Let's Help Newly Released Prisoners Succeed

This is one of numerous programs designed to help support prisoners in their reentry.

According the Bureau of Justice statistics, at least 95% of all state prisoners will eventually be released from prison, ready or not. 

Due to Virginia's Earned Sentence Credit (ESC) bill that went into effect this month, the Commonwealth will see up to 2000 prisoners released early over the next two years, with 870 already having been granted their freedom on July 1.

Some people, including Virginia's Attorney General, fear this will make our communities less safe, given the fact that according to the Department of Justice 82% of those currently being released from prisons are rearrested at least once within 10 years, and 43% within their first year of release. 

There is reason to believe, however, that those released through the ESC bill will prove to be an exception to these statistics, partly because violent offenders and sex offenders are ineligible to participate in the program and also because those released will have completed certain required reentry programs, have proven to be dependable workers at their prison jobs, and have been infraction free for an extended period of time. In other words, they will all have demonstrated hard work and responsibility in meeting requirements in support of their rehabilitation.

The other important factor affecting their success will be the support of caring and engaged communities like ours.

In the state of Washington congregations have offered mentoring and support to returning prisoners through a One Prisoner, One Parish program founded on the fact that there are roughly the same number of congregations in the state as there are individuals in state prisons. So the idea is to have communities of faith adopt someone with whom they correspond and visit while in prison, then offer love, friendship and practical help as needed when they return to their communities. 

According to the Harvard University Criminal Justice Policy Group, seven factors are critical in contributing to successful outcomes, adequate healthcare, gainful employment, affordable housing, necessary skill development, one on one mentoring, and supportive social networks. Caring congregations can be a vital part of helping individuals access all of these.

The First Church of the Nazarene, the Mt. Clinton Mennonite Church and Grace Mennonite Fellowship have been among the numerous local congregations involved in ministries to ex-offenders, and more are expressing interest.

Together we can make ours a more welcoming and safe community.

We Can't Take Our Water Supply For Granted

Harrisonburg's Water Treatment Plant on Grandview Drive
(photo by Daniel Lin, Daily News-Record)

While much of the earth's surface is covered with water, 97.5% of it is saline, and just 1 percent of that 2.5% of fresh water is readily accessible to meet the needs of the earth's 8.2 billion people, according to a 2023 article in the National Geographic magazine. 

Citing a United Nations report, the article states that "water use has grown at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century. By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's population living in water-stressed regions as a result of use, growth, and climate change."

Neighboring Mexico City, with a population of 23 million, is already facing the prospect of having its reservoirs depleted this summer, and having to rely on a shrinking and finite amount of available underground reserves. Multiple other major cities, many in the global south, are facing similar grim prospects. 

The area served by the Harrisonburg Department of Public Utilities has for many years been blessed with a good supply of water from the Switzer Reservoir, the Dry River and the North River. Now there are plans to extract water from the Shenandoah River to the east as well, due to growing water use that has reached a total of 7 to 8 million gallons a day. That amount will increase significantly when JMU and EMU students return this fall.

Meanwhile, our area is projected to experience ongoing drought conditions throughout the summer, and we are already being encouraged to conserve water in light of increased demand and reduced supply.

As someone who grew up on a dairy and poultry farm, I'm especially aware of the effects of drought on crops and of the significant and constant need for tons of water for agriculture production. The prospect of lower water levels and shrinking streams and creeks in Rockingham and surrounding counties is a source of constant concern for farmers who rely on weather patterns that are increasingly less predictable on anever warmer planet.

Here are some suggested ways of conserving water from the Ecolife Conservation website:

1. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pot of water.

2. Designate one glass or water bottle to drink water out of so you don’t have to continue washing new cups throughout the day

3. Compost vegetables and fruits instead of using the garbage disposal. It will power up your plants and save water.

4. If you accidentally drop ice, don’t throw it in the sink – put it in a house plant. If there’s any ice left over from a drink do the same thing.

5. Try to use fewer pots and pans when cooking, you’ll have less to wash.

6. Leave a tub in the shower to get the excess water while it warms up. You can use this water for your plants!

7. Take a shower right after someone gets out so you don’t have to wait for it to warm up.

8. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save 100+ gallons a month!

9. While washing your hands or brushing your teeth, turn off the sink when you’re not using the water.

10. Plug the sink while shaving to save water when rinsing your razor

11. Use a tub of water to shave instead of letting the shower run

12. When washing clothes make sure you’re washing a large load instead of half a load

13. Only wash your clothes after a few uses

14. Harvest rainwater to save water and have it for later use. 

15. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, sidewalks, and driveways

16. When giving your pets a fresh bowl of water, use the leftovers to water plants and trees around the house or yard.

17. Only order water at a restaurant if you’re going to drink it.

Here are some random tips from other sites:

18. Flush urine waste from commodes intermittently rather than after each use.

19. Water garden plants and flowers at their base rather than using a sprinkler to cover an entire area.

20. Irrigate in the evening or early morning (and not when windy) in order to reduce evaporation.

21. Keep a supply of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting water run until it is cool.

22. Make sure to repair leaking faucets.

23. Mulch your garden with newspaper, leaves, and/or grass clippings to help preserve moisture.

24. Don't pour water down the drain that could be used for watering plants, etc.

25. Reduce purchases of food and clothing that require excessive amounts of water to produce. According to the National Geographic article cited above, "The average hamburger takes 2,400 liters, or 630 gallons, of water to produce, and many water-intensive crops, such as cotton, are grown in arid regions."

