During our marathon week there was a mother that came in and said that she needed to speak to me in private. We went back to my desk and she broke down crying. I asked her what was going on in her life? She said "I am afraid that my thirteen year old son is going to be killed. She went on to tell me that he was gang affiliated and that he was running the streets out of control. He had recently done a home invasion and was locked up in juvenile temporarily. I told her that I would be glad to talk to him. She was very happy that I said that I would help her. She asked me if I would attend his court appearing with her and I agreed that I would. As we continued to talk she told me that she had lost her apartment because of her son having guns. She told me where she lived then I told her that I had been to her apartment before with her older son. I had spent time with him ministering to him in the jail. Shen mentioned her nephew who has also been in a great deal of trouble and I told her than I knew him to and I am presently working with him also in the jail. Her ex-husband is also in prison. The young guy doesn't stand much of a chance with all that he has scene and the examples that have been set before him. This family is Crip affiliated.
It wasn't long in the courtroom before I knew that another phase of ministry was coming. I had never been in juvenile court before but as I heard the stories I was shocked. I heard of a 15 year old boy who held a gun on a mother and her children while an adult robbed the people's garage. It seemed like the majority of the cases involved kids with guns. I have had a mother of an 8 year old contact me before because he was out of control and already affiliated. The boy was so hard that it was going to take a miracle for him to change. They moved out of The Mac and have never came across them again. The kids are getting younger and younger that are messing with guns and they are not afraid to use them. I recently told some gang members that I know that the 18-25 year old gang members are punks compared to the 12 and 13 year olds coming up.
When it came time for the 13 year olds case to be heard the mother asked me to come up right behind him to sit with her. The judge asked who I was and I was able to introduce myself and the ministry. Many of the juveniles laugh and smile as their case is being discussed. The mother asked the judge if part of the terms for him being release from juvenile would be that he had to spend time each week with me. The judge then asked me how long I would want him and I said "two hours a week". She told him that he better do everything that I say or she would lock him back up!
Our first meeting I had him down at headquarters to look at the wall. At 13 he probably knew 25 people on the wall. He knew an 18 year old gang member that had recently murdered a 37 year old just down the street from us. He knew a 16 year old that had shot his grandfather point blank in the face. He knows way too much for being just 13 years old and he told me that he was not afraid of anything! Police officers today have an extremely difficult job trying to figure out who the bad guys are. It is hard to believe that they have to be concerned about a kid that is not even a teenager shooting them. Our next stop was going to be the funeral of the 37 year old who was known on the streets as a gang member and drug dealer. When we got there we went right up and stood at the casket. I told him if he didn't change what he was doing this would be his future. I know the funeral hit home. He told his mother that he didn't like me taking him to the funeral. I talked to him after taking him to lunch this past Thursday that I did it because I care for him and do not want to place his name on our wall. The lunch included talking to a older guy who was once gang affiliated and now is a preacher. Next weeks time with me will include sitting down with a judge for lunch. He had no idea this is happening. She will show him the love of Jesus and also spank his tail!
When it came time for the 13 year olds case to be heard the mother asked me to come up right behind him to sit with her. The judge asked who I was and I was able to introduce myself and the ministry. Many of the juveniles laugh and smile as their case is being discussed. The mother asked the judge if part of the terms for him being release from juvenile would be that he had to spend time each week with me. The judge then asked me how long I would want him and I said "two hours a week". She told him that he better do everything that I say or she would lock him back up!
