A Season of Gratitude

Wow. 2024 has flown by. The holiday season is already here and I find myself chasing my tail more than usual — running to the airport to catch my last minute Thanksgiving flight, looking for gift recommendations for my nieces and nephews, and googling how to cook a ham without burning it (t’was a success, don’t worry). In the midst of the busyness though, I’ve had pockets of time to reflect — and as I think about Reading Circle specifically, I find myself immensely grateful for the love this organization has for refugee students and their families. It has been an absolute privilege to join in under Alysa’s leadership and mission and I have learned so much from these families. To see firsthand how these students and their families view the world is humbling and my hope for this blog is to recount some of my favorite moments that I’m especially thankful for.

I started volunteering with Reading Circle a few years ago and during that time have mentored a few different students. I met my current student, Daniel*, a couple years ago when he was working with one of my good friends as his mentor. When my friend ended up moving out of town though, I had the immense privilege to take over as Daniel’s mentor moving forward. It has now been almost a year and a half and it didn’t take me long to learn that Daniel was basically a 7th-grade genius. 

I’m consistently floored by his capabilities and how easily he handles the curriculum and the weekly Bible verses — for example, he just passed a 12th-grade reading assessment…as a 7th grader! He’s unbelievably gifted, but you would never know it because he’s first and foremost a friend and supporter to those around him, which has quickly become one of my favorite attributes about Daniel. Some of my favorite memories this past year have been the Bible studies at the beginning of Reading Circle that we do together with our table buddy, who happens to be Daniel’s brother. Both of them are incredibly inquisitive and I can always count on them asking the most thought-provoking questions (even if I think they’re sometimes procrastinating starting vocabulary work). These Bible studies typically snowball into broader conversations about God or our relationships with Him and each other. The way they actively engage in these Bible studies reminds me of the beauty of engaging in God’s Word with curiosity and the value of a “child-like” wonder when learning. 

By far the best part of serving as Daniel’s mentor has been building a relationship with him beyond his coursework. He is a class clown who always likes to have a good laugh. We never get through a lesson without a joke that serves as both an effort to procrastinate his curriculum and an attempt to get a laugh out of his brother (which is usually successful). I’m sure you can imagine that our Reading Circle lessons are always fun!

Daniel is also a massive soccer fan — along with many of the other middle school Reading Circle students, he plays on a local soccer team. They love the game and, from the games I’ve seen, have always dominated whoever they are up against. Earlier this year, I began plotting with Alysa to take Daniel to an FC Dallas game. When I brought up the idea with Daniel, the first thing he asked me was if he could bring his teammates! Fast-forward a few months and Daniel and I, along with three of his fellow teammates and their mentors, had the opportunity to go to a game. I’ll never forget seeing the excitement and sense of awe on their faces. It was one of the highlights of my year because their excitement for that game reminded me how much I had to be grateful for myself.  

As I think back on this past year with Daniel, I’m encouraged by his perspective of gratitude and have been challenged to reevaluate my own. Week in and week out, Daniel shows up with a smile on his face and an excitement to learn. The Lord has used Refugee Resources and Daniel in my own walk to remind me of the joy in the little things. Daniel and his family see the world for what they’ve been given when most of the world would look on and only see what they’re missing. Reading Circle has been such a clear reminder to my wife and me to not forget the little gifts in life -– to not forget the beauty in the day-to-day and in community. It’s been a privilege to be a part of Daniel’s journey so far and to see his growth over the last couple years. I can’t wait to see where the Lord continues to lead him.  
 

Written by: Grant Griffith
Edited By: Emily Thompson

We are so thankful for beautiful stories from mentors like Grant that remind us why we show up every single week and why we invest our time, energy, and resources into these amazing students. With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it gives us an opportunity to remember and be thankful for what is important in life. At Refugee Resources, we have over 60 reasons to be thankful this holiday season. Each of them unique and special in their own way.

If you enjoyed reading about the relationship between Daniel and Grant, we encourage you to consider Refugee Resources for your holiday giving. Our organization runs on donations from generous individuals like YOU! With your financial support, we have the opportunity to continue serving every student who walks through our doors.Giving Tuesday is December 3rd and is the perfect time to give!We ask that you prayerfully consider donating next week. Your support means the world to us, thank you!

Link to donate:
www.refugeeresources.org/give
 

*Student’s name has been changed to protect privacy.