I began serving with Refugee Resources in September 2020 after being convinced to do so by a friend of mine. I was hesitant to begin with, being only seventeen at the time, I felt like I may not even be old enough to really have the knowledge to guide and teach a kid new things. Regardless, I showed up and immediately loved it. The chaos and laughter of the kids running around with each other and their mentors before the teaching began immediately put me at ease. Refugee Resources would quickly become a weekly part of my routine and often the highlight of my week.

When I signed up for Refugee Resources Alysa told me there were a lot of boys in need of mentors, so she was really excited to have another male mentor in the mix. The student she assigned me to was a boy named Benneh. Upon first meeting Benneh it became very apparent that he is very shy and does not speak without thinking. I also quickly realized that he was not at all what I expected when I signed up to work with kids, I expected having to spend lots of time keeping things on track or asking him to stay focused. The opposite is true of Benneh, from the start he was all about getting his work done, and not once in my three years with him have I had to ask him to pay attention. If anything, I get more off track than he does!

Week by week I watched him come out of his shell. He slowly began to ask me things without being prompted to do so. He started to explore the things we were reading in the Bible, asking me thoughtful questions each week. His reading skills seemed to grow exponentially. At first, he was only reading short passages, maybe a few paragraphs at a time, now he reads multiple pages quickly with little to no error. Most notably, one week this past spring he had to read the entire unabridged farewell address from George Washington, which is 32 pages long full of words I had never even heard! Yet, he did so patiently and relentlessly. Working his way through the passage, figuring out the pronunciation of new words, and reading at a pace light years ahead of where he and I started just three years ago.

Not only have I gotten to watch Benneh’s reading skills flourish, but I have also had the honor of seeing and helping him learn more about his faith. His questions have taught me things in ways I didn’t expect. His questions have become more difficult to answer the older he gets. It encourages me to see his faith become more developed but teaching him has helped me develop my own faith as well.

What started with an anxious volunteer and a shy student has blossomed into an amazing relationship full of laughter, learning, and the Lord. Refugee Resources has provided a space for Benneh to learn, but also a space for me to bond with him and grow as well. I am thankful for the years I have gotten to spend at Refugee Resources and look forward to many more watching him grow in faith and knowledge!

Written by: Miles Hearne

North Texas Giving Day is almost here, but you don't have to wait until Thursday to donate. Early giving is now open! Right now, your donation can do even more! Every non-recurring donation made any time between September 1st and the 21st will be matched, one-to-one, up to $10,000. We ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with us to make a difference in the lives of refugees in our community.

North Texas Giving Day link:
https://
www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/refugeeresources

Refugee Resources direct link:
https://
www.refugeeresources.org/give

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