Be a Mentor {Mandela Day} 32 / 67 ways to change the world

OK so I took a little break from it, but as promised on Mandela Day 2013 (19.07.13), this is part of my series on their 67 suggested ways of changing the world. This one comes under the category of 'Become an Educator':

32. Mentor a school leaver or student in your field of expertise.


In my church (regenerationchurch.co.uk) we have a discipleship structure where there are mentoring and accountability partnerships in place for anyone who is serving regularly, in a position of leadership or in an upfront role. To me, this was a bit of a shock and a new way of doing things that I had not encountered in previous churches. At first I was not too happy about it, as I use to be a very private person, but now I fully see the value and necessity of it! 

I started off as a mentee (unaware that I was in desperate need of guidance!). After some time, I was asked if I would be interested in mentoring some of the younger girls. I was terrified and said NO because I was sure I was not equipped to deal do it, but my pastor/mentor reminded me that it is God that equips us to do what He calls us to! 

So now I am a mentor as well, which can be scary as it is a huge responsibility, but at the same time can be extremely rewarding! If I think back to many of the major crossroads in my life where I clearly made the wrong choice, I see a common denominator that is not having had someone older/more experienced that I felt I could fully trust or go to for advice. 

I feel blessed and grateful to have my mentor that I can go to for advice and wisdom, and my accountability partner who always seems to be going through similar things to me and is an incredible support! I am also blessed to have a couple of mentees who are teaching me just as much as I am supporting them. 

Kids and youth often don't have positive role models at home or stable adults that they can go and talk to when they need support and advice, so if you can fill that gap, then please consider doing so! If you are part of a church with a mentoring programme, GREAT! Get involved! Otherwise, you can search for Christian or secular organisations that look for mentors for children and young people. Think of the role models in your life- if they were lacking/non-existent, just think how much you have longed for stable/constant ones. If they were solid role models, be grateful and be realistic about where you would be without them! Now, imagine being able to be that rock for a child or a young person... and then imagine how much easier it would be for them to understand when you start telling them about the love of God and how He is ALWAYS there for them and will NEVER leave or disappoint them..? You see what I mean..? :)

Mentoring can be personal, spiritual, academic, career-orientated, skills-based, whatever! Find out what the need is and see if you can meet it.

Blessings!

Ronell x

{photo credit: http://www.nhslocal.nhs.uk/story/coaching-and-mentoring-guidance} 

Urban Saints : Investing in Young People

Friday nights at 7pm, we do a youth night (Pulse) at my church (re:generation church) in Gidea Park. It is still a relatively new venture, but all the leaders and volunteers are enthusiastic and hopeful for a big impact in our local community!

Tonight was a fantastic night at Pulse in particular. The atmosphere/ vibe was just the exact right blend of energetic and chilled out and the children and helpers were interacting and relating far more genuinely and naturally than I have seen before. On top of that, we have several new children who came to Pulse for the first time tonight, some of which were invited from prayer rooms that were held in local schools! What a blessing it is to witness/be involved with what happens at Pulse!

Today’s post is about another organization that aims to reach young people with God’s message: Urban Saints.

Since 1906 Urban Saints (formerly known as Crusaders) has been reaching out to children and young people with the good news of Jesus Christ. They are passionate about working with children and young people who have no church connection, helping them to realise their full God-given potential as they journey from childhood to adulthood.

Young people (aged 5 to 18+) connect with the movement in a variety of ways, including weekly youth groups, special events, holidays, community projects and training programmes. These activities are led by thousands of volunteers who are comprehensively trained and supported in order to help them work effectively and achieve the highest possible standards of youth work practice. Whilst much of Urban Saints’ work is in the UK and Ireland, increasingly they are helping indigenous churches within countries in the developing world to set up and run outreach work among un-churched children and young people.

Underpinning all of their work is the strong belief that the Christian faith works today and that Jesus Christ was speaking the truth when He said that He offers the very best, most fulfilling life. To this end, our passion is to see young people…

• Come to faith, and then share that faith with others

• Experience the greatest hope, and then become bringers of that hope to their peers

• Respond to the love of God, and then become activists in their world through the practical demonstration of that love

Young people can become Urban Saints – God’s agents of change in the world – living like Jesus lived, with lives full of: Compassion, Endurance, Humility, Integrity, Wisdom and Commitment.

Whilst not every young person might become a Christian, Urban Saints do believe that Jesus Christ’s life and message, as revealed in the Bible, is challenging and inspiring to young people today as they seek to understand their value and purpose within 21st century society.

If you would like to celebrate the tremendous work that Urban Saints do, then please stand in the gap and pray! Three other ways of giving include:

1.   Giving – they cannot realise their dreams and goals without financial investment

2.   Acting – young lives will not be transformed without men and women volunteering

3.   Praying – spiritual transformation and change will not happen without prayer

If you would prefer to invest locally, find a church or organization that supports young people and exposes them to the true message of Christ and the effect that that has on our day-to-day lives. Donate to their cause or volunteer to be part of the youth work that they do.

Blessings!

Ronell x

“But Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.’” {Matthew 19v14}