In frustration at the growing numbers of encampments, even more liberal minded communities are now pushing for arresting and punishing the men and women on the streets. As of this writing the cost of jail time is on average approximately $85.63 per night per person. A recent article took this further to point out that due to the tough on crime legislation that passed with much fanfare in the 1990s those who were arrested at that time are growing old in prison. Like all people medical costs tend to go up as we age and that is true for those prisoners. Add to that the reality that many of these men and women are not deterred from misbehavior by a threat of a night in jail.
Among the things that has amazed me over the past several years of working with these men and women is they expect and even prefer punishment. When I started this work the only choices, we really had was to let the guests at the shelter stay or make them go. Grace was always preferred but we also needed to protect the rest of the people at the shelter. Making them leave was often traumatic for the person being exited from the shelter as well as the staff. Not liking the either-or direction, we began a process called self-evaluation. In this when someone did something right or wrong we led them to consider seven questions. Then we sat with them to investigate what caused them to make the choices that they had just made. What is shocking is that over the past five years or so people would rather receive the punishment than stop and look at their choices. It is in confession and conversation where healing can take place. But most refuse to step into the pain of their past that is impacting their lives. Among the problems is that in jail or prison it is unlikely that they will address these issues and will be likely to continue in their current spiral.
I smile as I write this, while we gave them the option to discuss their issues so that we can help propel them forward, when they refused and left the mission, they blame us and call us hard hearted. We were willing to step into the brink with them. But we are evil. The same sentiments often come from other agencies with models that benefit from folks staying sick. The most common phrase we hear from both parties is, “You call yourself Christians?” My answer is absolutely! A Christian is willing to speak the truth in love and walk through the often-painful memories of the men and women that are a part of our community. Love does not mean that we lie or ignore the painful choices of our friends. We must walk with them and speak truth to them if they are to heal and flourish.
Self-evaluation is a process of weeding, tilling the soil and fertilizing the land. The follow up from the process continues to water and nurture these men and women who are on their way to thriving. But too often we are prevented from healing conversations because the community is instantly calling for punishment. My friends this should not be. While it seems easier and faster in the moment, it is very short sighted. Hope comes from the conversations.
