Eric Johnson’s Story:
Eric Johnson is our Middle and High School STARS Program Manager. He has a long history working with youth, and now works with many of the youth that we mentor. We asked him a couple questions so that you can meet Eric.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself, where you are from, your family, and your hobbies.
I am a SoCal native, born in Los Angeles and moved to Pasadena when I was 6. I have been here ever since. I am a product of Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) and Pasadena City College (PCC). I’ve been married to my wife, Ana Maria, for 22 years and we have a 19-year-old daughter, Daniella, who is currently attending PCC.
I love creating! Everything about me ties into creativity. I love cooking because it is creative. I love to shop. Have you seen what I wear? Creative. I love to write. My friends and I have a trans-media company, Pitch Block, creating motion pictures, television, motion comics, animation and video games. I love storytelling and the power of media and have loved comics, film and television since I was a child. I truly believe Christ would use these mediums if He was walking the Earth today!
2. What are your life passions? What journey does God have you on?
I believe the journey God has me on is one of hope, to be a source of hope and comfort to others. A friend once said to me, “Eric, you’re an anchor for others. But the funny thing about anchors is that they get dragged through the mud.” That is the story of my life.
I come from such an unusual family. While my father was running from God, his mother was a deaconess and Sunday School teacher and his brothers were some of the original members of the legendary Mighty Clouds of Joy (a gospel
group). While my mother was running to God, her father practiced witchcraft and her mother was into new age practices way before it was popularized in the 80’s. Both of my parents come from divorced homes. My dad had to experience the painful divulgence that his father was a polygamist and later, a childhood with an abusive step-father. My parents met in high school; my mom became pregnant with me and my folks got married. I was born and then it seems all Hell broke loose.
My father, at the time a law enforcement officer, was verbally and physically abusive at home. I was told I was an accident, retarded and would never amount to anything. I was beaten with a police baton and metal shoe stretchers. I can so relate to the movie “Precious.” My life wasn’t far from that. I was frail and looked so different from everyone else. I longed to be “normal.” I was molested by another man as a teenager. And yet in spite of all that, here I am, a living example of what God, his Word and His loving people can bring you through.
3. Do you have a word for the mentors?
If there is a scripture that sums up my life, its 2 Corinthians 1:3-5:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
Because people comforted me in my sufferings I am compelled by God to do the same for others. I have dedicated the past 32 years of my life to doing just that. Which is why I am at LACF, working with teens others would normally give up on. I owe a wonderful debt to God and the people he used to reach me: my mother, my grandmother, Nellie Proctor - my Sunday School teacher, Beth Wells - my 5th grade math teacher, Pastor James Henry, Tommy McMullins, Phil Madden, Dover McCoy, Del Yarbrough. These are the mentors who saw the diamond in the coal, who loved me when I saw myself as hopeless and worthless.
Mentors made the difference in my life. I hope that every mentor would let those Scriptures become their anthem - Comfort others in the same way you were comforted by God through others. Let that comfort overflow onto the kids you engage. Don’t be moved by the exterior. Ask God to help you see His value, His purpose and destiny in that child.
Sometimes it can be thankless, after all, you’re dealing with kids who live in the now. The light doesn’t come until later.
I recently had the opportunity to run into one of those men who did this for me all those decades ago. I grabbed him, held him for the longest time and tearfully told him, “You saved my life! I want you to know that the thousands of teens and people I’ve reached, the man that I am, the husband and father I’ve become, you did that!”
So mentors, please, don’t give up! Those kids need you. I need you. This city needs you. I currently sit on the PUSD Drop-Out Task Force and everyone at that table agrees that mentors, quality people like yourselves, are a huge part of the solution!
I encourage you to fight the good fight and finish the course. You never know how many Eric Johnsons your kindness, compassion and long-suffering will produce.
Tim Morgan’s Story:
Tim has been a Mentor with LACF for just over 1 year. We asked him to tell us about his experience as a mentor.
