Wanda Ruple

After moving to Union County 2.5 years ago, Wanda Ruple was looking for an opportunity to get involved in the community. She saw a newspaper article about the Literacy Council's adult tutoring program and thought this might be something worthwhile.

Ruples says the best part of the tutoring experience has been the friendships she has formed with the students she has tutored. In almost two years of tutoring, Ruple has had a total of four students, all Mexican. She has found all of them to be hardworking, wonderful people who are striving to make a better life for themselves and their families.

Indeed, Ruple says the most important quality a tutor needs to have is a love for people. For her, the tutoring experience fills a need in her life to "make a difference in someone else's life." She also sees the tutoring program as helping the whole community because a community is made up of individuals.

Besides, says Ruple, "Tutoring is fun!" She remembers the gratification she has felt when something "clicks" in the student's learning process. Although from time to time there have been some concepts that were difficult for a student to learn, Ruple is more likely to recall the moment when the light came on for a student and the elation they both shared.

As faith missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Ruples already knew a little about intercultural communications. Trips to El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico have given her an appreciation for how rich most Americans are--yet do not realize it. Tutoring is a way for her to share her bounty: her knowledge of English.