Mike and Rosie
Mike
and Rosie from Edmond, Oklahoma, came to Santisimo Sacramento parish on
March 31st , 2004, to teach English. They have
families in the “Family2Family” program (a program where people in the United
States assist families in this parish) and came to Piura with a group of other
missioners May, 2003, to meet their families. At that time they only spent one
week at the parish.
During that week last May, Mike and Rosie noticied that most of the missioners were doing things that the parishioners could do for themselves. The « medical missions », of course, were exceptions. The real value in coming to Piura was to interact with the people in the parish. However, Mike and Rosie, both retirees, noticed that there was a genuine interest in many of the parishioners to learn English. Mike and Rosie believed this was a real contribution they could make as they both have teaching experience. They took a college course in Teaching English as a Second Language and purchased teaching materials.
In Piura, they teach four classes each day at José María Argüedas public school, which is partially supported by Christ the King Catholic Church in Oklahoma City. Each class is thirty minutes. They also teach a one-hour class four days each week to members of the parish staff and a one-hour class three days each week to members of the parish. They have approximately 75 studensts at the school, 10-12 in the parish staff class and about 120 in the parish class.
Mike is retired from federal government and does some professional speaking and training. Rosie is retired public school teacher. They have five grown children and fourteen grandchildren.
Mike and Rosie are members St. John the Baptist Catholic parish in Edmond, Oklahoma. They expect to return to their home in mid-June after spending two and half months in Piura. They may offer to come back to Piura in the fall to do additional teaching.
Mike and Rosie both believe that when you try to help others, it is often even more beneficial to you.