A Call To Action for Christian Mentoring of At Risk Children

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Occasionally the providential care of God gently requests my focus, and in doing so it rolls up the darkness of doubt that has a way of moving into my sight. One such incident happened to me just lately. This past Friday afternoon, I was sitting at my desk worrying over the trivial details of ministry when my cell phone rang. The person on the other end of the phone introduced himself as Robert Stinser*, and said he had been fit together with a Long Island Youth Mentoring mentor when he was eleven years-old. He said that he was older now, and wanted to return in some way to this ministry. I asked Robert how old he is now and he said thirty-three.

Robert requested if he could speak at a dinner or some other event where he could share what his mentor had meant in his life. I told him about the auction on November 14th, and asked what he would like to share. This is what he said:

When I was first matched, my Father was in jail for abusing my sisters. My Mother was struggling to figure out her own perceived needs while trying to raise three children. Drugs and men came freely into and out of our apartment. Bob, my Youth Mentoring mentor was my only constant--the only person I could really rely on. It was Bob who taught me how to ride a bike, and afterwards how to drive a car. When I was old enough to get out on my own, it was Bob who showed me how to plan for, and get my first apartment and how to figure out my finances and budget and take care of myself. Most important, it was Bob who shared the beauty of the Gospel and also prayed a blessing over me and my beautiful Christian wife when we got married. It was Bob who gave me direction on how to be a Dad--the type of Dad God wanted me to be.

I never imagined I would own my own home, but now I own my own house and have my own business. My wife and I have two children. In the last twenty-two years there has not been a period of time longer than two weeks when I did not speak to Bob. Now my friends call me for parenting advice, and I tell them what Bob taught me."

As he paused, I reflected on the fact that this man now has a three year old and a six year old living in a safe healthy home. Finally I said, Robert, your young ones are really what this ministry is all about. He asked me , why. I told him that the sort of bad treatment that he and his sisters experienced in childhood is usually passed on from generation to generation. The fact that his children have never experienced this trauma is testimony that God has put an end to it in his generation.

I could hear the emotion in his voice as he said this. John, what you say is so true. So much bad has happened in my family and I have changed so much that I wanted to change my name. I did not want to be associated with my family name. Now I am happy I did not, but I understand what you are saying about multi-generational sin.

I asked Robert what sort of business he owns. He said, I install fire sprinkler and alarm systems. I told him that I had requested bids for such systems to be put in our new ministry facility. Would you like to give us a bid? I asked him. Robert said that he would; so, I emailed the blueprints to him. He called back to say he would not be bidding on the job because he wanted to do the job--free of charge. I said, Robert, I really value your generosity, but I do not want you to get hurt by being so generous, particularly at such a difficult financial time. Robert replied, I have done a couple churches in my community already for free. It never hurts me. I always end up ahead, and I really want to give to Youth Mentoring.

Gods care of us, His children, wonderful? Whenever I begin to overlook why we work on this mission fieldâ€¦whenever bills, the building or broken families pierce the peace in serving Him, He sends people like Robert to me with a fantastic, heavenly reminder of just how awesome, and loving, a God we have. It happens all the time. I pray that someday, reality will penetrate my mind and I will learn to trust God and doubt my fears instead of trusting my fears and doubting God.

John M. Cragg
Executive Director
Long Island Youth Mentoring

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About The Author: John Cragg has been Director or Long Island Youth Mentoring for 20 years. He supports over 600 Long Island at risk children with Christian mentors. You can learn more at ChristianMentor.com.