Guest Post: A Survivor Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Speaks Out

According to Dr Lawrence Steinberg, 18-year-
olds display similar characteristics of immaturity
and impulsivity as juveniles.

I share the following as one of many heartbreaking stories of individuals I have grown to appreciate and trust over years of correspondence. Had Ric committed his crime prior to his 18th birthday, he would have been tried as a juvenile, based on widely accepted research that shows that the part of the brain that has to do with impulse control, especially in males, doesn't fully develop until in the early to mid-twenties. 

Ric was 18. 

My name is Richard Webb. My friends and loved ones refer to me as Ric. I am serving a life sentence without parole in Virginia.

I am a survivor of childhood sex abuse and of being bullied when I was a child. I know that I am not alone and that most never take things to the extreme that I did. I understand, and for anyone hearing my story for the first time, I own my crimes, acknowledge the terrible harm I caused, and I am truly sorry for what I did.

For years I didn't know how to talk about what I went through nor did I know how to handle hearing that the reason I went through some of what I did was because my aunt and my mom were also both victimized as children by the people I shot, their parents (my grand parents).

These were among the very people who didn't try to help me when the one and only time as a five year old I tried to let them know I was being molested, nothing was done but to tell me to be quiet. Over the next several years I would deal with other sexual traumas from outside of the family, and all of these went unreported and were left unchecked. They finally boiled over after over 12 years of pain and depression.

I committed my crimes when I was 18 years old, still young and immature in so many ways. Emotionally I was still a little boy, and had no clue as to the longterm ramifications of my actions.

I hit rock bottom in prison. But without any hope for freedom I set out to help people who have been, or still are, dealing with trauma. I became a mentor to my peers, creating and teaching my own version of a conflict resolution class as well as a communication class. I've completed just about all classes offered to prisoners over the years.

I've remained institutional infraction free for the better part of the past 23 straight years. I've been in honor pods at multiple institutions, I've had the sensitive area jobs in prison that are normally reserved
for those of us who are not trouble makers.

There is so much more. but I'm trying to keep this as short as possible.

Should you be willing to help me and many others like me in our fight for freedom, it would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you for you for taking time to read this.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard "Ric" Webb 1174188

Buckingham Correctional Center

P.O. Box 430

Dillwyn, VA23936

We're All "Drinking Like Fish"

For a mere $3.99, you can get three liters of this form of
liquid junk food at your nearest supermarket.  

"It's OK to drink like a fish," someone has quipped, "if you drink what a fish drinks." 

I'm told fish actually absorb the water they need rather than drinking it, but that being said, there's clearly no good substitute for our consuming lots of good, plain H2O, especially in the increased heat we're experiencing on our planet these days. And it doesn't need to be purchased in environmentally awful plastic bottles, either, at a cost that's a thousand times higher than tap water, while normally being neither better nor safer.

So just draw plenty of good fresh water from your tap, add a bit of ice if needed, and enjoy.

The huge volume of alternative drinks we consume are of course mostly water mixed with added flavors and excessive amounts of sugar. Even real fruit juice, or real carrot, apple or grape juices, consist mostly of water. Real orange juice, for example is just under 90% H2O. So based on sources I've read we'd all be better off drinking pure, plain water and then simply eating real oranges and real grapes, carrots or other fruit or vegetables we grow in our gardens or purchase from the outer aisles of the supermarket.

Understandably, the production, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages has gotten most of our attention due to the potential harm they cause to personal and community health, but we've paid little attention to the health and other costs associated with sugar-laden soft drink and other non-alcoholic beverages. A 20 oz. can of Coca-Cola, for example, contains 39 grams of sugar, exceeding the total daily recommended limit of sugar, which is no more than 9 teaspoons for men and 6 teaspoon for women.  According to Hartford Healthcare much of that sugar and many of the calories we consume in processed food and drinks are in the form of high fructose corn syrup, known to contribute to weight gain and to other health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease. This widely used sweetener also tends to increase our appetite, leading to overeating and obesity.

Are diet drinks better? According to the Mayo Clinic,"Although switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories, it's not yet clear if it's effective for preventing obesity and related health problems in the long term. Healthier low-calorie choices abound, including water, skim milk, and unsweetened tea or coffee."

So let's drink lots of fluids to stay healthy, but make good plain water our primary choice.

The US produces and consumes more soft drinks than any other economy on the globe, and the total amount spent is on the rise. 

Ex-Amish Alaskan Homesteader Affirms Her Upbringing, Becomes An Internet Sensation

Elise Matson was never baptized in the faith that
nurtured her, so is not under the Amish ban. 

