Released...?
21/01/2009 9:00 am <>
What are your dreams for the future?’ I asked Hung when he was 16 years old. ‘I want to be a pastor.’ I couldn't control myself and burst into laughter. ‘What is a future pastor doing here at the Reformatory?’ I asked him.
After his release Hung went back to his tribal village and soon was taking drugs again. Somehow he made it through junior and senior high school, but didn’t do well in life. Several months ago I went through my stored cell phone numbers deleting names of people I haven’t heard from in a long time, and was about to delete Hung's name, but decided to give it one more try. Hung was overjoyed when he heard my voice. Just before Christmas, 11 years after he was released, we met again. He is off drugs and has a good, but very tiring job. His struggles are not over, but he is trying hard to be a good citizen. At my question about being a pastor, he just gave me a tired smile.
During Ming’s time at the Reformatory it was very obvious that he had lots of hurts and hatred in his heart. His solution was, ‘If I don't think about it, I will be OK’. Today, 7 years later, the hurts and hatred are still there. He moved out of his abusive home and says at least he has some peace now. After experimenting with illegal work, he is now earning his money at a demanding job. Alcohol is a problem for him. When we met last time he said, ‘Perhaps it would be good if I had a religion’.
We got to know Jeng through the Dali Primary School Kids Club. He was a very difficult boy with ‘bad experiences’ far beyond his age. He was sentenced for stealing and came to the Reformatory. He was such an uncontrollable child, that they put him together with the senior high school boys, who would help control him! Lately it seems there is not so much ‘wildness’ in his face, and he confesses that Jesus helped him. In the next few weeks he will be released. He will return to his old environment, where friends and foes are eagerly waiting for him and where old fights have to be re-fought. How will he ever be able to have a new start and live out his good intentions?
Chwei made a decision for Christ last January. There was some obvious change in his life. He had good plans and intentions about what he wanted to do after release, and got out at the end of August. By mid--October we heard that he was caught again. By the time you read this, he will be back at the Reformatory. I am looking forward to hearing whom or what he is blaming for his failure.
It isn't just unfortunate circumstances after release that bring 75 – 80% back to the Reformatory. Hurts (especially from verbal and physical abuse in their families), hatred and self-contempt are often their enemy. How can they respect others when they don’t see any worth in themselves? How can they accept others when they have experienced so much rejection? How can they love, when they are full of hatred? How we long to see the power of the gospel at work in these boys' lives. Thank you for praying for them and for us who try to reach out to them.
Margret Zingg – Taipei
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