As we move into the later part of the month of May, another school year is rapidly coming to a close. That also brings to an end another year for our Tuesday/Thursday After-School Tutoring (AST) Program. It has been a busy year for our volunteers. The children who have come to us have provided us with many challenges as we have attempted to help them learn about Jesus and to get to know Him a little better.

Each student who comes to our tutoring program is asked to complete a registration form. With the help of facilitators, drivers, tutors, and family members, we had 72 children who completed the registration process. There were another 29 children who attended at least one tutoring session but who did not bring back their paperwork. On most evenings, we had 35 to 40 children in attendance, and there were some evenings when our attendance reached or exceeded 45.

Birth countries represented by these students include Bhutan, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Nepal, Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, and the United States. Ethiopia was the country with the largest representation (26 percent). Approximately 43 percent of our children stated that they were “Christian” or members of a specific Christian denomination, with 18 percent listing “Lutheran” as their church affiliation. LCMS congregations represented included Ascension, Epiphany, and Timothy. Most of our children (89 percent) are enrolled in the St. Louis Public School systems.

As we end another year of AST, we thank God for the children He has brought to us and the opportunities we have had to develop relationships with one another. We thank Him for the almost 30 volunteers who gave their time and talents in service to the children who came to us. We pray that God will bless and keep all the children safely in His care over the summer. We look forward to serving as many or more, New American children again next year.

By Sandy Gerber St. Johns (City) Lutheran Church

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