Caroline & Ruth - Gospel Life in 2021!

Each Tuesday, I have the joy of reading with Ruth, a bright and energetic 9-year-old from Burma. I see a lot of myself in her— she’s incredibly protective of her younger siblings and carries her big-sister attitude with her in interactions with friends and mentors. She loves Tiktok and her career aspirations include being a famous Youtuber. Before Ruth, I’ve worked with two other fantastic girls—Ling and Alliance. All three of them have been thoughtful, hardworking and kind.

I started reading circle about two years ago, incredibly frustrated with the current political hostility towards refugees. I wanted to channel my frustration into something productive that would allow me to form friendships with refugees in my own community and understand their experiences in the US. I was inspired by a quote from Pastor Eric Mason of Epiphany Fellowship in PA: “Proximity breeds empathy. Distance breeds suspicion.” This quote reflects a theme of inclusivity that is woven throughout the Bible, most prominently in Jesus’ command to love your neighbor. For me, being in closer proximity to refugee families has opened my eyes to the challenges that they face, and ways that the surrounding community can support and encourage them. Literacy for younger students is one of these ways! 

Through the last 6 months with Ruth, I’ve seen her vocabulary and reading comprehension consistently improve. Although she has times when she doesn’t enjoy reading, we’ve discovered together that she is motivated by setting and accomplishing goals. We set small goals each time we meet to keep her engaged and excited about the stories we’re reading.

Aside from her academic improvement, I’ve also seen Ruth’s self-confidence increase. Before, Ruth would ask me how to say a word she’s never seen before. Now, she’s comfortable taking the initiative to sound out new words herself. She constantly asks questions about new words and phrases and is more engaged with the Bible stories we read. My hope for her is that the confidence she’s built in a one-on-one reading session will become confidence in the classroom at school.

Participating in Reading Circle each week has been such a growing experience for me, and I’m so honored to get to play a small role in God’s plan for Ruth’s life. I look forward to seeing what 2021 holds for her and all of our other wonderful students! 

Written by: Caroline Vance