40 Day Journey with Our Neighbors in Solidarity
Week 1: Church on the Street
Written By:Dra H., COTS Lay Leader
Day 3: Matthew 25:35-36,40 (Revised Standard Version)
34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you cared for me, I was in prison, and you came to me… 40 Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.
My story is long, messy and not finished yet. The part of it I want to share with you began about 5 months ago. I was using and didn’t like where things were going. I lost my place at the halfway house, my car broke down, I didn’t have my son, I knew my job wasn’t going to last and I decided to end it. While working at a hotel, I used 2 full syringes of meth. If you don’t know, that is a lot. I got scared and didn’t want to die alone. I made a call. The next thing I knew the police were there and so was an ambulance. It is a good thing too, because I started to seize up. It felt like I had a fever of 110 degrees. I blinked and I was on the bed. I blinked and I was at the hospital. I blinked and I was in jail, dressed in stripes with no idea how I got there. I woke up with a piece of bread and a clump of peanut butter in the middle of it by my head. I wasn’t sure if it was even mine. I was mad for a minute that I was in jail and not dead. I sat (in jail) for 2 days.
I was put on probation. My PO (probation officer) told me I had to be seen by the judge and to prepare for being in jail for four days. If you go in on a Friday, you don’t get seen (arraigned) till the next Tuesday. Instead, my stay in the Minnehaha County Jail lasted four months. Yes, I screwed up. Yes, I made bad choices. I was still furious. Without my meds I began hallucinating. I was hearing voices. I was coming off the drugs and it was intense. My body was full of sensations: sweats, headache, chills, aches and pain. And my heart hurt. I didn’t tell anyone because I thought it was going to be four days and no-one would notice. I had texted Pastor Rebel before I walked into the courthouse and asked her for words of wisdom. I gave her no explanation. She texted back, “God takes our measly beings and makes us enough. You are enough. You are His beloved.” These words got me through.
They must have figured it out. After a little while, letters from Pastor Rebel, Cindy, and Harriet began to arrive. They put money on my books (commissary), and told me they were praying for me. Visiting was tricky because of COVID but they showed up in ways they could. It was enough. I was in prison, and Church on the Street came to me. I am the least of these, and yet, I am enough. I am His beloved even in my messiness. God never left me alone, I was never forgotten. I came back to Church on the Street the next Tuesday, and immediately was once again a leader in the ministry. I picked up where I left off at Laundry with Love. I was counting quarters, making grilled cheese sandwiches, and loving others through their tough times… telling them they are enough by the grace of God. Jesus loves you. No. Matter. What.
Reflection
Some beautiful, masterful works have been written from jail. I wonder how, as the environment does not offer much inspiration. I traded someone a med cup of instant coffee to draw something pretty on Pastor Rebel’s postcard, so maybe there is hidden creativity there. Although I was asked to write on the prison section of this gospel, I do think all of it applies to my life at one time or another. I wonder how much of it applies to yours. Sometimes we hunger and thirst for so much more. I will pray for you today.
Practice
- It took 44 walks around “the block” (the women’s section of the jail) to make a mile. While walking your next mile consider praying for those who are incarcerated.
- Have you ever looked up the “guestlist” of the Minnehaha County Jail to see if you know someone who is behind bars?
- If someone asked you for words of encouragement, what would they sound like? Offer those words to someone who needs to hear them today. There are many kinds of prisons.
Prayer
Lord, Heavenly Father, I give you thanks for all you give me. I give your thanks for casting a net and always pulling me back in the boat. I give you thanks for Church on the Street and the people who care enough to show up for me. I give you thanks that I can care for others. In your name we pray, Amen.
