It’s Friday night, and about 30 young men are panting and sweating from an hour of playing basketball. I interrupt their game to announce its time to have a group discussion. Of course, some of them grump and complain about having to stop their game to talk. They just want to play ball. But Hoop 2 Hope is about more than basketball. It’s my turn to address the boys, and I had prepared a special message for them. I explained the 10-10-10 rule to them. It’s simple. Before you make a choice, think about how it will affect you in 10 minutes, in 10 months and in 10 years. So often, these young men find themselves making impulse decisions that impact them for years to come. Today, the boys were especially attentive and they responded to the message well. I have seen tremendous change in several boys, in terms of attitude, behaviour and willingness to hear and learn about God. It is heartwarming to know that I am being used to show God’s love and care to these young men. // Paul Bartley
Tags: paul b