Our first meeting I had him down at headquarters to look at the wall. At 13 he probably knew 25 people on the wall. He knew an 18 year old gang member that had recently murdered a 37 year old just down the street from us. He knew a 16 year old that had shot his grandfather point blank in the face. He knows way too much for being just 13 years old and he told me that he was not afraid of anything! Police officers today have an extremely difficult job trying to figure out who the bad guys are. It is hard to believe that they have to be concerned about a kid that is not even a teenager shooting them. Our next stop was going to be the funeral of the 37 year old who was known on the streets as a gang member and drug dealer. When we got there we went right up and stood at the casket. I told him if he didn't change what he was doing this would be his future. I know the funeral hit home. He told his mother that he didn't like me taking him to the funeral. I talked to him after taking him to lunch this past Thursday that I did it because I care for him and do not want to place his name on our wall. The lunch included talking to a older guy who was once gang affiliated and now is a preacher. Next weeks time with me will include sitting down with a judge for lunch. He had no idea this is happening. She will show him the love of Jesus and also spank his tail!
This is the 16 year old who shot his grandfather. I met with him in the jail and he had no remorse whatsoever! The staff member told me that he was on duty when the kid came in and the news was on. When he saw his picture on the television he said "look, I'm famous"! The reason the streets are getting more dangerous is these kids are being trained to be cold blooded killers!
I have ministered to many 16 year olds in the Durham County Jail. I did not think that it was a good idea to have them in with the adults but now I am being able to see that they are really worse than the adults. We have a huge problem here!
Last night we came across a young gang banger who had attempted to give us a hard time out at The Mac. They had told us several times that we needed to leave which we ignored. The next thing they stopped and he told me that he needed to talk to me. I stepped aside with him then he pulled up his shirt revealing his gun. He told me that he said it was time to leave. I made it clear that we were spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we were not planning on leaving anytime soon. It was no coincidence that he was on the corner around another crime ridden project last night when we rolled up on him. I did not recognize him right away but it did not take long. I asked him where I knew him from and he said "The Mac" and I knew right away. He said "I was the one who kept you from being shot". I was quick to make it clear to him that he did nothing and that my protection comes straight from Jesus Christ! He had been in an altercation and was scraped up but needed a ride which we gave him. He kept talking about how high ranking he was and the murders he had committed. He is somewhat dangerous but most of all he is a mixed up little kid who has never had any guidance in his life. He has never had a role model to follow that had any fruit on the tree. He was using foul language and I told him that he was not going to talk like that in the van. He apologized and even said that he wanted out of the gang but couldn't get out. He said that he wanted to change and I gave him my card. He was on something which made him keep going back and forth. He even showed that he was still packing a gun. He is probably in so deep that he can not go anywhere without it. It is a very sad situation but we must just keep going to work for Jesus and hopefully we can direct some of them to the right path.
I have ministered to many 16 year olds in the Durham County Jail. I did not think that it was a good idea to have them in with the adults but now I am being able to see that they are really worse than the adults. We have a huge problem here!
Last night we came across a young gang banger who had attempted to give us a hard time out at The Mac. They had told us several times that we needed to leave which we ignored. The next thing they stopped and he told me that he needed to talk to me. I stepped aside with him then he pulled up his shirt revealing his gun. He told me that he said it was time to leave. I made it clear that we were spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we were not planning on leaving anytime soon. It was no coincidence that he was on the corner around another crime ridden project last night when we rolled up on him. I did not recognize him right away but it did not take long. I asked him where I knew him from and he said "The Mac" and I knew right away. He said "I was the one who kept you from being shot". I was quick to make it clear to him that he did nothing and that my protection comes straight from Jesus Christ! He had been in an altercation and was scraped up but needed a ride which we gave him. He kept talking about how high ranking he was and the murders he had committed. He is somewhat dangerous but most of all he is a mixed up little kid who has never had any guidance in his life. He has never had a role model to follow that had any fruit on the tree. He was using foul language and I told him that he was not going to talk like that in the van. He apologized and even said that he wanted out of the gang but couldn't get out. He said that he wanted to change and I gave him my card. He was on something which made him keep going back and forth. He even showed that he was still packing a gun. He is probably in so deep that he can not go anywhere without it. It is a very sad situation but we must just keep going to work for Jesus and hopefully we can direct some of them to the right path.
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