Thursday, April 5, 2012

Visit me in prison - please!

I will be the first to admit, when someone asks me what I actually do, it isn’t easy to answer. One of my younger kids asked me last night what I wanted to do when I grow up? Often the ones who we help don’t really understand that what New City – Barrio does is who I am. So as I look back on the last couple days of my life I am humbled to be able to show God’s grace and mercy in real ways. Yet, I live in a world that so often caters and helps those with means and leaves behind those who happen to live in the wrong zip code or don’t have a dad.

I have tried over the last week to visit a really close friend who is in Sheriff Joe’s Tent City. We were away on a leadership trip with teens and college students when I get a text and then a call about my friend being arrested and put in jail. He wouldn’t get awards for his past behavior but presently he has been an awesome single dad who juggles taking care of his 2 kids and his sister’s kid while also providing for his mom and dad. I knew that when I went to his hearing that there was a good chance he would have to serve time to pay for his fine which had been incurred over three years ago for a DUI. The judge didn’t show any mercy or interest in his circumstances but essentially said pay the fine or do the time!

As the Marshall explained to me the situation it became clear that even my willingness to pay for ½ of the fine wouldn’t help my friend. I know that if the circumstances were turned that I would have had the means to pay the fine and not be stuck in tent city doing work for Sheriff Joe. Yet, reality check, the judge didn’t care about my friend losing his job, not having money for his mortgage or food for his kids.

As I have tried to visit my friend in jail I just discovered that he is working everyday until he gets released. This enables him to shorten his sentence by ½ the time required to serve. This is great news but means I most likely won’t see him until he is released. I took his mom, one of my grandmas, to visit and discovered this and then upon wanting to give him some spending money found out that we would be charged $5 to give him $30.

This has rocked my world because I knew that there was a potential for my friend to get in trouble. Yeah, he hadn’t paid his fine because after moving the court didn’t have his new address. He gets pulled over for something silly and then gets the cuffs. My purpose in this blog isn’t to make this a race thing because I’m white I would get off and because he is Mexican he’s in jail, but it is about me being born into a middle class educated family that I have the means to do things which I didn’t earn or deserve but it happened. Much as my friend’s world is totally different because he has a mom who is living on Social Security with a dad who is disabled. He didn’t go to college but has always been good at getting jobs using his hands. The unfortunate reality for him is that these jobs at most pay $15/hour whereas, I can make double to triple of that because of my background.

If this wasn’t enough, as I am picking up kids for our tutoring last night, one of the dads comes up to me and asks for help. He was pulled over the day before and his truck, his source of work, was impounded. He is a painter and got pulled over because there was paint on his license plate. As he nervously fumbles through his glove compartment he can’t find his registration and proof of insurance. As the officer asks for his driver’s license he can’t give it to him because he doesn’t have one. My teen’s dad is undocumented but has lived in the Arizona and worked for over 15 years. The present laws make it impossible for him to do anything and his family of five knows that something could happen. The officer has his truck impounded but doesn’t arrest him. (The dad does have paid registration and proof of insurance but could find it.)

I now have the task of getting his truck out of impound. He quickly has his title signed over to me because he can’t legally get his truck without having a driver’s license. So I will call the towing company and see if I can get his truck out after I have put the truck in my name, get it insured and pay the fine. I do respect this dad who is trying to do it right but again because of circumstances doesn’t have the means to get legal help to become a legal resident.

I know that the disciples were surprised at Jesus making the statement that they had visited him in prison, brought him food and clothing. He goes on and explains that as they showed real love and concern to those around them that were hungry, in prison and in great need, that they had actually done this to him. I know that as I reach back to both my friends that there is a good chance that I could get in trouble with the present law with immigration and helping what might be perceived as criminals, even with my friend who is serving time. I know that I would have a better chance of not getting in as much trouble because I could afford a lawyer and most likely my skin color would influence the one that might arrest me.

As I look at the newspaper this morning the headlines talk about illegal parents with legal kids. What would happen if the officer had called ICE and the dad was taken and then they go back to their home only to discover the mom also isn’t legal? She too is working and recently bought a foreclosure house because she had saved $20k over 4 years with her low-end job. I don’t have the answers to the present immigration mess but know that real people with real kids and teens are in difficult circumstances. I know that many will say the law is the law. Yet, the truth is that I am a law-breaker much as everyone else happens to be. I just haven’t gotten caught yet and know that my day might still come.

I will tell my teens at times that life isn’t fair. Sometimes things happen which are totally beyond our control and the outcome isn’t good. Yes, my friend should have continued to pay his fine but didn’t so he is in jail. My other friend should have kept his license plate clean and had his registration and insurance handy in his truck. Yes, I should have paid more attention backing out in a Frye’s parking lot when a guy in a little sports car tried to speed past me only to have my bumper jar his fender. I didn’t have to worry about the situation because I have insurance and also the means to pay for the repair. Yet,, neither of my friends who have shared the same outcome. So I believe that I do have a responsibility to help change a legal system that isn’t fair and caters to the rich and famous. I also believe that kids shouldn’t be punished for the sins of their parents or grandparents but most of the time it happens. So please be more open to visit your neighbor, who may not be a friend, if they end up in prison or be quicker to offer help.

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