Do You Have Mentors? By Armando Maranda – NAD Associate Youth Director

Mentors can change your life… On Sunday, January 27, 2019, I was blessed to share a few hours with giants of Youth ministry. . . in the picture, you can see Elders Dick Barron, Leo Ranzolin, Ken Rogers, the Aldridge brothers and their wives, Terry Dodge and his wife Maxine and in front, Norm and Barb Middag. . . You can say or think what you want, but I found this time with them really refreshing. . . Why you say? Just listening to their experiences and their still visible passion for young people, gets your heart pumping. . . So, who are these people?

Barb and Norm Middag; Middle Row – Russ Aldridge, Terry Dodge, Don Aldridge, Lillian Aldridge, Marilyn Aldridge, Maxine Dodge; Back Row – Dick Barron, Leo Ranzolin, Ken Rogers; Selfie photo by Armando Maranda

Richard (Dick) Barron was world youth associate director in the 70’s and 80’s. He is well known for his passion for youth ministries. One of the things he said to me this Sunday was that “we need new ideas if we want to make an impact” in youth ministry. He seemed like one who could not stay still and waiting for things to happen, but someone who was always on the move.

Leo Ranzolin: Another world GC Youth director in the 70’s and 80’s that is well known and has a heart of gold.  He continues to try and be an influence to help leaders in your ministry. He is the chair of the Retired youth directors group that started in 2004 for those who live in or go to Florida in January. He wants young people to know more about their church and their history, especially how youth ministry continues to power up and empower the church forward.

 The Aldridge brothers (Don and Russ). . . it was the first time I met them, and from what I heard, they were youth directors, missionaries to Guam and Micronesia and the far east, and innovators. One of them started the YES (Youth Empowered to Serve) in conjunction with Community Service!!! They have a great pin collection and continue to try and serve the church as much as they can.

Terry and Maxine Dodge: Former Michigan Conference Pathfinder director, passionate about doing things right and with an attitude of service. His attention to detail is amazing and his passion to preserve the history of youth ministry has pushed him to work on getting the Adventist Youth Ministries Museum built.

Norm and Barb Middag: Pioneers in NAD and visionaries for many of the things we do here in club ministries, including the development under his guidance of the Adventurer Family Ministry, and the work of expanding Pathfinder ministry.  His leadership with the floats that participated in the Rose Parade in the early 90’s is something to be remembered. His leadership with the first NAD Camporee (Camp Hale) in 1985 in Colorado, and then in 1989 (Friendship Camporee) in Pennsylvania is still a great memory for many. He also developed many of the guidelines for Camp ministries and under his leadership, Camp ministries grown.

Ken Rogers and I, as active youth leaders in the field today were blessed to listen and be part of the conversation. To learn and to inquire about things is one of the most important things you can do. . .

Do you have any mentors?  Is anyone helping you in your journey?