Last, but certainly not least is minor #10 or “Jack”. I’ve saved him for last because he’s one boy that I just can’t figure out. Second only to Ian, he is probably the friendliest and most loving boy in the bunch. He is always the first one to thrust his hand out to greet me and ask how my day is going. On the flip side of that, it’s easy to see the bad influences in his life by hearing his language and also just listening to what he talks about. He’s such an innocent boy, but has had such bad influences in his life.
One of first memories I have of Jack was when we were working on a math assignment. While many of the boys were working on two digit addition and subtraction at the most advanced, he was flying through multiplication tables with ease. He would write down and solve a list of problems in under two minutes and just smile as he presented his perfect paper. While he was slower in speaking English and some of the other subjects, he just excelled in math. This one particular day, we challenged him to finish a whole section in under a minute. He did, but this time, Jodi checked all the problems. He had been doing all the previous problems with accuracy and speed, but I guess this challenge got the best of him and he skipped an entire row of problems. He apologized profusely and tried to make it clear to us he wasn’t trying to cheat, and it was just precious to watch him try to explain himself.
Moments like these show me the innocence that some of the boys truly carry with them. Jack is by no means a bad kid, he just repeats what he sees. He has no idea flipping off the camera or shouting a certain four letter is wrong, he’s just heard it and seen it from people that he looks up to. It’s so hard to battle years of bad influence and try to explain to a boy that speaks a different language why certain things are not acceptable. These boys want to be good, but the sad fact is, they just don’t know how to.
I guess the good news for Jack is that he will be one of the boys hanging around for a little while. Unfortunately, we still need strong influences to go within the cell walls and show these boys, not just tell them, what a good influence is. This past Sunday, I challenged the men in cell two with the idea that they are in charge of raising up the next generation as well as themselves. I reminded them that many of the boys just a few cells away were already looking to them at how to act. They have the opportunity to be a strong influence for these boys, and to make their own life not just about them. It was a fun challenge and even more of a blessing to watch them think it over.
With any luck, minors will not be sent there anymore, but until that day comes, we have to make sure these boys are taken care of. I know these boys will not be forgotten about, but I need them to know that. We are trying to set up a new path for them, but it will take time. I just pray for the influences they have in their lives now…
