Mentoring
I would like to recommend something to all of you. I know we are all busy. I am sure we all have family duties on top of work. I imagine you have a lot of things that you like to do for recreation and relaxation. However, let me ask you a question: How many things do you do for an hour or two a week that have the power to transform a life? There is surely more than one, but I know one for certain. You can mentor a child.
I have been taking an hour a week for the last few years to mentor a boy at the local public elementary school near our church. I started off with a kindergarten student, whose parents had divorced, and he was having trouble with his school work. I would talk about his work, and we would draw pictures, read books, and do math problems. However, we always had fun, and I showed him that I cared about him. He started coming to church, and he wanted to wear a suit like me. His family moved away, but now, his grandmother tells me that he is doing very well in school. He comes back to church from time to time, and he usually gives me a hug.
I mentored a fourth grade student one year, who had a very dark attitude. He drew very scary pictures, and he talked about horror movies that he liked. I helped him to see the positive side of things, and he started coming out of his shell. The next year he had no problems with his school work or his attitude.
Last year I was asked to mentor a little black boy, whose parents were divorcing. He would pitch fits in class, and his teachers found him uncontrollable. He had to sit in a desk separated from the other students. When we began to meet, I took a writing book, and we wrote letters to his mother, and we drew pictures of his family and talked. I would read him books, and occasionally, we went to the school playground. I gave him my phone number so his family could call me about coming to church. A few weeks ago, his mother called me. She said he was asking if I was going to be his "buddy" again. I told his mother that I would. I went to see him today. Even though he doesn't talk much, we had a good talk. I told him I missed him over the summer, and he quickly responded, "I missed you, too." Now, he sits with the other students, and he does well. However, I think I can still help him a little more. What do you think?
Now, what is the moral of this story? People want to be loved. If we take the time to show a child love, we can see his or her life changed forever. Now, isn't that worth one hour a week?
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 7-9.
I have been taking an hour a week for the last few years to mentor a boy at the local public elementary school near our church. I started off with a kindergarten student, whose parents had divorced, and he was having trouble with his school work. I would talk about his work, and we would draw pictures, read books, and do math problems. However, we always had fun, and I showed him that I cared about him. He started coming to church, and he wanted to wear a suit like me. His family moved away, but now, his grandmother tells me that he is doing very well in school. He comes back to church from time to time, and he usually gives me a hug.
I mentored a fourth grade student one year, who had a very dark attitude. He drew very scary pictures, and he talked about horror movies that he liked. I helped him to see the positive side of things, and he started coming out of his shell. The next year he had no problems with his school work or his attitude.
Last year I was asked to mentor a little black boy, whose parents were divorcing. He would pitch fits in class, and his teachers found him uncontrollable. He had to sit in a desk separated from the other students. When we began to meet, I took a writing book, and we wrote letters to his mother, and we drew pictures of his family and talked. I would read him books, and occasionally, we went to the school playground. I gave him my phone number so his family could call me about coming to church. A few weeks ago, his mother called me. She said he was asking if I was going to be his "buddy" again. I told his mother that I would. I went to see him today. Even though he doesn't talk much, we had a good talk. I told him I missed him over the summer, and he quickly responded, "I missed you, too." Now, he sits with the other students, and he does well. However, I think I can still help him a little more. What do you think?
Now, what is the moral of this story? People want to be loved. If we take the time to show a child love, we can see his or her life changed forever. Now, isn't that worth one hour a week?
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 7-9.