Some of my favorite memories from my childhood are nights I spent at the ballpark with my dad, mornings I spent on the lake fishing with him, random afternoons of playing catch and the hundreds of times I’d ride next to him in his truck and talk about sports, girls, school and whatever might come to mind.
Unfortunately, not every little boy is as blessed as I’ve been. That’s why a little over a year ago I decided to get involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Through the encouragement of Wanida Mertz, who attends Flood and leads worship with October Inc., I was matched with an 11-year-old boy named Dominic. The interview process was smooth and painless. There are a lot of boys in need of mentors and I was welcomed with open arms.
The night after we met, I picked Dominic up after work and we headed down to Petco Park for his first Padres game. We had a great time getting to know each other that night and it thrilled me to give him his first experience of something that I’ve enjoyed so regularly throughout my life.
I work a lot of hours and my job is pretty stressful from July through February, but the commitment to Dominic has never been a straining one. I’m asked to see him at least twice a month, and during the spring we often hang out once a week. On weeks we don’t see each other, I always place a quick phone call to check in on him. It’s a high reward relationship without an overwhelming amount of commitment. At times when things get a little busy and I’m not able to see him every couple of weeks, he and his grandmother are very understanding. It’s a great relationship with both of them.
The time we spend together is pretty low maintenance. We’ve gone to Padres games, spent evenings at Dave and Buster’s, gone bowling, ridden go carts at Boomer’s and hung out at my house where I’ve taught him to play chess. Generally when we go out, the night ends with us playing Guitar Hero or Wii at his house, laughing and having a blast. One of these days I’m going to beat him at Wii bowling! Even with my “adult” friends, it’s never what you do, it’s who you’re with. My time with Dominic is always fun and beneficial for both of us.
As Christians, we’re called to bless others as we’ve been blessed. BBBS has given me an opportunity to be very specific in that calling. I thank God for the men who have played such key roles in me becoming who I am, and I feel fortunate that I have an opportunity to encourage Dominic, help him understand what it means to be a man and allow him to know that someone cares deeply for him. Volunteering with BBBS is not a matter of time or resources; it’s simply a matter of stepping out. The experience has certainly been worth any price I could put on it, both for myself and for Dominic.
If you would like to help out and be a big brother, email noelmusicha@diveintoflood.com