1. 02 July 2010 · 01:38 PM ·

    Do not pass go. Do not Collect 200 dollars

    Today I went to visit a few people in the Chattanooga County Jail. Going in I was not that intimidated. Uncomfortable was not exactly the word to describe my feelings but it was pretty in line with my insides. I would say unsure is the best way to describe myself a couple of hours ago.

    The Jail was just a weird place. You walk into a very nice, marble lobby with a quote by Aristotle, “At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.” Then you meet the security guard who is your typical southern bell. She was blonde, with a huge smile on her face. You can tell that she really is happy to see you when you arrive. She calls my friend Bobby by name and then she buzzards the door so we can get though to our neighbors. Then she smiles and waves us bye as we enter into a much different atmosphere.

    The visitation area is a dull place. It is a hallway with about 10 doors on each side. Behind each door is a 4X4 room with plexiglass separating you from the inmates. Bobby and I walked down to the end of the hall where we met our friend Billy who had arrived a little early. Billy and Bobby introduced me to the to inmates who within the next 90 minutes would capture my heart.

    I stepped into the 4X4 room and sat down on a little stool and began to talk to my brother behind the plexi glass. I felt at home. As was not at all uncomfortable. I wasn’t afraid, I wasn’t timid and I wasn’t nervous. I felt at home. I felt back in my happy place. I felt closer to My Lover, my Savior, the homeless Rabi and the slaughtered Lamb. I felt strong, confident and ready. I felt these things not because I am strong but because the One inside me is strong. For I know I am made whole in my weakness, because One stronger than I fills in the cracks where I fall short.

     “I glory in my weaknesses because in my weaknesses He is made strong.”

    As I sat on the stool and listened, my heart began to open up once more. We hear a lot about going to place and bringing the good news, but my situation was completely different. I just sat there and listened and the good news was brought to me. My brother on the other side of the glass made me feel welcome. He smiled, warmed me with his kindness, encouraged me with his words and inspired me with his stories. As I listened I was encouraged to talk but I kept assuring my brother that his story is way more interesting than mine. We talked about life and I listened. We talked about his day and I listened. We talked about hate and I listened. We talked about love and I listened.

    My brother described to me the day to activities he goes through. He has to pass inspections in his 5X5 cell to be able to eat. If he messes up one thing he does not receive food. The small portions of carbs, carbs and more carbs are never enough to fill even the emptiest of bellies. My brother kept assuring me that it is not that bad though. He knows God has a plan for him. He assures me that he has it better than some of the other inmates, even though he is on the top floor and locked up in his cell, alone, for 23 hours a day. He rejoices with me about how he has a window. Apparently that is a luxury most do not experience. 

    As we laugh and tell stories, my brother begans to talked about the Bible. How he just finished reading the New Tesament for the second time. Then we joke about some of the weird things that happen in the Old Testament. HAHA, what is God trying to tell us when He says, “Any woman that grabs the testicles of any man in anger will be punished by having her hands severed. If the act of grabbing results in satisfaction for the man, there is no punishment.” HAHA now what is Jesus trying to tell us about that? We then joked about how there is a whole page of, “the son of…the son of…the son of…the son of…the son of…the son of…the son of…the son of…” haha. Jesus is way more interesting. But we did agree that while some parts of the Bible are a bit to boring for our understanding, God has a unique way of telling some of the best actions stories this world will ever know.

    Over 90 minutes went by and we could here the guards coming which signaled to us that visitation was over. We prayed and said our goodbyes. There was no handshake, no hug, no kiss, no high five, nothing with physical contact. We instead bunched our fist together, since my brothers were handcuffed, and gently touched the glass. It was like a putting your hand to a Mirror, the outside of the glass followed in symmetry. It was the closest I have ever felt to anyone like that. The last gesture felt like it went through the glass. I longed for it to fall down like the walls of Jericho. And as our hands met, the glass felt like it was no longer there. Love broke through the glass. 

    The glass was a symbol of our corrupt system and the walls we have build around people to keep us from knowing their hurt. I learned today, that we are all locked in some sort of prison and that Love is the only thing capable of breaking through the glass that separates us from our neighbors.