Hispanic church holds open house

The conversation switched from Spanish to English and back again inside Iglesia El Shaddai church Saturday afternoon as people gathered for a meal and fellowship.

Spanish worship songs played on a sound system as people headed to a back room to fill their plates with home-cooked dishes. Children giggled and played while the adults visited.

It seemed like any other church fellowship in Southeast Missouri, except that this Hispanic congregation was hosting an open house for its students and teachers in English as second language classes.

The Cape Girardeau Hispanic congregation has been offering ESL courses as a means of outreach. About 20 people are taking the courses, offered for one hour each Friday through Monday at 6 p.m.

The church has been meeting for about two years, first in homes and now in a suite on North Kingshighway. Services are on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings.

Evangelist Fernando Carballo of San Diego, Calif., in town for a revival, said the congregation has been doing great work in the community because much of its emphasis has been on social aid and fellowship.

"We have a whole host of things" we do, said Pastor Curtis Session, pointing to a parenting corner where materials are all printed in Spanish.

Whether it's help translating at a doctor's appointment, completing a form for a vehicle license or just finding their way around town, church members offer their help to Hispanics new to the area.

Fenena Seyer, president of the congregation, said the church gets a lot of requests. She meets many new immigrants at her Mexican grocery store in Town Plaza.

Offering the ESL classes has been a great help for people who have limited speaking ability but need English to find work. Marcelino Dominguez and Session teach those classes.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126