By Carey Jo Johnston
The need for ESL ministries is growing in Canada as the number of newcomers increases each year. More Christians and Churches are realizing that they have an amazing opportunity to share the love of Jesus with newcomers through ESL ministry. Sometimes trying to start and keep an ESL ministry going seems like climbing up a steep mountain. That is when we can use the prayers, advice, and suggestions of others who are also in this ministry.
Southern Ontario Cooperative of ESL Ministries (SOCEM) has helped individuals and churches doing ESL ministries to connect for many years. In 2022, several people in the Ottawa area connected with SOCEM and wondered if there was a local group. Jennifer contacted Carey Jo Johnston who had recently moved to Ottawa area. Carey Jo met with two other women to discuss possibilities. They decided to meet regularly for prayer and to begin networking with others they knew in the Ottawa Valley areas who were doing ESL ministries. Thus, the Ottawa ESL Prayer Network was born. We consider ourselves a subset of SOCEM. To date we have a mailing list of 25 people and meet for monthly prayer. We have had 1 event in May 2023 to connect people and hope to have more. God continues to encourage those in the Network and we welcome anyone in the Ottawa Valley area who has a heart for ESL/Newcomer ministry to join us in prayer and encouragement. You can contact Carey Jo Johnston at literacyevangelismcanada@gmail.com if you would like more information about OESLN.