Irene Koshik taught English as a Second Language classes at Harbor House in the 1980s. She's known around here as the one who developed high quality English language classes for adults and her impact is still felt today.

Q: What is a favorite memory of your time at Harbor House?

A: Teaching English to Mienh and Cambodian adults and getting to know them and their families.

Q: What is something you learned or experienced for the first time at Harbor House?

A: I learned about Mienh and Cambodian cultures and world views and what they suffered during the war. I also learned new perspectives on Christian faith and the spiritual world from Mienh and Cambodian Christians.

Q: What are you up to these days?

A: I'm retired faculty from the Department of Linguistics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. I taught primarily in the TESL program, teaching conversation analysis and intercultural communication and training students to teach English to speakers of other languages. 

Anh was a member of our Youth Leadership Program while he was a high school student at Oakland High in 2017 and 2018.

Q: What is a favorite memory of your time at Harbor House?

A: A favorite memory was when my fellow summer counselors and I took a group of students to Fairyland. Even though I grew up in Oakland, it was my first time going to Fairyland.  It was a memorable experience because I bonded with the kids through the fun rides and games.

Q: What's something you learned or experienced for the first time at Harbor House?

A: Something I experienced for the first time at Harbor House was the idea of being a part of a community. Prior to Harbor House, I never realized how interconnected we are and how my actions could make a difference in my community. We are better together. Being with the kids, my peers, and the staff at Harbor House will always be invaluable to me. 

Q: What's the biggest way that Harbor House impacted your life?

A: The biggest impact Harbor House had on my life was the lifelong relationships I built with the people I met through this amazing organization. Harbor House has been the setting of many fond memories, such as going to Fairyland or a ranch with my close friends.  Without this common cause, I would have not been able to develop such strong bonds with amazing people. I am grateful to all of the staff members at Harbor House for watching me grow during my time there and providing me support whenever possible. 

Q: What are you up to these days?

A: I am currently in my fourth year at San Diego State University studying Nursing. I am working hard with my clinical classes and I currently have an internship at UCSD Jacobs Medical Center where I am actively providing direct bedside nursing care to patients.

Scott and Lea were volunteers at Harbor House during the 1980s and 1990s and they lived upstairs on the third floor of Harbor House.

Q: What is a favorite memory of your time at Harbor House ?

A: We volunteered, lived at Harbor House, and led in the Mien Hut Project. The Mien Hut Project came about because Harbor House asked us to do something with Mien men between the ages of 17-70. The Mien in ESL classes and churches were very enthusiastic and shared their knowledge, time and friendship to build the hut in the backyard of Harbor House.  We estimated 1,000 people came, mainly elementary school students, but also ESL students and many church groups. Two Mien celebration events happened for the hut: the largest included Mien from all over California (several hundred people came ) with a pig brought from Fresno and a Mien worship band.  

Q: What is the biggest way Harbor House impacted your life?

A: First, when we moved into Harbor House with our new born son, a daughter on the way and Lea's brother Rex, Harbor House "forgot" to tell us there was a German couple already living in the apartment. But Gerald and Antje Fink went on to become some of our best friends. We have visited with them in Germany, Macau, Philippines, Malaysia and Canada as well as California. They named their youngest daughter Leah in honor of Lea. Second, Harbor House, which at the time had just moved into the present location, provided a space for all kinds of people, mainly youth, to share their lives with others and receive into their lives the joy of the Lord. Today we annually celebrate Sukkoth, where we make our sukkot (booth or hut-no nails used, like the Mien Hut), and turn our house into an open house for a week every year. We do this out of the biblical tradition but also in a way to remember the Harbor House Mien Hut and the wonderful experience it became.

Q:What are you up to these days? 

A: Presently Lea is working with special needs students and Scott is ministering in our neighborhood in Redding. 

Kristy was a program participant at Harbor House in the 1980's.

Q: What is a favorite memory of your time at Harbor House? 

A: The community support, friendship, learning, and ethnic diversity are all favorite memories. All races, walks of life, immigrants, struggling kids, young or old-everyone was welcomed there and Harbor House provided support to all in need.

Q: What is something you learned or experienced for the first time at Harbor House? 

A: All the staff members and volunteers were very positive and supportive. I didn’t know the English language after immigrating to America at the age of 9 years old and I was a loner. I was afraid of talking to people and afraid of other kids. Tim would pick us up with the van, Barbara and Bill usually taught us in a classroom.  We played games (pin the tail on the donkey blind folded was my favorite game). I met my first Mien friend, Tracey, and her husband Nay and his little brother Luigi there. Tracey and I are still very good friends up to this day. 

Q: What is the biggest way Harbor House impacted your life?

A: Harbor House was the root and foundation of my motivation and encouragement in life. Upon entering a new foreign country, Harbor House took me in, taught me all the positivity, showed me the goodness in people, and how supportive others can be. I am glad that I was exposed to good people who were always positive, motivating, and encouraging during my young age. Otherwise, I would not have been able to overcome or deal with the hardships in life during adolescence age and adulthood. Thank you Harbor House for all that you have done for me and others.

Rebecca was a program participant at Harbor House in the 1990's.

Q: What is a favorite memory of your time at Harbor House? 

A: As a kid I loved going to Harbor House. Tim would drive the Harbor House van and pick us up - me, my sister, our friend, and a bunch of other kids. I remember the leaders Bill, Barbara, Tim and Russell were all so nice and funny. Bill played the guitar and taught us all songs that we sang together. Bill also told us stories with his puppets.

Q: What is something you learned or experienced for first time at Harbor House? 

A: I think Harbor House was the first kids program I had ever gotten to participate in outside of school.

Q: What is the biggest way Harbor House impacted your life? 

A: I look back and think of what a blessing it was to have all these caring and loving adults invest in our lives. They all gave their time and energy to pour into a powerful program for us kids. The biggest thing was they shared about God and His love for all of us. They helped nurture and develop my faith as a child, and they did that in a fun and gentle way.

Q: What are you up to these days? 

A: I am now working with children and serving families in the same Oakland community I grew up in, the same community that Harbor House is serving in. I am the Center Director at Franklin Recreation Center and have been working in this community for 15 years and counting. We provide children's after school and summer programs, care, support and resources to students and families. I love that I get to work alongside Harbor House, have history with Harbor House, and I love seeing how Harbor has grown and continues the amazing work they do!