It was scary for me…but harder for him
How on earth am I going to do this? That was the only thought in my head as I knocked on the door to my new mentee’s house. I had prepared myself to see what I thought would be extreme dysfunction up close. As I walked in, my concerns were realized. The screaming and cursing was deafening. Mom was completely overwhelmed and seemed unable to help her children as they fought, and no one seemed to notice that I was there, least of all my mentee. The situation at the house was out of control and remains crazy even today. But since then, life has changed for my Mentee. What made the difference? I did not let up. No matter the circumstances, our time together was sacred, whether he engaged me or not. Even when he was court-ordered to enter a home for delinquent youth, I made sure to keep our allotted time. Eventually he understood that I was completely committed to him, regardless of his actions or where he was.
My mentee is now in a better place. From almost never going to school or participating in any activities outside his home, he now regularly stays after school to participate in different extracurricular activities. He has a long way to go. But at least our relationship has taught him that there are people out there who truly care.