Reading Circle Reflection
Each Monday night this year I’ve had the honor to read with Noah, a second-grade Burmese boy whose family is part of the refugee community in Vickery.
Many of these sweet kids arrive to Reading Circle spring-loaded with energy. My buddy Noah came with a quiet countenance and a hint of skepticism about everything. The first several months I wondered if anything we were doing was getting through. He kept his poker face and yet I knew it meant something to him because he would answer my facetime calls immediately as soon as I pressed “call” at our scheduled time during COVID-19.
On Noah’s birthday, I dropped a bag of candy off on his porch. He opened the door wide-eyed, ran out, grabbed the bag, raced back inside, and slammed the door. That was it.
Two weeks later in the middle of reading he said, “remember that bag you gave me? I really liked that.”
I said, “you did? Which candy was your favorite?”
Easy answer: sour patch kids. Of course.
That served as a major turning point & he started to share more. I quickly realized that Reading Circle made more of an impact than he’d ever let on. His skepticism wasn’t disinterest or disapproval. It was a question: can I trust you? Will you keep showing up?
Can I trust you?
I've thought about this question quite a bit. Refugee families experience transient lives moving from one place to another. It makes sense that trust would not come naturally for these kids. Over the last several months there’s been tremendous change and uncertainty in our world. Things that were once so deceivingly certain are now so obviously unknown. I find myself asking the same question in my own heart - Lord, can I trust you?
Every week at Reading Circle we learn about an attribute of God together through the Bible story. My favorite is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” It’s the name prophesied in Isaiah 7 for the birth of Jesus announced in Matthew 1.
Immanuel. God with us.
So much is wrapped up in this word. Christ’s arrival showed all humanity that God is faithful to fulfill His promises. It’s proof of God’s response to the question: can I trust you? He sent His Son to live among us and die for us on the cross. His shed blood made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. Now, His Spirit lives in us.
Each week of Reading Circle I am reminded of Immanuel - God with us, God with me, God with Noah. In every season and in every circumstance He remains constant and His word remains true. In that sense, all of our lives are transient. We’re here on earth just passing through. One thing is certain and that is the hope we have in Christ. His steadfast love gives us the steadfast strength to carry out what He’s called us to today.
I know my time with Noah is so short and I sure am grateful for it! I pray that he - and every student at Reading Circle - would come to know and trust Immanuel, the One who made a way to be with us so that we can forever be with Him.
This fall I’ve had several friends also join in with Reading Circle. It’s so fun watching the Lord grow the seeds of this ministry and to get to play a small part in it!
Written by: Emily Anderson
Photograph by: Sami Kathryn Photography