I returned home a few minutes ago from a gig at a Minnesota correctional facility, and it was incredibly moving, to say the least. A few musician buddies and I were asked to come and play a worship music set for the graduation ceremony of the Innerchange Freedom Initiative's (IFI) Class #18. IFI is a faith-based reentry program run by Prison Fellowship. There have been many debates about the appropriateness of having a faith-based program in a state correctional facility, but the facts are plain: the program works. The evidence? A drastic reduction in the likelihood a program graduate reoffends. If you want to see true gratitude and real understanding of transgression and reconciliation, take some time and volunteer with some inmates and you will be changed. Unfortunately, mainstream media doesn't tell us about this positive work taking place in prisons.
Anyway, we led some music, there were some prayers, a speech by the class elected "president" of sorts, and then each class member graduated and received their certificate - but not before standing before the room of maybe 200 odd inmates and volunteers and disclosing their crime, sentence, what they've learned, and their concrete plan to lead a changed life from today forward. Totally humbling and moving.
A young brother serving his last 90 days of a 120 month sentence for 2nd degree murder came forward to share spoken word he prepared just yesterday. Though, the experience is hardly the same without his voice and expression, the words are just as poignant.
"Class #18 Graduation"
Wed. March 31, 2010
18 months in class 18,
a commitment to making a faith-based change
wounded men agreeing to face they pain
refusing to just do there (sic) time
rather attempt the daunting task to renew their mind
which is skewed they find out
this isn't a place to hide out
this isn't a place to kick back
this is a place to get smacked in the face with the truth of your past
which was restin content in Lucifer's grasp
started out with 50 hopefuls - began losin 'em fast
to bootcamp and TV withdrawls (sic)
I almost quit repeatedly
they showed me a mirror and didn't wanna see me with flaws
embodied the code of the streets
wanted to keep those laws...
Took pride in being a live wire, intimidator and a beast
till Tom called me a liar, manipulator and a thief
Wait, enough of me
direct your attention to the others,
my classmates, my friends, my mentors, my brothers!
Whom, when I felt destitute, threw on a rescue suit
when my wealth of wisdom had less and less
the loot of God they had the patience to invest
some truth...
Thank you!
Thank you for being a big a mess as me
from testifying, to the greatness of God's grace and blessin's eyein
tearin' blocks, transformation from bully to gentle giant
the messages tryin but Omar overcame the highest levels
using his gift of boxin to fight off the devil
To Wallace Ellis' confession that taught the class a lesson to open up
4get the counselors, the focus is us
moment after moments have touched my heart
like watchin' how far Russ has came
from lowly introvert to taking the stage to sing God's praise with Lane
to help us understand our past
has a place and we now have a future in our path
Jose's courage and honesty taught me to no longer fear men
Castonguay went from stickin his foot in his mouth to the devil's rear end
My class, true, are mere men still slaying Goliaths daily
young Davids in training.
Aiming for more than an IFI certificate
rather a ticket with
admission to the Kingdom of God
defeatin the odds
Cuz Lord knows it wasn't easy going
to the Q when its knee-deep snowin
Missin a warm bed and all the good stuff the TV showin
I could count on my man Scoop to say the words to keep me going
I never would've made it without John, Bruce, Walter, Randall, Steve and Richie
To ride me
I swear I couldn't wait for it to end
in retrospect I wish it wouldn't of went so quickly.
Well we are new men
with a new purpose for service and attitude
practicing honesty, humility, compassion, reconciliation and gratitude.
- Sterling Knox -
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