Adventure in Mentoring

Good Picture of Erin--not so good of me!

Our church has recently started a program called the "Titus Project". It is based on Titus 2: 4-8 where older men and women are encouraged to teach the younger.

I decided I would like to get involved in this, though I haven't been around teen-agers for a long time. Since this is a one-on-one project, the youth leaders paired up adults with the teens that wanted to participate. This is Erin Gruber and I, taken at a sort of "kick-off" luncheon and game time.

I have really enjoyed getting to know Erin. She is definitely not a "crowd-follower". She's sort of quiet but seems to know her own mind. She is in FFA and is raising Alpaca's. I think it is kind of a family project or business. They live on a farm. She is on the Bible Quiz team at church. This was one thing that helped us bond a little, as I did Bible Quizzing as a teen. She is doing really well in it, and I plan to be at their next quiz meet. Erin is a junior in high school. She's taking a photography class, learning to develop pictures and is real excited about that.

A week ago Saturday I took Erin out for lunch. We went to Applebee's and both had delicious salads--she had the chicken Caesar and I had the oriental chicken. We talked the whole way there, and all during lunch and had a really good time. (Both of her parents told me on separate occassions that Erin really had a good time going out with me).

Tonight there is a ladies get-together at church. They are making fleece blankets for babies of un-wed mothers at the Hope Center. Erin and I are going to attend. They have assured me that you don't have to know how to sew or be a seamstress to do this. So it should be interesting. But it will give us an opportunity to work on a project together.

I am not convinced that I am going to be a very good mentor. But sometimes I think teens just need an adult other than a parent to talk to. Hopefully we can develop a good relationship. For now it's been really fun just getting to know her.