BETHANY FRYE
I received Christ as Savior at seven years
of age, graduated from Christian high school, was baptized at twenty years of
age, and I worship at Gloucester County Community Church.
My foreign language studies began in the 9th
grade with French in public school. In December of 9th grade my
family moved, and my new school, a Christian school which
I chose to attend, only offered Spanish. I developed a love for Spanish, and in
10th grade I went on a mission trip to Mexico with two friends to
help build a church over Easter Break. Upon returning from the trip, I decided
to pursue a degree in Spanish so I could communicate more fluently with
Spanish-speakers.
While at Richard Stockton College of NJ, my
professors offered me a position tutoring Spanish and French in the tutoring
lab. In addition, I acquired a substitute-teaching certificate, and on a few
occasions filled in for the Spanish teacher at my old high school.
I transferred to Rowan University and soon accepted
a tutoring position at Camden County CollegeÕs language lab. I graduated with
honors from Rowan University, with a major in Spanish, a minor in French, and a
concentration in Latin American Studies and I received the Foreign Languages
and Literatures department award for excellence in languages. After graduating,
I was offered a full-time position at Gloucester County Community Church, and a
part-time teaching position at Special Services School District, providing home
instruction to high school Spanish students out on extended leave.
Since high school, I have travelled on two
other mission trips to the Dominican Republic. On the first trip I served for almost
three weeks as a Spanish interpreter for the international ministry Mercy Ships. I traveled with a medical
team, interpreting for the doctors and nurses at temporary clinics. On the
second trip I was part of a team from GCCC that held a Vacation Bible School in
a small village, and also ministered to children at an orphanage in the city.
Locally, God has directed me to use my
language skills in a variety of ways. Some examples include volunteering for
the Õ96 Olympic games in Georgia, interpreting in JFKÕs delivery room, translating
the church bulletin and interpreting the worship service, and delivering
clothes and food to Mexican and Haitian Creole-speaking farm workers.
I give all glory to God for the gift He has
given me, and I desire to continue using my language ability to accomplish His purposes.