A Spirit of Resilience

The holiday season is upon us! During this time that can feel so busy and hectic, let us take time to remember the goodness and faithfulness of our God. A God who deeply cares and walks with us through the good and the bad. A God who never leaves our side and desires to draw us closer into a relationship with Him. In honor of this Thanksgiving season, we want to tell you a beautiful story of rescue and provision. 

Juliana was five years old when her parents were resettled in the United States as refugees, but her story actually starts many years beforehand with her resilient mother and father. Her mother, Mandalayna, and her father, Shu, were both born in Myanmar (formerly Burma), but they did not know each other at that time. As young adults, both Mandalayna and Shu crossed the border from Myanmar into Thailand. After crossing the border into Thailand, both individuals were processed by the UNHCR, or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and were allowed to stay in the country. 

While living in Thailand, Shu and Mandalayna met, married, and welcomed three beautiful children into their family, one of which was Juliana! After several years of waiting, the couple was chosen to resettle in America. While the exact reasons for why they were chosen are unknown, a refugee must fit into one of the following categories to be eligible for resettlement: persecution or fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so.

While in Thailand, Juliana's family underwent the arduous vetting process to be accepted as refugees into the U.S. This procedure is an 18-24 month process that works with eight inter-agencies to ensure security, which is headed up by the USCIS and the Department of State. Once the family passed, they were provided their tickets (which would need to be paid back), a cultural orientation to the U.S., and were sent to New York to be resettled. The family eventually made their way down to Dallas to be closer to other relatives and for employment opportunities. With less than one percent of refugees worldwide ever resettled in the United States, it is truly a testament of God’s grace and faithfulness that their family was given the opportunity to resettle in America.

At five years old, Juliana was immediately placed in kindergarten in Dallas. She knew no one at her school and had zero English. Making the transition into a new country and culture was extremely difficult for Juliana. She walked into the classroom each day and was expected to read, write, and speak in English. When Juliana reflects on these early experiences in school in America, she recalls how difficult every single moment of every day was for her. Not understanding the instructions of the teachers or the chatter of her classmates often left Juliana feeling discouraged and isolated. Even after being in school for a couple of years, she still knew very little English. Juliana says that in 2015 when she joined Refugee Resources’ Reading Circle program, everything began to change. 

When Juliana joined the program, she knew her alphabet and could read only on a rudimentary level. As a 1st grade student, she was well below her reading level. She was partnered with a mentor and they immediately went to work. Juliana reflects fondly on those early years in Reading Circle where she says that she felt immediately welcomed and at home. Through diligent work in phonics, Juliana began growing in her fluency right away. Growing in her comprehension took a bit longer, but after working tirelessly for months, things slowly began to change. After over a year and a half, Juliana finally began to see the results that she had worked so hard to achieve. She started moving steadily up in reading levels over the next several years and by 2021 when in 8th grade, she tested on a 9th grade reading level! Juliana’s story is one of unbelievable persistence and determination. Where school was once a source of stress, it became a place of joy and friendship. 

Juliana is now in 10th grade and reading above grade level. She was recently chosen by her school counselor to enroll in a college prep program that will earn her almost two full years of college credit by the time she graduates high school! She says that at first, her college classes felt overwhelming, but after learning how to plan and use her time wisely, she now feels ready to conquer anything. 

In the last six years, Juliana’s family added two more sweet baby boys to the family, which puts her count of brothers at four! Watching her mother walk through pregnancy and childbirth twice left Juliana thinking about what she may want to do with her own future. Her interest in nursing, specifically Labor and Delivery, was piqued by those experiences. With only two and a half years left in her high school career, Juliana has begun thinking about where she wants to go to college and while nursing certainly interests her, she says that she wants to keep her options open to what God has for her. Whatever she chooses to do with her future, we have no doubt that she is going to accomplish incredible things. 

On the surface, Juliana is your typical teenage girl. She plays the violin and says the orchestra is her favorite class. When asked what her favorite hobbies are, she doesn’t hesitate to answer with “sleep”; while TV dramas and scrolling Instagram come in a close second and third. But what you don’t see at first glance is a storied past full of ups and downs and a resilient spirit that could rival the bravest of souls. Her family’s story and journey to America is one that shows a God who deeply cares for the lost and the lowly. It is easy to see how God orchestrated Juliana’s steps to bring her to where she is today. Our prayer is that as Juliana continues to grow in her literacy and goes off to accomplish amazing things with her life, she never forgets where she came from and that she has a God who loves her deeply. We pray that she draws close to Him during life’s hard moments. Let her remember that she is never alone and is capable of more than she could ever imagine!

Written by Emily Thompson
Edited by Alysa Marx