Faith Journey, Life Journey,Young Offenders.

Miss Beautiful

became Mrs Beautiful

when she was 21

At 22

one year to the day

of moving into our home

we moved out

to work residentially

with young offenders

from Manchester.

I was 26.

I had been a leader since 15

because someone trusted

this uneducated slob.

At 21 I became a Christian.

I didn't know how it was possible

but I felt that God loved me

in my mess, in my ugliness.

I became attached to Jesus.

I wanted to find out all about him.

I wanted to have the best life possible

and I saw this as the best way.

I followed that road.

It has not been an easy road.

I has been a hard road

to follow

to journey

into a place called

uncomfortable

where

growth

resides.

I couldn't understand

but I felt deeply

and I walked on

learned as I went.

Mrs Beautiful and me

we worked with young humans

before we left our own community

to launch into an underworld.

Both of us worked at Pilkington

the big Glass manufacturer

in the Glass town called St Helens.

She worked in the head office.

I worked in the research laboratory

out of town.

NOT doing clever things

just being a hands on engineer

making things out of steel in a

factory environment but for research.

We found our day work

not as fulfilling as our Youth Work.

So we were called........ and

I believe this LIVING SACRIFICE STUFF.

We always felt extra special about the poorest

the one with dirty shirts.

No proper shoes.

The dysfunctional

The trouble makers.

The fighters.

When we moved to living and working

with young offenders

we entered a new world.

Inner City Manchester kids,

of the offender kind,

were so much different than

all we had ever experienced.

Since then

many years

we have been close to those on the edge

the underside

the poorest in spirit

the poorest in social-abilty

the poorest in emotional capacity

the poorest in terms of

family support and nurture.

39 year of this work

we lived residentially.

So we are not normal.

I can only know what I have learned

I can only spill where I am.

I have had experiences you have not had.

You have had experienced different than me.

Our experiences have an influence.

So in my 30's I discovered education.

I had neglected school

and school had neglected me

my fear of failing at school

triggered disruptive behaviour

and an un-receptiveness.

But when I was faced with challenges

linked to my passion

I started to learn

I had to learn.

To survive.

I had to learn theologically

my faith had to change from simplicity

to though-out-ness.

To continual yearning for learning.

I have a library full of books

sociology/phycology and

all things relating to young humans

in trouble - especially offending

and violence

about understanding

and intervention.

All that, in the mix

with a lifetime of experience

(I never intended to be this age

it just came with experience)

When I worked in East London

with gangs of young humans

- I saw them as young lives

not particularly gang members -

I was in constant

change

conflict

fear

growth

pressure

all on the hoof.

"The wound is the place where the Light enters you."

Rumi

I remember one day

talking to a young woman trainee,

from an affluent middle class area,

and she said - I will never forget::

'When I was brought up

I was told lots about Gods Love,

but it was only when I came to

inner city East London

that I learned about Gods Justice.'

Dwell

I was there ........

I can picture

the scene

the place

the time

her face.

I remember the Thatcher years.

Talking to gang members

leaning on a Juke Box

and as usual I was talking about God.

As we talked they moved from God

to talking about the Government

Margaret Thatcher

being left behind

uncared for

unemployed

no hope of a different life.

They were linking God

with oppressive Thatcher.

Those in power

with

no connection with them

no role modelling

no care

no Love.............

I had to learn the hard way

that there is injustice

like racism

like sexism

like orientation-ism.

I had to learn that individuals can be unjust

and me too.

But also there can be

unjust governments

unjust police

unjust officials

unjust politicians.

I felt it

I had to learn from it

in it.

All these ramblings

are with the backdrop of the London riots,

and other UK cities.

I feel deeply the extreme violence

looting

smashing of property

burning of homes and work premises

attacking police

attacking passing vehicles

burning vehicles

violence

mob violence

and disregard of others.

I love these young humans.

I feel for them.

I I am iside their heads

lives

anger

bubbles.

It is not a pleasant place to be.

I am disturbed also

by many comments

hard comments

vicious comments

on twitter/facebook

and other media.

They like the young humans

are reacting emotionally.

Using words like

yobs

thugs

vermin.

And

Shoot them

give them life in prison

No humans are vermin.

I have found the most

violent

professional criminals

violent for fun youngsters

as intelligent and full of personality.

Ghandi was asked about his worst experience in life.

He had been stoned imprisoned beaten...

His Answer

"The hard hardheartedness of the educated"

But also devient

anti-social

and rightly

need to be

dealt with justly

in accordance with the law.

A caterpillar is

nothing like

a butterfly

but one

develops from the other.

Therefore I believe in development.

I believe we can ALL change

grow

develop

but

some of us are given more chances.

We need to strive to understand and

Love wins.

Those who commit crimes

need to face their behaviour

but also need to be offered opportunities.

Love wins

"if there is no peace

it is because we have forgotten

that we belong to each other."

- Mother Teresa