Seeds That Last Forever
Kim Vander Hill
For five years, one faithful mentor prayed for the same thing: that his mentee would one day know Jesus personally. A few weeks ago, he shared words that stopped me in my tracks: “For five years, I’ve been praying for my mentee to know Jesus personally. Two weeks ago, he accepted Christ as his Savior.” I immediately felt overwhelmed with gratitude. What an incredible reminder that God is always working - even in ways we cannot yet see.
The story actually began years earlier when this student received a Bible at a Kids Hope party. At the time, he had little interest in reading it. The Bible simply sat on a shelf in the background of his life, but God was not finished writing the story. A few months ago, the student was talking with his uncle about right and wrong and how someone can truly know the difference. His uncle gave a simple answer, “If you want to know right and wrong, read the Bible.” So he did. He started at the beginning, in Genesis.
Later, when his mentor asked what he had been learning, he began talking through creation day by day and describing God’s hand in the world around him. Somewhere along the journey of reading Scripture for himself, something began changing in his heart. “He’s convinced that Christ is real,” his mentor shared, “and that He truly is the Savior.”
Looking back, there had already been signs that God was stirring deeper questions within him. Last November, during a conversation about birthdays and getting older, the student quietly admitted, “I’m afraid to die.” Imagine the trust it took for a child to say those words out loud.
Because a relationship had been built over years of consistency, care, and faithful presence, his mentor was able to respond honestly and gently - sharing the hope and peace that can only be found in Jesus. During that conversation, one powerful truth became clear: “Children need a reason to believe, not just be told to believe.” That is one of the beautiful things about mentoring.
Week after week, mentors do more than help with schoolwork or offer encouragement. They build trust. They listen. They laugh. They pray. They show up consistently. They live out authentic faith in front of children who are searching for hope, truth, and belonging. Most mentoring moments do not feel dramatic while they are happening. Often they look simple: A conversation after school. Playing a game together. Listening carefully. Remembering a child’s worries. Praying quietly for them week after week.
But God uses those ordinary moments in extraordinary ways. Sometimes the fruit takes years to appear, but God uses every conversation, every prayer, every act of kindness, and every faithful presence. This story reminds us that mentoring is not only changing lives for today - it can impact eternity.
When this mentor shared the news with me, my response was immediate: “Thank you for sharing! Praise be to God!” Then he said something simple that perfectly captured the heart of this story: “Yes. How can something so simple be so profound? We are in God’s hands.” And maybe that is the reminder all of us need. God often works through simple things:
A caring mentor
A conversation
A Bible sitting quietly on a shelf
A child asking honest questions
A faithful adult willing to listen and point toward truth
Thank you to every mentor who continues showing up faithfully. You may never fully see what God is doing through your conversations, your prayers, your consistency, or simply your presence. But stories like this remind us that He is always at work.
At Kids Hope USA through Hillside Community Church, we are not simply helping children through another school year. We are building relationships, loving others well, and pointing children toward Jesus through authentic community and faithful presence. Maybe as you read this story, God is stirring something in your own heart. There are children who need someone to listen, encourage, pray, and simply show up. You never know what eternal difference God may make through one faithful relationship.
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. - Psalm 34:11