Allow your imagination to create a picture as I paint it ........
London's East End - inner city community.
Housing solid tower blocks and maisonettes around a Youth Project I am leading.
A real belonging community.
Poor community but rich in closeness in family life with Grandparents included.
Few trees, poor street lighting, lots of petty crime.
A breeding ground for more serious crime.
1980 Thatcher years.
Youth unemployment at 68%.
A pretty new youth club attracting a 100 or so teenagers between 14 - 20's.
Loud music emanating the latest most popular tunes.
About 20 volunteer and professional male and female dedicated staff.
I am standing in front of the silent Juke Box - facing a social, two level, area
packed with noise and feeling.
I say .................
Lenny writes from prison -
"I'll definitely be staying here behind closed doors,
no association etc etc.
It's nothing new, I was in the same situation last Chrisimas in Oxford,
it does get depressing.
The governor at Wormwood Scrubs said it all.
'Penal Dustbin",
GOODMAN
that man definitely put his job on the line"
I am reading that quote out in Senior Club to the kids during our 'Ten O'clock News' spot.
Once a week, yes at 10pm, we shut down the pinball machine and the Juke Box and
everyone was encouraged to listen to some news and good news too.
Many know Lennie and it stilled the usual noise and heckling as I continued - to say
"I have received "two letters today and I -wanted to read another to you. "
I read
"We're glad you like our show.
One day we would like to see you here to the TV studio . . .
Happy custard pies to you from all of us - The TIZWAZ Team"
It even had a little note on the bottom from the 'Phantom Flan Flinger'
(Do you remember that? - that's when TV Saturday mornings were FUN
For the people who don't know such historic academic information -
TIZWAZ was the BIG Saturday morning children's live slapstick programme
that was really madly outlandish and unpredictable fun - I loved it! )
The kids listened intently
'A letter from TIZWAZ popular TV programmeI and one from prison!
They loved it ............
Why communicate the two?
i) About being banged up in cell for 23 hours on Christmas Day
ii) AND total fun TV.
I shared that the Christian life was more the latter and not the former.
So often the church gives the impression to young people that the gospel is a 'big negative' a 'total clampdown' on real life.
It seems to me that the journey of faith and total completeness in relationship with the Divine — is the ultimate in freedom - the opposite of being banged up - lock down in prison.
Particularly with powerless, alienated, inadequate inner city kids it is so important that the gospel isn't presented and lived out as a ' straight -jacketing experience'.
I believe in the ministry of affirmation and the hurting kids need be constantly affirmed -
although it is often not easy when you work with the kids with 'kicking - off' behaviour issues who society labels as -
thugs, louts and hooligans.
It is often difficult to know how to encourage rather than tell them they are bad with put down words and body language.
Often in the past you have read about many of our kids who pursue self-satisfaction, deviant behaviour - crime via thrills and big spending - ending up with further negative experiences (i.e. Lennie serving 8 years in prison.)
It seems to me that we all, and especially the young humans we work with,
need affirmation from all of us as we are called to demonstrate and exhibit the values of our ever affirming loving God.
Yet it seems to me that the structure of society, massive youth unemployment etc, continually oppresses the young.
The least.
The marginalised.
The young and yet to develop into adult life.
I hope these words will introduce you to what deprivation, alienation and powerlessness among young people is all about.
LIVING/CURRENT EXAMPLES.
Richard Creed, a man with a broken body and wheelchair user, affirmed BAZZO with remerkable results.
Doug McWilliam affirmed Delinquent Joe with unbelievable responses.
Geoff Flynn affirmed BOOZE with positive developments.
Andy Manley through affirming 'the Tramps' gang - resulted in him being kidnapped into a taxi
so they could keep him with them in the next pub.
Yes in our day to day work here we aim to meet the wholistic needs of the every person we work with.
PHYSICAL NEEDS
INFORMAL - EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
SOCIAL NEEDS
SPIRITUAL NEEDS.
These kids know they are sinners.
As I am.
As I am.
What they don't know is that they are unique, loved and precious.
AND that there is a God who, more than anything, loves them to every depth of their souls.
From a Youth Work Report of mine 'back in the day'.
www.pipwilson.com
