A CONTINUUM OF CARING
Today, "mentor" is a
practically indispensable buzzword in business, religious and academic
communities.Where does this idea come from?What does good mentorship
really look like?
The word "mentor" is
derived from the Greek epic poem The
Odyssey. In this story, Odysseus, a mighty Greek warrior, leaves
for battle, entrusting his son Telemachus to the care of Mentor, a good
friend and trusted advisor. During Odysseus' twenty years across the ocean, Mentor proves
himself exceptionally faithful.He devotes himself not only to providing
the necessities for Telemachus, but to preparing the young man for the
looming world of adult responsibility. Today, Mentor's name lives on.As a direct result of his good
work, "to mentor," the act of walking alongside and helping a
person, bears his name.
Right here in Denver, through
Mayor Hickenlooper's Family and Senior Homeless Initiative, communities
build their own traditions of mentoring those who are vulnerable and in
need. This month's FSHI newsletter features a mentor team from Rodef Shalom Synagogue, who, by
Roxanne Ownsabre's account, gave her and her son Caden the promise of a
new beginning through exceptional mentorship and self-sacrifice.
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| The Roxanne Ownsabre Story |
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Pictured to
the right: Roxanne Ownsabre, and her son Caden.
Roxanne came to FSHI with the
desire to give her son a better life. Having lived with her mother-in-law for as long as she could,
she was unsure where she could turn next. Her love for her son prompted
her to come to FSHI for help. "My son gave me a new life, and I knew I had to prepare for
our future," she says.
In April of 2006, Roxanne was paired with a team of
five adults from Rodef Shalom. She speaks of
her mentors fondly, highlighting above all, their generosity,
flexibility and wisdom.
First of all, she testifies that her mentor team
went above and beyond when they provided her with necessities for her
new home: they "all pitched in and bought my son a toddler bed
with a comforter, pillows and sheets for his new room," and they
also gave her a washer and dryer for her new home. "I was so
happy," she says. "I
had prayed and prayed for such blessings. God works miracles."
Second, the team exhibited flexibility in working
with Roxanne, and in so doing, showed her tangible love. "They
were always very considerate about the meeting spot and traveled to my
side of town for me," Roxanne says.
Third, the mentor team was able to give Roxanne wise
counsel.She says, "I had accrued some debt while I was out of
work.My friends in the group were always trying to help me figure out
ways to resolve my problems."
Just as the original Mentor wholeheartedly invested
himself in his ward, the Rodef
Shalom team showed concern not only for Roxanne's material needs,
but for her whole self.
So, where is Roxanne now, and what does her life
look like? She chose to move back to live with her mother-in-law
again. However, she does not
look at this as a step backward: "Even though I am not in my own
place at the moment, I know that the Mayor's program helped me to get
where I am now.I am ready to move, have a great job with a future and
will be able to go back to school soon.Most importantly, I am doing
everything for myself, and I do not receive any type of
assistance." This fall, she is going to continue her education in
Court Reporting.
In hindsight, it is easy to see Roxanne's experience
as a steady upward slope of positive change. However, for our mentors
the road to change can be a long and challenging one, requiring
commitment and faithfulness. Roxanne reminds us that our efforts and
self-sacrifice truly do change lives: "I didn't just get money to
help me; I was given a brand new start.I thank you, and my son thanks
you." Whether we think of ourselves as "mentors" or not,
we often can't measure the ripple effects of our influence. The
blessings of mentorship carry on, sometimes in quiet but powerful ways,
from our generation to the next.
Thank you, Rodef Shalom team for your
faithful commitment to Roxanne and her son!
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September
13, 2005 - July 31, 2007
Number of
move-ins completed |
244 |
Number of
families/seniors matched and waiting to move into housing |
26 |
Number of
congregations involved |
135 |
Number of
mentor teams waiting to be matched |
17 |
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