on the “Call me if you need…” committee. We provide a presence at meetings, transportation to attorneys, clinics, ICE and Immigration Court in Baltimore, and to non-profits that supply the poor with clothing, household items, and food.”
When asked to describe the one thing that brings her the greatest joy in this ministry, Sr. Marie said, “How can I describe the “one” thing that is joyful about all of this? All of it is joyful. I am so grateful to have the health and the passion to walk with God’s beautiful ones!”