For the past year I had the joy to mentor and tutor Thursday evenings at my church, the program is called Whiz Kids. We partner up with the local school district and spend an hour and a half with them. When they arrive they get a healthy snack and then the mentor and child sit and review homework, read together, practice math facts, play educational games talk about thier day and family. At the end of one hour there is Club time. At Club different mentors talk about Jesus, discussing his life, and how much he loves us. There is usually a project to go along with it, and then we pray. This was a great way to reach out to students not only when they are being academically challenged, but also emotionally and socially. It allows us to build a relationship into their lives, and to provide a safe place. This year I worked with a little girl who is very bright, but came from a home where there was emotional stress. Her challenge was how to deal with emotions in appropriate way, instead of crying, yelling and storming out. We first developed a friendship, and then as time went by she began to share with me some of her fears and issues she was dealing with. My heart broke when I heard about the sadness this seven year old was carrying. No one would ever know by the way she interacted with people, she was very outgoing and had a strong personality. With in this past year she has grown academically, socially, and emotionally. She has learned that her feelings of anger, hurt, sadness is okay, but not to let those feelings control her. She has taught me to be patient, to listen, to laugh more, and to appreciate my parents for their sacrifices and unconditional love. Yesterday was my last day of Whiz Kids. I believe in the fall we will be together again. I pray that this summer God will keep her safe, he will hold her in the palm of His hands, that she will know that she is special and allow her to laugh and love, to enjoy being a child. I encourage you to be a mentor in a childs life. One hour a week can help a child be happy. To feel as if they are important and that someone cares about them. To help them make good choices in life to confide thier fears and hopes in someone. To know they were marvelously made.
"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mohter's womb.
I thank you, High God-you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration-what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
You know every bone in my body,
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
the days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day. "
Psalms 139:13-16
you formed me in my mohter's womb.
I thank you, High God-you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration-what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
You know every bone in my body,
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
the days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day. "
Psalms 139:13-16