“My wife and I moved to Pasadena about two and a half years ago. I’m a comedian/actor and living in LA made the most sense for my career. One thing I have learned in my short time pursuing work in the industry is how easy it is to be very inwardly focused on myself - focused on my look, my headshots, my auditions, my connections, my career, etc. As a follower of Christ - who calls us to selflessness and service - I wanted to avoid getting sucked into this way of life, so I started looking for ways to serve in our community. Having gotten involved at Lake Avenue Church shortly after we moved here, it wasn’t long before we heard of Lake Avenue Community Foundation and what they were doing right in our back yard. We both signed up to serve - my wife to do tutoring and I for mentoring.
I was connected with Jacob shortly after that. The first thing Jacob and I did together was go the LA car show. I was nervous about how it would go, but it turns out that 8-year-old boys LOVE cars. We had such a great time and connected right away. Since that day we have done so much together - breakfasts, hiking, hanging out at parks, dinners, movies, trips to the zoo - and our friendship has come so far in just one year!
I’ve been amazed at not just how our relationship has developed, but at how close my wife and I have become with Jacob’s family. I think one of the highlights of the past year was being invited to be a part of Jacob’s first communion. This was such a big and important event for him, and we were welcomed in as family! Jacob’s mother threw him and his cousin a HUGE first communion party (with 200 or so family and friends attending) and I will never forget dancing with his family in celebration. It was also fun for my wife and I to be one of the only white people in the room!
It has been so touching to hear from Jacob’s mom that our relationship means so much to him and that he asks her every day when we get to hang out again. But I’ve also been amazed at how reaching out and sharing part of my life with a boy and his family has changed me. It has shown me the beautiful thing that happens when we put our lives in proximity of those who are different from us - who we most likely never would have known otherwise. I’m so thankful I took this step of faith to just get involved and I trust that God has more wonderful and transformational things in store for this next year!”
Sophie Olson’s Story:
Sophie Olson has been a mentor with Lake Avenue Community Foundation for 4 years. We sat down with her to find out how her experience has been.
Q: How did you decide to become a mentor?
A: It all started with Royal Family Kids Camp. They asked me to volutneer, but I really didn’t want to. However I finally realized I had a good amount of time on my hands and that it would be silly to be alone and bored. I thankfully had a change of heart and went to the camp. Iwas assigned a cabin with four teenage girls, and while they were a handful, I really enjoyed working with them.
After the camp, LACF mentioned that they needed more mentors. Again, i was completely agains the idea, but as I allowed my heart to be softened, I came to be more open to the thought of being a mentor. I was then introduced to a young lady who was completely opposite from me. I felt like a Disney character meeting a tough girl with street smarts. At the time, she was writing a poem about not wanting a mentor and only being there because she had to be. I asked her, “Can I mentor you?” She replied, “YES!” And so it began.
Q: What do you do with your mentee?
A: At first, I made all of these elaborate plans to make sure our time was filled with important things, or to make sure she stayed interested. But when I pick her up and ask her what she wants to do, she says she wants to go grocery shopping and cook dinner! So we do a lot of every day living together: grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, etc. Once a year we do a big celebration for her birthday, just the two of us, at a local restaurant in Pasadena.
Q: What challenges have you faced as a mentor?
A: Balancing life, work, and mentor time is always a challenge. I never get to spend enough time with my mentee. It was hard to be consistent and figure out a schedule that worked for both her and me. I found myself always asking whether what I was doing was good enough.
She is also a growing teenager. It can be quite a challenge to relate with her and to get through the barriers. It is also difficult to fulfill the roles of buddy, big sister, disciplinary, and role model all in one.
Q: What have you gained out of this experience?
A: When I became a mentor, I had no expectations to gain something. I simply felt I should use my gifts that I have to work with teens, and I wanted to know how God would use me as a Christian and young woman. But I gained much more: a family. I am a part of her family, and she is a part of mine.
Q: Any tips for other mentors?
A: Do what you can and start from where you are. Don’t place too many expectations on yourself, and don’t make excuses! You don’t have to be perfect. Even if you start with chatting with your student for an hour. That is enough, that is plenty, and that is life changing for you and your mentee.
There are so many children that need mentors, and you can do something about it.
