Mentoring Matters
This past year, while difficult due to lingering Covid concerns, we continued to see growth in the Mentoring Matters program. The community of Colcord, OK, which is predominately made up of the Cherokee nation struggles with issues of substance abuse, family neglect, poverty, various other addictions and generational abuse. Over the course of 2021 we saw God open doors of opportunity through counseling and mentoring opportunities. Karen is meeting with several high school girls in a counseling capacity that are struggling with family trauma and or consequences from past decisions they have made. On Thursday mornings Karen facilities a weekly chapel for middle school aged girls as well as weekly mentoring. This year we have worked with over 43 girls just through our chapel ministry! Praise God! These times have been rich as we study the Word of God and talk with the girls about their lives, struggles, and hopes and dreams. Connecting them to the hope that comes from the gospel continues to be the greatest joy! We also have seen God work in continuing to open doors where we are able to work with families. The Christmas season brought a special opportunity where we made up “Christmas Care Packages” complete with food and some winter clothing to help weather the colder days for families.
In addition to these areas of growth, I (Seth) have seen growth in the small engines class I teach in the community and in mentoring young men. One of the young men (Tristan) has really been growing and taking some leadership as other young men have joined our weekly class together. It is encouraging to see new ones join and older ones take on responsibility in learning to lead. Part of the Mentoring Matters Program is seeing individuals grow and give back to the community and Tristan has been a good example of this.
We continue to use various methods to reach out to families and share the gospel with them, while seeking to address their practical needs. Mentoring, Bible Study, counseling, small engines class all provide us an opportunity to build relationships.
One family we have been working with has begun to ask us to be involved in doing some marital counseling for them. We work with 4 of their teens in our mentoring program but the parents have recently sought help for their own relationship. We are encouraged by these opportunities and see God’s hand at work in them.
Mentoring Matters because lives are broken, hurting and in need of Christ. Meeting the needs of poverty and generational abuse is part of this goal as we come alongside children, teens and their families. In 2021 we are able to minister to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of many here in Colcord, OK.