It all started typically enough. I was at a visit last Saturday when a young
guy from the college building asked to introduce me to his folks. He goes by the name “Divine”. He is an extremely lean, muscular black man,
just 23, soft spoken and very polite. He
always calls me sir as in “sir, would you have time to read my essay?” I like him (but, my friends in here will tell
you I like most everyone).
Divine is a very bright kid and he writes beautifully. He’s one of the young guys I really enjoy
helping. So, we completed count in the “VI”
room and Divine said “sir, I’d like to introduce you to my folks.” I’ve had that happen a couple of dozen times
in my stay here. That, or guys I work
with in school will introduce themselves to my folks or friends at visit. We walk over and there is this older,
well-dressed black couple sitting at a small table (dad in a suit; mom in a
dress; late 60’s). Divine introduced me
to them and said “this is the man who’s taught me to write.” His mother and father hop up and shake my
hand. His mom tells me they’ve known
their son was blessed when he got here.
A devoutly religious couple, she added “we prayed he’d meet someone who
would befriend him and urge him to be his best.
He’s told us how you work with the young men. Thank you.”
I was speechless. All
that afternoon I thought here I am a felon, an inmate and somehow I made a
difference in this kid’s life. All the
prayers I’d uttered about giving me a chance and I realized I was, in fact,
living my chance. I made a difference in
a kid’s life and his parents now have hope.
It was, a humbling insightful moment.
Two days later another A+ certification test was held. Seven of nine students passed. The two who didn’t were mere points from
passing. “Mouse”, one of the guys I
spend hours with each week honing his English skills, came back from class
Tuesday night with an “A” on his paper he’d written about Langston Hughes. We spent two afternoons reading and
re-reading poems and then, suddenly it clicked.
Like a light switch turning on Mouse’s face, he lit up as he got what
Hughes was saying.
And then, Thursday the GED was given. I had two guys sit for the test and those two
guys passed. I’ve been thinking a good
deal about unanswered prayers. We pray
about something, it doesn’t occur immediately and we assume God’s not
listening. We forget all the times in
our past when our kids were sick, or we’d lost a job, or we were on the brink
of divorce. Somehow God always answered,
always saw us through the difficulties we faced.
I have said “but” a great number of times these past three
years. I realized there’s no “but” in “trust
in the Lord with all your heart”. The strange
thing is I think I’ve known that all along.
Faith is all about the future. You
believe because your past proves prayers are answered. A lot of good news came out for the college
guys this week and for the GED students.
It reminded me that in any situation good can come. Remembering that was divine. 
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