A Life Long Walk ... The Journey of a Mentor

"Every child is one caring adult away from being a success story."    Josh Shipp

Video of Kalen with Mentor Mike Daniel

                                         

Kalen's Graduation from Youth Challenge Academy
Mike, Kalen and Detective Raleigh Callaway (co-mentor)

Through ATLAS I became aware of Kalen and his family and asked if I could be Kalen’s mentor. Kalen was 11 years old at the time. Today he is seventeen. Because his father was not involved in his life, I wanted Kalen to know that I was making a commitment to him. I expressed to him that I would be there to see him graduate from high school, to one day get married and to see him have his first child...all in that order. I told him that I expected there would be times that he may try to push me away, but that it would not work. I would be there regardless. At the time I felt it was important for Kalen to know that a “father figure” loved him enough to stay the course.

Staying the course has not always been easy. As an eleven and twelve year old, Kalen was full of bitterness that presented itself by fighting, showing disrespect to his teachers and disconnecting from his school work. I learned about “tribunals” and meetings with probation officers in the juvenile system. Yet I never wavered in my belief that God had placed special gifts within Kalen and that the persevering love of Christ would one day unleash them.

Through Nick Rucker at ATLAS, Kalen discovered a relationship with Christ and things began to improve. A few months later true change occurred when Kalen made a decision to forgive his father. I still marvel at the attitudinal and behavioral change that we witnessed. Within two months of his decision to forgive every one of his teachers wrote glowing letters of support for him. Receiving our Lord’s forgiveness and passing it along to others is truly transformational.

Kalen's Baptism

Academically Kalen is behind, way behind. Over many years he has been passed along in school without being prepared for the next level. He was so far behind that we needed to find another route to his education. He has recently completed six months in the Youth Challenge Academy at Fort Stewart, Georgia followed by enrolling in St. Andrews School in Sevierville, Tn. This is where we, three weeks ago, filmed the short video linked to this article.

Just this week Kalen made an impulsive decision to leave St. Andrews to come back and help his mom through a particularly tough period of her life. We all, including his mom, are disappointed in both Kalen and the school for this rash decision. However, our love for Kalen and commitment to him remain strong. As I write this I am running a little late to pick Kalen up to discuss and discover what he sees as the next step in his growth, for there is always a next step, there is always opportunity to dream, always a possibility of a better future.

I am convinced God has destined Kalen to be a man of peace, a man that lives out His love, grace and forgiveness and touches the lives of his friends, family and community in positive ways. God has called me and others to be His hands in molding Kalen into the man He has designed. I love Kalen and thank God for the opportunity to be in his life.

                                                                         Mike Daniel is Kalen's mentor and ATLAS Board Chair

Kalen's 12th Birthday