The impact of Madonna Mission reaches well beyond its big blue doors on West Morse Avenue in Chicago. On a hot July day last year, it passed from one mother to another in a neighborhood park. Two small boys, classmates, spotted each other and were off to play. Their mother’s, Ciin and Esther, from different corners of the world, watched the happy collision of little-boy energy, and though neither was fluent in English, they soon found common ground. Small Moments, Lasting Impact S m all M om e nts , L a st i n g I mp ac t Ciin’s Story Ciin Sen left Myanmar in Southeast Asia as a young adult, seeking work and escape from her country’s ongoing armed conflict. She met her husband, Thang, in Malaysia. In 2012, he received political asylum in the U.S. Ciin was able to join him in Chicago three years later. Now the mother of three and a U.S. citizen, she’s a regular at the park.
Esther Nejesa came to Chicago from Uganda in 2024 to reunite with her husband, Albert. She was six months pregnant at the time and travelled with her three young children. With little schooling and accustomed to Luganda, an indigenous language, Esther was eager to improve her English. With a family of six including a new baby, there was no money for classes or daycare. “If you don’t have family or friends here, you don’t have people who can show you what to do,” she explains. “Everything for me was being at the house, taking the kids to school, then coming back to the house.”
While at the park with her children, Esther had a chance encounter with Ciin. Ciin was excited to share about the classes that she was a part of at Madonna Mission. Through the ESL classes, her language skills and confidence had blossomed. Her children were also thriving in the After School Program (ASP) as well as the summer Learning in Action (LIA) Program. Friendly, curious and mindful of her own time as a newcomer, Ciin peppered Esther with questions: Was there anyone to help with the baby? Did she want to improve her English?
After learning Esther’s full story, Ciin immediately recommended Madonna Mission. “They will take care of the baby, and you can study there.” Esther jotted down the address and the next day, arrived at Madonna Mission to register herself for ESL classes. Soon, her children followed, enrolling in both the ASP and LIA programs.
“I’m so happy,” Esther says of how connecting with Madonna Mission through Ciin has opened up her life. “I was feeling this is not what I came to America to do. And then I met this lady.” The encounter in the park is more than just a conversation. It shines a light on how Madonna Mission’s work moves outward. It begins with the volunteers and workers who give their time and talents to help. The ongoing generosity of donors keeps the wheels turning. Those who receive help turn around and pass it on, sharing news of a place to go, a way in, a next step. Those ripples reach out into the community in ever-widening circles. And sometimes, they pause at a park bench where two mothers talk.
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