My Journey As A Mentor

The first day I started working at the Hope House I was incredibly nervous. I had never been great when it came to watching little kids and making sure they didn’t run with scissors in their hands or decide to finger paint a wall. However, when I was asked to become a mentor for a little girl (Sophia) who had a tough going in the recent years, I knew I couldn’t refuse. Four months later, my two mentor friends (Connor & Andrew) and I still go to hang out with our buddies. We had thought our goal would be to simply help the kids stay on the right track; it turned out to be much more than that. As our visits progressed, the kids began to open up to us in ways we had never expected.

When we played hide and seek, each child paired up with one of us and would refuse to leave our side, even if that meant giving away our hiding spot every time. Sometimes when Connor played prisoner with his buddy Israel, the seven year old would yell for Andrew or I to save him from “the monster.” In a way I believe we have become the kid's heroes. During the most recent time we visited the kids, Charlie who is the youngest, began to cry for no apparent reason. We tried to comfort him and ask him what was wrong, he simply replied, “I don’t want you guys to leave,” and then clung on to us. Every time we have to leave the Hope House, my friend Sophia, the oldest of the three, gives me a giant bear hug for three seconds, let go of me for two seconds, and then hug me again. She repeats this process about nine times, or until I was outside of our car. The last time she did this she looked me straight in the eye and said, “I love you.”

At first I was in shock of her statement, I had never expected to become this close to the kids. Although, when I thought it over I realized that I did in fact love those three little monsters right back. Originally I had been brought to the Hope House to help the kids stay on track with school and teach them right from wrong, but each time I come to visit I also become more of an older sister to the three of them. Talking to Connor and Andrew, I know they both feel the same way as well. Both of them have done so much for the kids whether they bring their guitars to teach the kids how to play, or allow the children to draw mustaches and uni brows on their faces simply to allow them to have a good time. We all three have become very attached to our kids, in a way very much like a family. I know I would do just about anything to see a smile appear on Sophia’s face.

Written by: Mackenzie

Hope House Mentor

(Hope House is an alcohol and drug free transitional housing program that provides a more comprehensive solution for homeless single women and their children. For more about Hope House, please click here)