Transformational Mentoring in Homewood

Last night I was driving through Homewood with several LAMP mentees when I saw a group of former LAMP mentees who had graduated from high school. The mentees that I had in the car with me start their senior year in high school this year. It was a nice summer evening, so we all stopped and talked with one another for a while. I couldn't help but to be thankful to God for what was taking place in that moment. When I first started spending time with all of these young men in Homewood they were just kids in elementary school who had been referred to me to have a mentor because they were having problems in school. Now, these guys are succeeding in their educations, graduating high school and even taking college classes and working.

The context of the moment last night also struck me. We stopped and had that great conversation at an intersection in Homewood that is infamous for illegal activities (drugs, prostitution, etc.). These guys weren't out participating in those things. We were talking about their bright futures, not their struggles with coping in the inner city. These guys have built up many assets over the years, and they are resilient. They are Homewood's finest, setting out to make a positive difference in the world with their lives. That doesn't mean that they won't struggle as adults, but they at least have a fighting chance to thrive.

Transformation in people or in places doesn't happen by focusing on what's wrong. It happens by building up what is right. The process of transformation takes time, but it is so rewarding to experience. I have high hopes for each of the young people that I've been privileged to invest in as a mentor over the years, and that includes some who are currently locked up or struggling with the street life. I think that they have the assets to be able to thrive as well, it just may take some more time. I'm not giving up on anybody, no matter what the outcomes of our time spent together may have produced. And I am thankful for moments like last night where I got to experience joy in the midst of a complex urban environment. I celebrate the signs of hope that I see in Homewood.