Moving Beyond Hesitancy Towards Eagerness!

I started volunteering at Reading Circle in October 2020. I learned about Reading Circle from my wife, who has worked with the program for almost 4 years. At the time, I was hesitant to join because I was traveling weekly for work and found it difficult to commit to week-day activities. Despite my schedule, I was encouraged by the stories of the children that my wife would share with me and wanted to get involved.

My own family’s background was particularly influential in my decision to join Reading Circle. My parents did not arrive in the United States as refugees, but came as immigrants from China, hoping to achieve the American Dream and provide opportunities to my sister and me. Along the way, they encountered many friendly people who shared Jesus with them, taught them English, invited them into their homes, and connected them with the Christian Chinese community. I couldn’t help but see parallels between my family’s story and the stories of the many children that attend Reading Circle.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and work-related travel stopped, I was able to sign up to be a mentor at Refugee Resources. I was eager to get involved and prayed that the Lord would place me in a position to be a light in my mentee’s life. Little did I know that the mentee I was paired with, Francis, would bring so much joy and excitement into my life. Every week, Francis is eager to be at Reading Circle, showing up early and excited to read. We love to talk about his adventures at school, his current favorite snacks, and the newest YouTube creators we’ve been watching.

One of my favorite parts of working with Francis is reading the Bible and memorizing scripture together. It’s encouraging to see his progression of learning and how eager he is to learn about the Gospel. He’s joyful and spreads his infectious happiness to the students around him.

Francis’s family is originally from Burma, and they have been in the U.S. for most of his life. I enjoy learning about his family’s traditions, favorite foods, and travels around the state to visit his family members in other parts of Texas.

As Francis and I continue to get to know each other more, I can see the Lord working in both of our lives. I see the Lord blessing us with the opportunity to study His word and to know Him better. I am always encouraged by my time at Reading Circle each week because I get to tangibly see Francis understand the Gospel and apply the things he’s learning to his daily life. I am thankful for the opportunity and the blessing to work with Francis and be a part of Reading Circle.

Written by: Eric Lan