Relational Youth Ministry

Adam is a very interesting guy with an unusual experience of life – I love him heaps. I first met him when he was 16 years old and 2 years into his 4 year prison sentence. The main charge was armed robbery.

For those of you that have been involved in the prison system – either as part of your ministry, your past or your profession – you will know some of the hierarchy details. In some senses it is the opposite to ‘life on the out’. The bigger your crime the higher your status (sex offenders excluded). So Adam had instant respect as he arrived in the prison I worked in.

Even though he was on the juvenile unit, I eventually persuaded the senior chaplain to accept Adam as the chaplaincy orderly. (A job that was highly prized – either because they could chat with me or have personal access to cups of coffee – or maybe both!) The reasons I wanted him as an orderly were:

• He had the respect of the other inmates – which meant he wouldn’t be taken advantage of and bullied into providing other people with coffee.
• His work ethic was exemplary and he was always willing to volunteer to help in any way he could.
• He was a reformed young man – whilst he could never be considered a ‘softie’ he was certainly gentle and kind hearted.
• All of those attributes contributed to the fact that I liked the guy (and why I am still in touch 9 years and 12,000 miles later – but thats for later in the story)

As I am writing this my mind went back to a time when 2 cigarettes and a block of Bourneville chocolate was stolen from the chaplaincy centre, (Bourneville, for those of you not living in countries served by Cadbury’s chocolate is a plain, dark chocolate). Adam was furious that they had gone ‘on his watch’ and the word was put out to find the culprit. I hastily amended the finer points of the request by stating I wanted to see him rather than Adam.

The thief arrived in my office within the hour and whilst I can no longer recall his name I can still see his face – he was reasonably scared. By the time we met both the cigarettes and the chocolate had been consumed and he was very grateful for my intervention! He readily agreed to ‘earn’ his stolen fruit by working in the chapel and Adam readily agreed to supervise and ensure he worked with suitable effort. I am sure Adam did it for the good of the chaplaincy and not because it was his chocolate – unavailable in prison but brought in as a gift from a grateful boss.

But my digression has meant I must come back to Adam in a future post.