ReEstablish Richmond March 2018 Newsletter

Reflections of a ReEstablish Richmond Volunteer

Every week, ReEstablish Richmond has an army of volunteers who mentor families, make home visits, provide transportation to classes, and assist with childcare.
Daniel Klein is one of these volunteers. What follows are his thoughts on why he chooses to devote time to working with ReEstablish Richmond.

I began working with a family from Bhutan a little over a year ago in a burst of activist momentum following the 2016 Presidential election. I had been searching for a way to get directly involved with local refugees and this family welcomed me in. The parents, their three daughters, and the family matriarch were still struggling after a year in the States.

The language barrier was incredibly steep at the beginning, but once we settled into a routine the confusion was replaced with laughter, and now I'm just the American older brother that visits once a week. Over the last year the family finally received permanent residence status in the US, welcomed a newborn boy, and the mother's English has improved dramatically.

Spending time together isn't just me helping them get their feet on the ground, though. Each week is a new exercise in humility and gratitude as I am reminded how fortunate I've been to grow up in this country with the resources and opportunities I've enjoyed. This wonderful family has taught me far more about myself than I could've expected.