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.

The Next Generation of Mentors is Here

This morning I had the opportunity to train a new group of LAMP mentors. It was a great group of potential mentors all around, and included in the group was a young man that I had the privilege of mentoring through LAMP when he was in middle school. Now, that young man is 20 years old and he has decided to become a school-based mentor at the same school where he went to elementary school in Homewood. He still lives in Homewood, and he wants to invest in the people in his neighborhood.

My goal in leading LAMP has always been to work myself out of a job. I would love to see the next generation of LAMP mentors consist largely of this group of young people in Homewood who are currently being mentored by people who generally live outside the community. Several hundred children have benefited from mentoring relationships through LAMP, and it would be incredible if those several hundred children who are becoming several hundred young adults would be able to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation of children in Homewood.

Faith-based mentoring is a transformational force for good in the lives of both mentors and mentees. When mentees experience transformation, they develop a vision for their future and they envision themselves making a positive difference in their own community where they have grown up. This is why it is so important to have a long term, relational approach to urban renewal. These things take time to develop, but when it happens... it's an incredible process to behold. I thank God for the privilege of being able to watch the next generation of leaders in Homewood rise up to participate in God's mission to redeem their community.

Living in God's Grand Adventure

I recently spent some time looking through photos of my mentoring adventures, and I was kind of surprised about how many times my two daughters popped up in the photos. By choosing to live in the inner city neighborhood where I also work at leading a mentoring program, I have intentionally brought my family along as a meaningful part of the adventure of life. My calling is not a special solo mission for daddy. My daughters are learning how to live in God's mission to reach others on a daily basis. The gospel message of Jesus Christ is real to them on a daily basis because we all live it out together. I am excited to see what God does in their own lives as they grow into the callings that God has for them.

It's impossible to be effective at advancing the kingdom of God from a safe distance. The best ministry happens through hands on experiences and authentic relationship building. I'm happy that my daughters are learning these things from a young age. Our family loves living in God's mission together.

Investing in Others

One of my former LAMP school-based mentees showed up at the North Way Christmas concert last night in East Liberty. He changed school districts when he entered high school, so I had not been able to serve as his school-based mentor any longer. Still, when I saw him we kind of picked up right where we had left off in our relationship two years ago. It's amazing how much of an impact we can make when we choose to invest in the lives of young people as they develop. The kids who I've had the privilege of mentoring, coaching, teaching, and pastoring over the past 15 years have brought tremendous joy and purpose into my life, and it's exciting to watch them develop into adults who take on the world. Every person is uniquely created by God, and it's been so much fun to walk through life with so many different people in different parts of Pittsburgh, Ohio, and California over the years. And it never gets old... I look forward each and every day to seeing which people God will bring across my path. Following Jesus, to me, is all about giving myself away to others through meaningful relationships.