When they first began parking their large motor home across the street from the general market in London, residents wondered if they were drug dealers.

What they are actually doing -- teaching pre-school -- may prevent some of London's children from going down that path by giving them a head start on their educational journeys.

Three days a week, Kathy Perry and Yvonne Reyes, her teaching assistant, climb aboard a large RV at Kings River Elementary School and head for the rural community of London, population 2,134. The majority of London's residents are Spanish-speaking migrant farm workers, and were it not for Perry and Reyes' passion to help their children, many of them would show up at Kings River for their first day of kindergarten without knowing a word of English and not having a clue what school is all about.

After teaching kindergarten at Kings River for 11 years, Perry, a Kingsburg resident and mother of four, was ready for a change. She had seen first-hand how unprepared London's children were when they started school, so she spoke to her school principal about what she could do to change that.

"We were trying to build a bridge between the parents and the school," Perry said.

Six years ago, her principal gave her the go-ahead to write her own pre-school program that would be funded by Kings River. All Perry had to do was venture into unfamiliar territory to sell the idea.

Perry didn't speak Spanish, so paired with an interpreter, she started knocking on doors and stopping people on the streets who had children, letting them know that she would be offering pre-school classes to anyone who would allow her into their home. Perry said that parents were receptive and invited her in to teach their children. She was on her own for a year, until Reyes, who is bilingual, joined her five years ago.

Just last year the county gave them the motor home, finally allowing them to have their own classroom. It had previously been used for a First Five high school reading program, so it had already been converted for educational use.

Perry, who said she is challenged behind the wheel of a car, no less an RV, was initially a bit intimidated by the idea of driving the motor home. When it was time for a Kings River bus driver to give Perry her first lesson driving the giant vehicle, Perry insisted on taking a moment to pray first.

Though Perry didn't know exactly what she was getting into when she signed on for this program, she said that it has been a success in that it has helped make the transition to kindergarten easier for London's children. It has also opened her eyes to the sometimes harsh realities of the world.

"Those first years were really different," Perry recalls with a laugh.

"We laugh because we got into some crazy situations," Reyes said.

The women said that more than once, they have turned their motor home onto one of London's pot-holed streets and been greeted by SWAT teams ready to raid a residence. For a long time, they watched as gang and drug activity occurred on a daily basis just a block up the street from where they park. At the market across the street where groups of men mill about out front, they have seen fights break out, some of them domestic disputes where men beat women in broad daylight.

The market across from where the women park their mobile pre-school is one of only two stores in town. Miles from any other community, London is very isolated. Countless dogs roam amongst the houses, many of which are little more than dilapidated shacks. On most blocks there is a house that stands out from the others because it is painted bright purple, pink or orange. Broken-down cars litter the yards, and chickens wander freely through the neighborhoods.

"I think in a lot of ways it's similar to Mexico," Perry said.

Each morning that they're there, Perry and Reyes teach three different pre-school sessions, each lasting just over an hour. They see about 20 children a week, a handful of which spoke no English when they came to them. Perry said that one of the most effective tools in teaching English to the children is the songs they sing with them.

One morning last week, Perry and Reyes and four of their students gathered in what was formerly the bedroom of the motor home.

It has been converted to a colorful classroom, not any different from what one would find in a regular pre-school. A January calendar of bright primary colors hangs on the wall, along with pin-ups of snowmen inside snow globes. A children's table and chairs is covered in a blue tablecloth decorated with penguins and igloos. Perry is at the front of the small classroom reading "A Silly Snow Day," the children seated around her on the floor.

When the story is over, Perry flips on a CD player and holds up a picture book, and the children join her in singing The Shape Family Song: "I am momma circle round like a pie, I am cousin rectangle shaped like a door."

Next, Michael and Victor, two little boys obviously excited about being there, are joined at the motor home's kitchen table by Jazmine and Makayla, a pair of shy, reserved little girls. Each sits in front of a paper plate covered with a tortilla. With help from their teachers, the students fold their tortillas into triangles and cut shapes out of the edges, creating snowflakes. Reyes then fries the tortillas in oil on the stove before sprinkling them with cinnamon and sugar.

She explained that making banollos, as they are called, is a Mexican holiday tradition.

Then it was on to the next project -- gluing ice blocks onto a picture of an igloo.

"You don't need to hurry, just do your best job," Perry said to Makayla as she squirted glue onto her igloo.

Perry said that the great thing about the motor home is that it has a homey feel to it, but another advantage during these cold winter months is that it is warm. She said that before they had the motor home and went into homes to teach, some of them were without heat. The houses were so cold that the residents would leave the doors open because it was actually warmer outside. But the cold conditions didn't keep the committed teachers away.

"We always went, because we were so glad just to be in there," Perry said.

The pair still visits two families in their home each week. They are immigrants from Yemen -- one family has 10 children, and the other has five.

While Reyes works with the children, Perry helps the two mothers learn English.

"Now their children are learning and they want to be able to learn," Perry said. "They want to be able to help their children and they want to get their citizenship."

One year, Perry and her family were joined by several of the Yemenis family members for their Christmas Eve celebration.

Reyes, who previously taught in a large pre-school setting, said that it took her awhile to adapt to the changes and challenges that came with working in London. But now that she has developed a heart for the children they are reaching, she said that going to work is a joy.

"I love it," Reyes said. "It's so rewarding to see these kids learning English and communication skills. Socially, it's just wonderful."

When it was time for Victor to leave at the end of the session, he was clearly disappointed. As Makayla left for home, she had her Dora the Explorer backpack in tow and glue stuck in her long hair.

The teachers agree that the warm welcome they have received from the community makes their job worthwhile, and said that while there are some scary things occuring on the streets outside their RV, they don't feel their safety is threatened. People recognize them, and respect what they are doing. Reyes said that earlier that morning, a parent walked over in the rain to bring them some Asian pears.

"It's a blessing when you get to work at a job where people really want to be there," Perry said.

Some women might balk at the idea of working out of a motor home in the middle of an impoverished rural community, but Perry embraces the job and the children of London whole-heartedly, saying that she has found her dream job.

She said that the most challenging aspect of what she does is seeing first-hand the trials that many of London's families face on a daily basis. When there is nothing she can do to help other than pray, she takes it to God.

"Sometimes you can feel overwhelmed by the problems people are facing and your heart is just heavy," Perry said.

On the flipside, seeing the children they work with learning the skills they need to prepare them for kindergarten makes it all worthwhile.

"The best part is going to bed at night and knowing that you do something you really believe in," Perry said.