Justice?

Today I met Wayne.  I'm the first to admit I went out on a limb.  But it's ok...

I was in my office at the church, by myself.  I've been fussed at for leaving the door unlocked, but hate the idea of this open hearts, open minds, open doors church being locked EVER, much less when there is someone here.

As I worked on Clergy Assessment forms, suddenly I realized there was someone standing at the door to my office.  When I looked up, a meek voice from a young man wearing a backpack said, "I'm sorry to bother you, but can I use your phone?"  "Sure," I said, "What's going on?"

"Well, it might sound sorta lame, but I just got out of jail and I'm hoping to call someone to come get me.  I walked all the way here so far, but I'm getting tired."  He had walked about 3-1/2 miles to get this far.

I asked his name and handed him the phone.  While he was dialing, I quietly typed his name into a search engine and his picture came up--a mug shot.  So I knew he was telling me the correct name and then I searched for his record.  What I found was a simple FAILURE TO APPEAR and an arrest date of August 3.

I listened as he talked to his grandmother on the phone, trying to give her information on where he was.  He kept asking me about road names as he talked.  He simply couldn't explain to her where he was.  In frustration, he finally asked her, "Grandma, is no one else there?"  I said, "Where are you trying to get to?"  He told me (it was 21 miles away) and I couldn't help myself.  I said, "Tell her you are on your way.  I'll take you."  I texted my wife and told her who I was with and what I was doing (still wanted to be cautious?)

He was grateful and shocked, kept saying over and over that he couldn't believe it.  As we drove, I asked him to tell me the story--how did he end up here.  I believe his story, lines up with what I saw and what I felt.

He is young--early 20's.  He and his girlfriend were trying hard to make it, she found herself pregnant and he lost his mechanic job of four years.  Within months of the baby boy's birth, his girlfriend decided she didn't want to be a mother (no drugs or alcohol, he said, she just couldn't do it)...so she simply left.  Around the time of his losing his job, he got two tickets, one for speeding and one for parking.  In his youth, he made a stupid mistake. He didn't think he deserved either ticket, so he chose not to pay them.

Wanting to do the right thing with his son, he planned to move to Florida to live with his dad, lined up a job and everything!  He took the baby to see his ex girlfriend's parents before he left.  They had a surprise for him in that they didn't want the baby to leave, so they tried to take the baby.  The police got called and when they ran his license, they discovered his failure to appear warrant and a arrested him.  Social Services placed the baby boy with Wayne's sister.  No one could afford bail, so he stayed.  A judge sentenced him to 45 days in jail.  He served the entire time in Lincoln County Detention.  This morning they released him.

Stunned to really get it that he had, in essence, spent a month and a half in jail for a speeding ticket, being kept away from his infant son, all while trying to do right, I had very little to say.  I know what he did was wrong, but really?  I took him to his grandmother's house and dropped him off with my business card.  "Call if you can think of something I might can help you with."  "Are you kidding?  I could never have asked for anyone to do this much for me.  I've never had a church and have been praying all the way I was walking for God to show me one.  I meant one to attend, but then I saw your church and thought...'maybe God still loves me.'"  I assured him that was the case and asked, "What will you do now?"  He said, "Well, I can't be worried about the past.  I've got a son that I love so much (he showed me a picture of the chubby little guy) and I have to take care of him.  I think I've learned I need to think about him before every little thing I do."




And that was it...I'm still stunned...I think of Jesus saying to visit those in jail and you know, he's not what comes to mind in our day, but he's exactly the one Jesus was talking about in his day.  Justice for those who have been treated unjustly.  It's so easy to forget that justice isn't always just.  How many more like him are there?  I don't know.  But then, does it even matter why or how they ended up in jail--we are called to be present...now what do we do with that?