Elise Matson left her Amish community as a teenager, choosing to live off the grid in a remote area of Alaska in much the same way her family and her Amish neighbors still do in the rural Tennessee community in which she grew up. She still maintains ties to her family and continues to practice a simple lifestyle in spite of the notoriety of having gained over 1.2 million followers on Tic Toc, with many of the posts about her chosen lifestyle having gone viral. 

Aware of the many misconceptions people have of the Amish, she chose to use social media as a way of correcting some of the stereotypes that persist about the community of faith for which she still has a deep appreciation. Not all Amish are the same, of course, since there is no central authority that dictates their practices, and each Amish district is essentially self governing.

I'm sure the fact that her posts have generated so much interest is based on the realization of many that the technological and other innovations they have embraced have taken a heavy toll on the quality of their personal lives and their relationships with others.

Like any community of faith the Amish are far from perfect, but we would all do well to emulate some of the values of modesty, simplicity and peaceableness that many of them have maintained in their close-knit, community-based way of life. More of their kind could help save the planet and help ensure the survival of the human family.

Here is a link to some of her posts. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@elisematson/video/7114430356467518766

 https://www.instagram.com/p/C54krB9Jstg/?img_index=1

Seven Reasons Not To Fast As A Part Of Fundraising For The Hungry

I recently posted a blog proposing a modest  fundraising and consciousness raising idea, as follows: 

• That in the face of incredible levels of hunger and homelessness in Gaza and elsewhere that congregations take up a special offering on a Sunday prior to the annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale to raise some additional support for Mennonite Central Committee's relief work, especially for the sake of those unable to attend the Sale.

• That churches encourage people to fast from Saturday dinner to the following Sunday noon (in other words, simply skip Sunday breakfast).

• That some person or persons who have served in an MCC or similar assignments in a needy part of the world share their stories in that Sunday service.

• That the youth of the church or some other willing group prepare a simple Sunday noon congregational meal of rice and beans or some similar fare of the kind that millions of the less privileged subsist on every day.

• That in these ways we help raise a record half million dollars this year for MCC's ministry to the hungry and homeless (last year's Relief Sale total was over $400,000).

Much to my surprise, I've gotten almost no positive responses to this proposal so far, but plenty of reasons why the above idea may not fly. 

Here are some examples, and maybe you'll want to add your own as a comment:

1. "People are already overwhelmed with so many fundraising and other projects they're asked to support."

2. "A lot of our people are already deeply involved in efforts like the Relief Sale, and may not feel like they can take on one more thing."

3. "Some of our members have health issues that make missing a meal a problem."

4. "Our Hospitality Committee is already overwhelmed with the number of Sunday meals they're asked to prepare."

5. "As a pastor, skipping breakfast on the day I have to preach doesn't feel like a great idea."

6. "I don't like making people feel guilty as a way of getting them to give more than they're already giving."

7. "The Relief Sale has always been associated with enjoying lots of good food, not doing without it."

Here's the recent blog post referred to above:
https://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2024/06/fasting-and-feasting-to-raise-half.html

Are Congregations Cruise Ships Or Mercy Ships?

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has provided free healthcare at ports in over 70 needy countries around the world.

Churches have often been compared to the Biblical ark, God-blessed vessels providing safe passage and a secure refuge in an age plagued with doom and gloom. Using the ark analogy, should we see ourselves primarily as those being rescued or as those committed to a mission of reaching out to and rescuing others?

Many churches are focused primarily on the former, becoming like cruise ships with passengers lured on board by a professional team of pastors, youth leaders and praise and worship bands catering to their every need. The success of such congregations tends to be measured by how many people sign on for all of the comforts and amenities promised.

But what if we thought of the church as a community dedicated to an all-hands-on-deck mission of offering help, mercy and good news for the spiritually ill and physically needy? 

To me, Mercy Ships are a fitting metaphor for such mission-driven communities of God followers. Like the crews of those vessels of mercy, committed congregational members see themselves as a part of an enlisted and trained team devoted to Jesus's mission to "bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to captives, the recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free."

According to the Mercy Ship website, "Our hospital ships are filled with state-of-the-art medical equipment and a volunteer crew of doctors, nurses, medical staff, technicians, teachers, physical therapists and other caring people driven by mercy to help make the world a better, healthier place for all."

By comparison, the Carnival Cruise Lines states the following as its basic aims:
Ensure safe, responsible and secure operations
Warmly welcome our guests and team members to our home, making them feel a part of the Carnival family
Embrace our diversity and be inclusive
Engage by being friendly, smiling and using names
Show trust, care and respect for each other, our ships and the environment
Anticipate needs, respond rapidly & own issues until they are resolved
Live & share a positive attitude
Show pride in our jobs and our company
Include fun in everything we do!

So here we have two very different kinds of rescue ships, one set up to equip its crew of believers to make the world a more shalom-like place and the other to primarily help those on board feel good and to enjoy a good life on their way to paradise.

A state of the art cruise ship featured in Architectural Design magazine.