This morning I was asked to speak at an event for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Oshkosh/Appleton called "Be a Part of Something Big". I was to provide a testimonial to the role that BBBS has played in my life and in the life of my little brother, Isaac. I would summarize my thoughts in this entry, but I thought I might just allow you to read my letter.
Good morning everyone. My name is Jim Droste and I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to share a few words with you this morning about the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. I am currently serving as pastor for two United Methodist churches. Having worked on college campuses for about ten years, I felt a call in my life to make a change. I decided to follow God’s call to ministry. This move has significantly changed my life for the better. It certainly has its struggles, but it has made life more meaningful and purposeful. I speak to you this morning about another decision that has significantly changed my life for the better.
Before being a pastor, I was a Residence Hall Director at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh for six years. I shared a building with 200 college students. Part of my responsibility as a Residence Hall Director was to advise a hall government executive board. When we talked about volunteer opportunities for college students, one of those executive board members would often talk about her experiences as a big sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. Jennie Kelly would talk about it was only about one hour a week, and she talked about what a great time she had. She mentioned how they were always looking for big brothers. One day, I finally decided that this was something that I could do. It was something that I wanted to do.
Isaac and I have been matched for now three years. Both of us are amazed that we have matched up that long. When we were first matched, I was still a residence hall director and he was in middle school. Now I am a pastor and he is in high school, doing football, wrestling and choir. It feels as though those three years went by so fast. It feels as though we have just been matched!
I have certainly enjoyed the time that we have been matched together. We share a lot of common interests. We talk a lot about Fantasy Football…mostly about how well his teams are doing and how bad my teams are doing. We talk about NFL football, about the Colts and Packers. We play video games…a lot of video games…probably more than we should. He has taught me a few lessons about being good at video games. We played a lot of miniature golf. I could teach him a few lessons about miniature golf. We have gone to concerts. We watch football games. We play pool. We get ice cream. Heck, this Saturday we have tickets for the Milwaukee Bucks season opener on Sunday. We certainly have a lot of fun when we hang out.
But, what I have really cherished is all the ways that I have seen Isaac grow as a person. Well, yes, there’s the physical growth…it won’t be long before he’s taller than me. More importantly, I have appreciated being there for significant moments in his life. I was there when he was confirmed. I have been there for wrestling meets and tournaments. I have been there for football games. I was there at his choir concerts, especially when he received a choir scholarship. He has become more confident and more outgoing. I have seen him grow as a person. I am proud of the person that he has become since we’ve been matched. I can’t tell you for sure what role I had in all of that, but it has been wonderful to be a part of it. Being an only child with a small family, I have appreciated the opportunity to be a part of his family. I have appreciated their support and being to be a part of their lives as well. I have appreciated getting to know Isaac’s mother and getting to know his sister. If the presence of family, I do feel like a brother to Isaac.
One drawback to my assignment to the churches in Oakfield and Eden is that I now live in the Fond du Lac area. With Isaac still in Oshkosh and me in Oakfield, distance can become an issue. Both of us are busier than we were when we were first matched. It prevents us from being able to hang out like we have before, but I appreciate the opportunities we do have to be together.
This morning I hope that you might think about the opportunities that Big Brothers Big Sisters provides for the community. Each match of a big and a little is an opportunity for a difference to be made in someone’s life. Your financial support this morning or some time in future helps to sponsor a match just like the one that Isaac and I have. There are hundreds of matches in Oshkosh alone that are providing similar results. Your presence here this morning shows a desire to support the mission and goals of this organization. Perhaps you might be interested in volunteering to help with a Big Brothers/Big Sisters event. Your participation here may provide an opportunity for you to make a difference in the life of child.
I have truly appreciated my time in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. I filled out that application because I felt a call to help. I had no idea over the next few years what a difference being a part of Big Brothers/Big Sisters would do for me. I became “Part of Something Big”. I hope in some way soon, you might also choose to be “Part of Something Big.”
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