Why Mentor Boys

Occasionally, I do a post about the picture above my desk of Lee Boyd Malvo, the young man of Washington Sniper fame, with his mentor, John Allen Muhammad. It's a photo that motivates me by reminding me, everyday, about the hunger young males have to be seen, valued, and directed by men. His mother, Una James, said that her son Lee had spent most of his life seeking a father figure. This mentoring story is tragic and dark testimony about the lengths to which young males will go for blessing and guidance from men. There are too many of these stories.

Boys Will Be Boys Photos

This is the most recent addition to my collection of Boys Will Be Boys photos. I'm guessing it reminds you of the kind of trouble you got into when you were a "normal" adolescent male. I can remember getting caught stealing candy, jumping from high places, sneaking into the girls bathroom (not sure why), and other forms of (innocent) young male adventure and self-discovery.

If this brings back a memory from your history, please share it in the comments section for this post on the Man-Making blog site. Or email your story to me and I'll post it for you.

If you come across a similar photo, please send it along to me. This archive will make a great slide show one day that is sure to stir men's hearts. More to come.

News Anchor Cries about Boys and Men

Two of my heroes are Joe Sigurdson and Craig McClain, the founders of the Boys to Men Mentoring Network. What they started 11 years ago now spans 23 US cities and 3 countries. You can read about their very good work at the Boys to Men website.

They were recently interviewed on Fox News in their community. Their description of the initiation weekend, and what happens to men and boys that are involved, actually brought the anchor man to tears. THAT is a true representation of the power of this work.

Check out the interview at this link and then see how you react.

PS: Check out some of the other videos while you're there.