Mentor Spotlight: Scott Edinger
When Scott Edinger, pastor of Journey Church in Sherwood, heard the vision of Faithful Friends, he immediately clicked with it. “It felt very accessible, very impactful,” he says. “It felt like something I could participate in.” He signed up and went through the mentor vetting process, and was eventually matched with his mentee, *Lucas, in September 2022. “It ended up being exactly what it needed to be for me, for our church, and for Lucas. He was the right match, so it was worth the wait.”
Scott says that in the anticipation of getting matched, people often put too much pressure on themselves to make a big difference in the life of their mentee. “I think I was susceptible to that as well. Lucas doesn't have a father around the house, and I can be a male figure to him. But I can't be his dad. It’s important to understand the reality of that, but also lean into the opportunities. It's a fine line there. To put the pressure on ourselves to try to solve this problem is too much. It doesn't mean that we can't play a part, but be okay with just being with the kid, and try not to force anything beyond that. But there is value in consistency and establishing a relationship. Like anything else, it’s a process. In most cases, if you're patient, if you keep putting in the time and you're consistent, then it bears fruit. ”
This impact is not made through elaborate outings, but just through spending time together. “Lucas is pretty content just to go hang out at the park. We did some board games for a while, but I've been trying to get him to do some things that maybe are new for him like playing soccer, throwing a football, or playing putt putt golf. I've learned now I gotta bring three or four things. Have a backup to the backup. We played pickleball one time. And he liked it; for about ten minutes. We can't play any game for too long,” he laughs.
Reflecting on their first year of being matched, Scott says, “The best part of this whole thing has just been Lucas. I have been overjoyed with the relationship that we have, and the amount of fun that we're able to have together. There have been a lot of highlights, but it really comes down to him and seeing his joy.”
