A Start

There is an 11-year-old boy at my church who is "behaviorally-challenged," which means that he acts like I did twelve years ago. He was highly disruptive in Sunday school, so the teachers asked me to be his "mentor" during the class. The last two weeks, he hasn't been too bad (or too good). Bob strongly suggested that I spend some one-on-one time with him, since he is still rather impressionable and will soon be making life-altering decisions. Aside from the time I spend during and after church, however, it's been hard to meet with him because it seems creepy to suddenly pick him up and drive away with him alone. We'll call this kid Bryan.

I mentioned my predicament to Bob yesterday, and he said he'd fix it. "Bryan, Luke is going to go take you out tomorrow evening." Then, in response to all the other kids asking if they could come along, "No, just Bryan this time." "Because I said so." And that was that. It is so much easier now that I have Bob's explicit blessing.

This evening after work, I went up to Brookside to meet Bryan as the after-school program was dismissing, but when I arrived, he had already been taken home. So I drove over to his house and knocked on the door. The mom hasn't met Bob even though her kids have been going to Bob's church and after-school program for years. I asked matter-of-factly if I could take Bryan out, but she hesitated (which is actually a very good sign; some parents in this neighborhood would let their kids go with any adult, even an absolute stranger). I told her I was working with Bob and that I would not want to do anything that made her uncomfortable. "I'm not saying I'm uncomfortable," she backtracked, "but we haven't formally met you yet." I suggested that we meet again, and she seemed amenable to the idea, although Bryan was clearly disappointed.

The evening didn't go quite as I had expected, since I didn't spend any time with Bryan, but I think we're off to a good start. Bryan's aunt, who was at church yesterday, was in the house, as were several of Bryan's siblings. I am no stranger to them, and I'm sure they will reassure the mom. Bob hopes that if I work with Bryan, his mom might let Bob and me into her home.

If Bryan is anything like the other kids in his neighborhood, he will soon be offered to sell drugs and become swallowed up in a life of despair. Unlike some of the other kids, though, he's had the positive influence of Bob's program. When I move near Brookside, it will be much easier to get to know him and his younger siblings and to perhaps provide an alternative to the streets. We'll see...