wfn.org | Onetime youths on the edge describe

[ENS.parti@ecunet.org]

July 18, 1997
Episcopal News Service
Jim Solheim, Director
212-922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

03-01

Onetime youths on the edge describe their redemption

By Mary Lee B. Simpson and Carol E. Barnwell

PHILADELPHIA (July 18, 1997)   Two people told a joint session of the Episcopal Churchs 72nd General Convention and Triennial and a national audience how the churchs intervention when they were young people helped them build fulfilling lives.

With youth and children at risk as the focus, deputies and bishops met with Triennial Episcopal Church Women delegates for the first joint session of General Convention.  The forum was beamed to 135 downlink sites throughout the country.

Claudette Fleurs, a 27-year-old Haitian mother of two, told of the mentor program at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Mettapan, Mass., that kept her family off the streets and helped her attend college where she is pursuing a nursing degree.  

"My mentor, Olga Jones, has been the friend God has chosen for me.  She encouraged me in school and helped me grow in my faith. My children and I have become part of her family."  

Many members of the congregation are from Africa and are familiar with the work of the Mothers Union, which led to the mentoring program.

"Robbing drug stores is a hell of a lot easier than this," said Tom Blakey, a lifelong Episcopalian whose privileged upbringing did not protect him from risk.  The award-winning newspaper reporter has spent 16 of his adult behind prison bars for drug related crimes.  Blakey described his model childhood.  

"Growing up, everything was in place for me," he said.  His parents active church life, however, masked his fathers alcoholism and the familys general lack of communication.  "It didnt take long for my own alcoholism to take hold.  I acted out in school and began stealing things."  As the disease progressed, so did the consequences.  Blakey was first sent to prison at 19.  

Seeds planted from a family alcohol center, established by the Episcopal Church in Norman, Okla., did not bear fruit until many years later.   "Truly, I was in prison and you visited me," Blakey told the assembly.  In 1989, Evelyn Bivens, an ECW member, founded Lifeline, a drug-treatment center in the prison where he was incarcerated, with a grant from the United Thank Offering.  It was the beginning of his road back to sanity and sobriety.

Following the presentations, moderator Helen White challenged the audience to evaluate their local ministry to children at risk.  Comments seemed to center on the importance of community and provision of support for those at risk.  

"Ive seen kids from prominent families have drug problems.  They have both parents at home and everything in the world they need, but lack guidance," said Jaime Rios, youth representative from the Diocese of Texas.  

While many programs were discussed "No program will eradicate risk," said Dennis Case, deputy from the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, "Its the individual contacts that truly matter."  

Mary MacGregor agreed.  "It takes many caring adults in kids lives today," said the deputy from the Diocese of Texas.  

At one of the downlink sites, the Cathedral Center of St. Paul in Los Angeles, 15 persons gathered to participate.  

"One of the benefits of the teleconference was bringing together local child advocates who got to know one another and exchanged ideas for future programs," said Bob Williams, director of communications for the Diocese of Los Angeles.  

Steven Greenstein, a member of the Chapel of St. Francis in Los Angeles, met the Rev. Deborah Dunn during the teleconference.  Greenstein who runs a community theater program for youth touched by violence and Dunn, rector of St. Matthews, Pacific Palisades, are looking for ways to bring their youth groups, and their diverse backgrounds together in a cross-cultural exchange.

 Mary Lee Simpson is communications officer for the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and Carol E. Barnwell is communications officer for the Diocese of Texas.