Mentoring Unites Us All – a mentoring story from Louisville, KY

My name is Alix Davidson Keller and I work for Catholic Charities of Louisville as the Refugee Youth School Preparedness

Instructor. A few months ago, I began mentoring Fatana, a 7th grader who was born in Iran and then spent five years in

Pakistan before coming to Kentucky in 2013. Although she experienced the violence of the Taliban at a very young age,

she has retained a sense of innocence and a positive outlook toward the world.

In my work with refugee children, I get to know kids for the first few weeks they are in the country, but often don’t see

them much after that. It was the idea of having an ongoing relationship with a youth, getting to learn about her culture,

and make an impact long-term that inspired me to become a mentor.

In an age when our news is infiltrated with stories of Muslim extremism, I am especially grateful to have this relationship

with Fatana and her family. They have shared with me what genuine, Muslim faith looks like and how it has carried

them through the many hardships and transitions they have faced as a family. Together, we have found many

commonalities between their faith and my Christian beliefs. In spite of apparent differences, their faith inspires me to

be a more devoted Christian. What greater impact could I ask for?

Fatana and I quickly discovered a mutual love of crafting. One of my favorite times we have spent together was when

we painted canvases together in her living room. We spent that afternoon sitting on the floor and chatting about

school, family, and faith. Before I left, she was standing on the couch with a nail in hand, hanging up her new painting!

From the mentoring coordinator, Mary Grandinetti – mgrandinetti@archlou.org:

“This mentoring program reduces poverty by connecting individuals in need with others in their community that

can in turn connect them to resources that lift them out of poverty. This direct service connects to our Catholic

Identity which compels us to help those in need with no expectation of rewards. If people would like to help our

mentoring program we are always looking for donations of “activity packages” that we can provide to our

hardworking volunteer mentors. Two tickets to any type of activity in our city that the mentor and mentee could

attend together which could be educational or inspirational for the mentee! Prayers are ALWAYS welcome as well.”