By Bonita Wilborn
Karen Gerber, a 68-year-old South Africa native, now resident of Ider, Alabama, will begin her teaching career with the start of the school term at Cornerstone Christian Academy.
Karen and her family came from South Africa in the 1990s due to a decline in the political climate of South Africa, with a goal of providing a safe and happy life for her children. “We came here on a missionary program,” Karen explained. “God just opened the doors for us. It’s been amazing.”
After arriving in the United States, Karen and her husband both began working toward specific degrees of their choice. Karen spent many years as a certified medical coder. “The stress of that job put me in the hospital for four days.” Karen began. “I prayed about it because I never had the courage to resign from the job. I worked from home, it was a well paying job, and I asked the Lord to please help me and direct my footsteps. It came about where I had to resign because of my health.”
Upon the suggestion of her youngest daughter, Melissa Ledbetter, who said, “You know Momma, you’ve always wanted to teach. Why don’t you begin to sub in the school system?” Karen took the necessary steps and began working as a substitute in Jackson County Schools, DeKalb County Schools, Fort Payne High School, and at the DeKalb County Technology Center.
Karen said, “Every morning I would drive by Cornerstone Christian Academy and say to the Lord, ‘I would just love to work there.’ Then one day a teacher from Cornerstone called me and asked if I could sub for her there, so I said, ‘I sure will!’ It was just 2 hours every day, but I knew I needed to take it to get my foot in the door.”
A little while later, Mrs. Smith, Cornerstone’s then elementary administrator called Karen at home with a job offer. Of course Karen was interested! She began working in the summer program. Then during the 2017-2018 school Karen was hired as a teacher’s aid for the Pre-K 3 class (three year old students).”
According to Karen, she is a hard worker by nature. That work ethic enabled her to receive a promotion this year from aid to teacher of the Pre-K 3 class at Cornerstone. Karen added, “I’m just really, really, terribly grateful and very excited bout it. I just can’t wait for school to start.”
Karen emphatically commented, “Coming from South Africa, I don’t care what anybody says, America is the greatest country in the world! My sister, who is an accountant in South Africa, had to resign her job because she turned 65. In South Africa, you are not allowed to work past the age of 65. And here I have this opportunity in America to begin teaching at the age of 68. I’m grateful to America and I’m grateful to God. I’m grateful that I can get up every morning with a healthy body, and be able to teach these little ones.”
Cornerstone Christian Academy’s 2018-2019 school term begins on Thursday, August 16 and Karen will have a total of 18 students. “In the three year old program here I will do a lot of singing with the students, teach them colors and shapes, how to count, I’ll teach a bible lesson every day, teach them about weather, the pledge of allegiance, and etc. It’s a very rounded curriculum. I want them to feel special and loved.”