Healing Mind and Body

For Geovanni Prudencio, CHRISTUS Learning Center is like therapy.  Originally from El Salvador, Prudencio came to the United States by himself 18 years ago. During this time, he married, started a family and worked a job in construction.

In 2020, Prudencio was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  He briefly started medication, but stopped when he began to feel better. In September of that year, he began to feel dizzy at work one day. “That night I felt something pop in my head,” Prudencio said. He suffered a stroke.

Following his recovery, he was still unable to work due to some remaining paralysis on his left side. “I would stay home sad because everyone was going to school or work,” Prudencio said. “I needed something other than just sitting around.” He found the ESL classes at CHRISTUS Learning Center and enrolled in October of last year.  “I wanted something that would benefit my future and thank God I found this place.”

Prudencio relies on the MetroLift to take him places. The English he is learning through his classes enables him to communicate easier with the driver.  “I wasn’t able to tell them where to stop and drop me, and now I can. And I can tell them thank you.”

His classes are also helping him mentally and physically. “My physical therapist told me that I need to keep my brain busy to recover. There is a connection between my brain and my physical improvement.”

His ESL instructor Norma Vargas is so inspired by his journey. “He is always willing to take steps to go above and beyond with his pronunciation. He’s always striving to do better.”