Lisa
God-given. God-breathed. God-guided.
Hannah went to Central Michigan University with a heart for inner city education. Even more, she felt called to those “awkward” middle school kids in the poorest of the poor school districts. Opposite of the typical American dream, she stated—
“What about them? Someone should love these people too.”
Unbeknownst to her, God had an interesting turn of events ahead.
She went on to a year of volunteering in an inner-city middle school in Detroit, a school she describes as one of the worst. The city was falling apart, and funding was quickly out of grasp. At the end of her first year, the school shut down.
“Now what?”
Hannah yet again began applying and praying for direction. September 1 came and went.
“Alright, God, that’s it. That’s the beginning of the school year… I can’t do anything else.”
Two weeks later, she received a phone call about a part-time ESL job at a school in Grand Rapids.
“Well why, not?”
A late, hectic and confusing start left Hannah wanting to quit every day. She had no time to get to know the students, her curriculum was nonexistent, and she was in need of help.
“I knew one person, the one that taught me to read.”
Hannah’s mom, Bev, agreed to help and began making biweekly trips to Grand Rapids. A part-time job soon turned into twelve-hour days, volunteering time and tears to help the forgotten.
Let me expand: It was at an open house that Hannah was informed of a very interesting fact. One man—an advocate and social worker—came representing 12 of her kids—all refugees, all with limited, if any, family contact. They were enrolled in education with one hope: learning to read.
“These kids come with nothing. They want an education.”
Not long after, this same man offered Hannah another part-time with Bethany Christian Services at their group home.
Stories soon began to unravel about the persecutions, the injustices, and terrors that these completely independent children witnessed in their own countries. She began to realize what it truly meant to be alone – a refugee.
A trip to Haiti this summer opened her eyes even more. When her team decided to visit a refugee camp, Hannah didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to see where her kids were coming from. She didn’t want it to break her heart.
But walking down the trash-strewn roads of the tent city – walking under a grey tarp home – opened Hannah’s eyes to something else.
“These are the people that society has forgotten about. These are the children that God has not forgotten about. These are just like my children at home.”
Leaving her secure, relatively stable public school job for an uncertain job at Bethany was suddenly worth it. She saw the enormity of the need. And she saw that she could do something to help.
She would advocate for her students, offering them life skills on top of English lessons.
A year and a half ago, two young men joined Hannah’s family. From across the world, to an English class in Michigan, to their very own home, these young men overcame impossible odds.
This is all because one family decided to open their home and hearts to another generation of children, who for years to come will call Hannah’s parents “mom” and “dad.”
This is one family I’ll never forget. I am left with yet another picture of God’s heart for his people— unity in love.
