Book Review of The Heart of Mentoring by David A. Stoddard

I must say that this book was kind of a let-down for me. I started this book with high expectations but I quickly realized that this book did not run too deep in its thoughts and it seemed to make many obvious points. I was also disappointed that a book from NavPress would lack spiritual content. It also seemed as if the author used this book as a commercial for his company which focuses on mentoring, which I guess is his prerogative as the author.

On the positive side, I will say that if you have never been involved in mentoring, either as a mentor or as someone being mentored, this book would be a great place to start as it gives the basics of the process.

I do like the way that Stoddard ends the book with his advice on how to get started with a mentoring relationship. His advice is, “Just do it.” Yes, it is simple, but some people need this kind of simple push to get started.

This book would be great to use with a group of co-workers as a way to break the ice with them if you’re interested in building relationships at the office. But, if you’re looking for some deep and meaningful discussions with a small group at church, this is not the book for you.

Fall Firearms Festival

Back on November 17th I had the opportunity to attend the annual Fall Firearms Festival which is hosted by Todd Burke of Tactical Specialties. My brother Mike and nephew Jonathan came up from Tulsa and accompanied me to the event. We had a full day of training and shooting and we had a whole lot of fun.

One of the highlights of the day was shooting Todd's H&K MP5 fully automatic 9mm assault weapon. This photo shows me and Jonathan with our loaded magazines waiting for our turn to shoot it.

We went through 5 different training events and many of them we got to do more than once. Here is a breakdown of what we did:

EVENT 1 will be a static shooting line emphasizing marksmanship skills and familiarity with your pistol. This is not a scenario and everyone will begin at this event.

EVENTS 2, 3, and 4 are scenarios that simulate real-world self defense applications in your home or in a public place.

EVENT 5 will be a scenario that simulates personal defense with a shotgun.

Jonathan wants to go into law enforcement so he really enjoyed the day and he is also pretty good with his gun.

Todd had a whole group of instructors there to teach us in all the events and each one of them gave us some new insight on how to be a better shooter. I was glad to be able to attend and I'm looking forward to joining Todd for more training in the future.

Imagine (No, not the John Lennon Song)

Imagine having to flee from your country because a corrupt government was going to arrest you due to your religious beliefs

Imagine fleeing to another country where you knew no one and living in a refugee camp where you were served one small meal each day.

Imagine living in this camp for up to 15 years with thousands of other refugees while you were waiting for another country to accept you as a refugee.

Imagine standing in a line each day with thousands of other refugees and only 300 per day are chosen to be moved to other countries.

Imagine being chosen one day and the next thing you know you’re on an airplane and being sent someplace you have never heard of, where you knew no one, and you didn’t speak the language.

Imagine arriving in this new city and all you have are the clothes on your back and the family members with you.

Imagine that you’re moved into a small apartment and told you have been given 5 months of rent, and after that you are on your own.

What would you do? Can you imagine this happening to you?

For a sizeable group of people here in Columbia, they don’t have to imagine this scenario because they have lived it. Most of us probably don’t know that we have a population of Burmese Refugees here in Columbia. What I have described above is the story that I was able to piece together from a conversation some of us had the other night while we had dinner with four of these families who have recently arrived in our city. Fortunately one of the guys spoke pretty good English so we were able to communicate with him. The other folks spoke no English and this gentleman was able to translate for us.

My heart was broken for these people and I really feel despair for them as I think about what the future holds for them. From what I understand the State of Missouri works with the federal government and allows some of these refugees to move into our state. But, they are only given help with rent for 5 months. They also receive food stamps and Medicaid. During this 5 month period, they are expected to get a job so they can fend for themselves. But, how do you get a job in a place where you don’t speak the language? Not to mention the fact that the job market right now is in bad shape.

So all of this begs the question, what can we do?

I think there are all kinds of ways to help out these folks, but I think we should focus on some really easy practical things. I will offer 2 suggestions:

1. Hang out with them and work on teaching them conversational English. This is a practical thing we can do and it will help them work toward self-sufficiency. If they know English they will have a much better chance of getting a job.

2. Spend time showing them around Columbia and introducing them to the culture. For instance, get them a bus pass and show them how the city bus system works. Or, take them to Wal-Mart and show them how to shop in America. Any “life-skill” you can show them would be helpful and practical.

I had lunch with my pastor and friend Kevin Larson yesterday. One of the things we discussed was “Lifestyle Shalom.” What does that mean?

At our church, Karis Community Church, we have what are known as Community Groups. Community Groups meet throughout the week all over town and share a meal, study the Bible, and pray for each other. Also, once a month, each group participates in a Shalom Project. These projects vary from group to group, but our group’s Shalom Project is meeting with these refugee families each month. But, the point of Shalom is not to do a project once a month to check off the list, but to be actively involved with a project all the time. This could mean different things for different people, but the idea is to be involved in your community in a meaningful way throughout the month. It means making Shalom part of your life.

My whole point is that we live in a city where we have several opportunities to serve and make a difference. Working with these refugees is just one way to be involved. I would urge you to find something you’re passionate about and get involved. It is easy to have fun while you’re making a difference.