We care about using our gifts to help our local community. Over and over, we've heard refugees lament about their struggle to learn English here in Amarillo. Moreover, English teachers & ESL ministries are struggling to cope with the diversity of languages & cultures in their classrooms. Refugees are struggling to find people with whom to speak English. There are vast barriers between our refugees and everyone else.

In a nutshell, the RLP opens doors within the refugee community by directly meeting language needs. Language is the tool, but missional community is the goal.

Our initial projects include the following:

1. Teacher Training: offering group ESL trainings and observing & coaching ESL teachers in a 1-on-1 format
2. Coordination: developing a network of ministries that serve refugees so we can share and support one another
3. Leadership development: identifying refugees who want to impact their own communities and offering them 1-on-1 language & culture mentorship
4. Table Talk: providing opportunities for refugees to practice English in an informal way while providing low-commitment opportunities for interested residents to get to know refugees and their families

You can be a big help! People have a wide range of skills, and none of them is more important than another. First and foremost, you may be interested in just attending Table Talk. Everyone who comes will get a free meal. All you have to do is show up and talk about the topic of the day. You'll meet an important need for a refugee, and get free food. Can you imagine a better use for an hour of your time?

If that's outside your comfort zone, consider volunteering to provide food for an event, take pictures or video for the website, or help with administrative tasks. Maybe you'd even like to join us at a meeting as we pray and develop our long-term strategies?

We'd also love for you to consider supporting us with monthly donations.

Have another idea? Let us know!

Absolutely! We would love an opportunity to share about our project with your group. Not only do we need community support, but we believe the community needs to know what we're doing. You can connect the dots!

We are happy to share about our programs, but we are also happy to provide culture training to help you meet your own goals.

Please send us an email to schedule something soon.

ESL stands for "English as a Second Language". In this context, it refers to English instruction for those who have a first language other than English. There are many acronyms that are used in overlapping ways, including ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). English learners are often called ELLs ("English Language Learners").

While the greatest needs in Amarillo involve refugees, our scope is broader. Our linguistic strengths enable us to work with all immigrants, regardless of which category they fall under.

Initially, our focus is on adults. Ryan's training is focused on adult learning. As others join us in the future, perhaps we will be able to address those needs as well.