by Susan Marshall

Since September, I have (through the AmeriCorps program) had the opportunity to serve as the Volunteer Coordinator at the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (SBOC), a school for newcomer refugee and immigrant students located on Queen Anne Hill.

The school, part of the Seattle Public School district, aims to increase students’ English literacy, and also to aid them with numerous other aspects of transitioning successfully into mainstream schools. It is a remarkable, very unique place, and with over thirty different ethnic groups represented in the student body, feels somewhat like a microcosm of the world, or the United Nations!

I began volunteering at the SBOC during my freshman year at Seattle Pacific University (SPU), and continued to do so through my senior year, all the while falling ever more in love with the people there and with the great work that they do. When I learned that the Volunteer Coordinator position would be open the fall after I graduated, I jumped at the chance to take this position.

As Lent approaches, it is an opportune time to reflect on themes that are relevant to this season. One of these is Jesus’ entering into our world and making incredible sacrifices on our behalf. It causes us to consider how we may attempt to emulate His perfect example and seek ways to bring about more love, peace, and justice in this world.

Considering how this idea applies to the work I do at the SBOC, I’ve though about what is entailed in my entering the students’ world. Although it is a great privilege and delight to work with and for these incredible young people, it does not come without its challenges. The differences between us in language, communication styles, and other aspects of culture, as well as in age – at the ripe old age of 23, I already feel hopelessly un-hip and out of touch with much of what interests them! – can sometimes appear to be substantial barriers to relating to them. It is all too easy to forget that, due to the simple fact that we are all human beings, we already share many fundamental characteristics through which we can connect.

There have been many moments, involving both fairly superficial and also deeper interactions – listening to music on an Ipod; talking about our pets; looking at and reacting to art; explaining features of our religions; sharing with each other about difficult events in our lives such as divorce, death, war, troubled romantic relationships, etc. – during which I’ve been surprised at how quickly we’ve been able to develop meaningful ties.

I have additionally been reminded over and over of the power of non-verbal communication, something to which I often pay lip service, but still amazes me much of the time. Shared smiles, laughs, hugs really do build connections between people.

I’m thankful for the great diversity in God’s creation. It makes life more beautiful and interesting, and also helps us to learn how to be more creative in how we love and attempt to relate to one another, and through this, learn more about God’s love. An increased awareness of this is, I believe, the most valuable aspect of the opportunity I’ve been given to enter into SBOC students’ world this year.