International Day at Word of Life Lutheran School

vietnam exhibit

“Can you say, ‘Christ is risen’ in another language?” asked Mr. Paul Terral during Word of Life’s all-school chapel following Easter Sunday. So began a celebration of the many nations represented by the school’s students and their families. Throughout the day, children and adults enjoyed learning about one another’s cultures through stories, parent speakers, and sharing foods from around the world.

Guest speakers included, from Bhutan by way of Nepal, Giri and Bhim Basnet, parents of sixth-grader Sujan; Shiva Gurung, mother of kindergartener Samuel; and family member Amrita Gurung. Representing Vietnam were Chin and Van-Ha Nguyen, parents of Adrian from fifth grade.

Reverend Theodros Workeneh from Ethiopia, father of Kibur, grade six, spoke about East Africa. With Reverend Workeneh, Ezekiel Samking, father of sixth grader Ezekiel, shared with students the difficulties that exist for families created by war and disease in West Africa.

Children returned to their classrooms to enjoy delicious dishes prepared by New American families. The students tasted traditional foods such as banh loc nhan thit, rice and shrimp-stuffed banana leaves from Vietnam; injera with doro wat, pita bread and sauce from Ethiopia; fried plantain from Sierra Leone; and samosa, potato and bean dumplings from Nepal.

This year marks the sixth International Day hosted by the school, with the sole purpose of celebrating who we are, where we come from, and that each of us is a child of God. Approximately 40 Word of Life students have come from other nations, almost all of whom receive support from facilitators provided by Christian Friends of New Americans.

No matter the language spoken, we praise and rejoice. Christ is risen! Cristo ha resucitado (Spanish)! Helisituosi fuhuoloe (Chinese)! Kristos tenestwal (Amharic)!

By Janey Menner

Some of the more than 130 WOL students

International day participants from bhutan, nepal, vietnam, sierra leone and more.