Nerinx Alum, Skype Enable Conversations With Pakistan
Posted on June 1, 2019, by Helen Santamaria SL
Photo courtesy of Sarah Ruttenculler
“I thought that it was so awesome that a Sister of Loretto from Pakistan was speaking at my school!” That was Nerinx Hall senior Sarah Ruttencutter’s opening response to how she got involved with the Loretto Mission in Pakistan. Nasreen Daniel’s presentation so inspired Sarah that she initiated conversation in her Christian Life Commitment class about finding ways to help our sisters ministering outside of Lahore, Pakistan. The class soon lost its initial enthusiasm, but not Sarah. She felt duty-bound to track down Nasreen and offered to go to Pakistan as a volunteer at St. Anthony School. Undaunted by the news that she would not be successful in attaining a visa to travel to Pakistan, Sarah and Nasreen explored the possibility of Sarah’s helping the teachers at St. Anthony School practice their English. And voila! So be it!
The sessions have given the teachers greater confidence in using their English.
Every Friday at 9:30 p.m. for Sarah, which is every Saturday at 8:30 a.m. for the teachers in Pakistan, the Skype conversations begin. Sarah reports that the sessions have given the teachers greater confidence in using their English. They say that they are not nervous about speaking in English with her and that their conversations help them prepare their lessons for their students. Sarah also admits that this experience has made her feel like a real adult for the very first time.
The teachers talk about their families, holidays, traditions, daily routines and many other subjects that come up naturally. Sarah in turn not only shares her versions of the same but also is hoping to pick up some vocabulary words in Urdu. One week the women put on a fashion show for her. They demonstrated the various parts of clothing they wore and showed Sarah how to wear them properly herself. “The teachers are so amazing and so sweet,” says Sarah. “I appreciate and love them so much!” Sarah now has graduated from Nerinx Hall, but she intends to continue her Friday night lessons with the teachers. Thank you, Sarah Ruttencutter, a true Nerinx Hall alum. You make us so proud!
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