The Joy of Being Present
During my last semester of college, fall of 2019, I knew I was moving back to Dallas, which job I had accepted, who my roommate was going to be, the churches I wanted to visit, and my desire to serve in the local community. So much excitement and certainty around what I thought the beginning of adulthood would look like. I began my job in January of 2020, moved into my Uptown apartment in February, and the world shutdown due to COVID-19 restrictions in March. Although so much of what I had thought adulthood would entail had been stripped away, by the grace of God, during this season, I was able to spend more time with my family than I had ever anticipated, maintained a job that I loved, and became a member at Eastside Community Church. However, one of my deepest desires for my entrance into adulthood was missing, serving the DFW community.
After researching local organizations, my church’s partners, and looking into ministries within my church, the opportunities I had been interested in weren’t accepting volunteers due to COVID-19. I expressed this desire to serve and what seemed to be a lack of opportunities during my membership interview at Eastside. In this conversation, the Women’s Discipleship & Groups Minister mentioned that an organization called Refugee Resources was actively in need of volunteers and I’d have the opportunity to work with kids. When she mentioned this, I felt some guilt. Refugees in America was something I knew next to nothing about and after living in Dallas for the majority of my life, I did not know there was a such a need to support the refugee community right down the road from where I had grown-up. After researching the organization, I was sold. I submitted my application and met my sweet mentee, Suraksuya, a 6-year-old girl from Bhutan, for the first time in January 2021.
Suraksuya has a smile and laugh that could light up any room. She has such a big heart - loving her family and teachers dearly. Suraksuya loves all things girly, drawing, and slime. And most importantly, her favorite color is pink - a girl after my own heart!
When we started working together, Suraksuya was on one of our most basic reading levels, reading far below her needed first-grade reading level. She was timid and worried about messing up while reading aloud. Suraksuya also knew very little about God or the Bible. During one of our first Bible story times, she asked me “Who is God?” Quite a good question for an inquisitive 6-year-old to ask!
Today, Suraksuya, has excelled, moving up 12 levels in a little over a year which is the equivalent of two grade levels! She gets excited to read, as long as she gets a little drawing time as a reward for moving up levels. Now, she asks to read parts of our weekly Bible stories without any concern for which words she may not know how to pronounce. We are still learning, and will always be learning, about Jesus, who He is, and the incredible sacrifice He made on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Just this month, when asked what she was thankful for over the past week, Suraksuya said, “I’m thankful for God. For how God loves us and cares for us.”
When I reflect on what God has done in my heart since beginning to serve with Refugee Resources and Suraksuya, I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. The ways I have seen the Holy Spirit move in me, those in Vickery Meadows, and those around me since beginning to serve with Refugee Resources has been an amazing testament to God’s faithfulness. God has humbled my prideful spirit by constantly reminding me that each of His children are truly precious in His sight and we are meant to love them in that way, no matter if they grew up in an upper-class suburb or a one-bedroom city apartment with 10 other people. He has worked to strip the culture of materialism from my heart, constantly reminding me that I have more than I could ever need and how much joy is found in thanking God for the overwhelming blessings He has provided. He has encouraged me to remember that “everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48) - I am called to serve with a loving spirit and welcome God’s children from around the world with open arms all of my days.
Although I am supposed to be the one teaching Suraksuya each week, through God’s faithfulness, Suraksuya has taught me more than she will ever know. She has taught me to be grateful in all circumstances, to love with my whole heart, and that every part of God’s creation is overwhelmingly beautiful - especially when the color pink is involved!
If you are ever uncertain about serving, be reminded that even when you don’t think you are equipped, God reminds you that you are. We truly serve a loving, all-knowing, powerful God. What a joy it is to serve alongside Refugee Resources and so many of God’s faithful servants.
Written by: Chandler Isabelle Durow