I think I might be reaching AH, my eighth grade mentee. AH and I meet once a week to just hang out and do stuff. He is the typical Asian kid -- loves to play video games (especially Dynasty Warriors 4 on PS2), loves to play card games (Yu-Gi-Oh, don't ask me), loves to watch NBA basketball (but doesn't like to play very much)... however, the kid has had a tough life. He lost his Dad at age 3; his mom works full-time to support him through the private school he goes to.... and Pastor J picks him up after school to drive him home... he does ok in school but he hates reading. So, naturally, because I love to read (even though I hardly have time to nowadays), I wanted to encourage him to read more this summer. The first book I got him is a classic: Dragonlance - The Legend of Huma. Okok, not exactly Shakespeare or Jane Austen; but I wanted something that would open his mind to reading more and I think it has. Usually, when AH comes over to my home he starts by watching some TV while I eat dinner (usually AH has already had dinner and he gets to my home before I have had the chance... I ask him to eat with me but usually, he declines). However, last night, he came over, and he immediately continued reading the book. In fact, the book looked positively torn apart (which is a good thing). You have to understand... when I first gave him the book, his exact words to me were, "This is just gonna be a huge waste of time." And last night, after a short stint at volleyball (by the way, apparently, according to AH, I have bad form when bumping a volleyball... I do it all wrong), we came back to my home and he finished the book. So, naturally, I gave him a new book: Fellowship of the Ring. A little more challenging. Hopefully, he'll dig right into it. Thank you God for answering prayers.