or Freedom of Press and Expression? I'm posting this only because it may be helpful for folks outside of Brownsville to understand some folks in Brownsville and the oppression they live under and create.
I can't escape the idea that we are living somewhere between Animal Farm (G. Orwell) and The Long Walk (S. King). Or maybe we are just swine satisfied with creating and living in our own waste.
The following is a letter to the editor from our local newspaper. (But now I feel like I'm giving them too much credit by using respected terms like "editor" and "newspaper".) The person who is criticized in this letter has done more for Brownsville in the last ten years than anyone else I know.
And for Mr. Flemming: Never, to protect our community and raise interest and funds, because she cares, see previous answer, don't know.
Ryan Criticized for Crime Watch
11/25/2007, The Herald Standard
Updated 11/26/2007 09:28:44 AM EST
Everyone, what's going to happen next? I have read recent articles in the Herald-Standard and other local papers about elected officers and their employees. When is the attorney general's office going to investigate the former Brownsville Mayor Norma Jean Ryan? Recently on a Sunday afternoon I happened to look outside, there were a bunch of people in jailbird orange shirts, with Crime Watch written on them, selling candy bars. Why?
I ask why is Norma Jean Ryan even on the crime watch? In my opinion she did nothing to curb crime in Brownsville when she was mayor. All she did was cost the Brownsville people money. Maybe being on the crime watch team is to get more state grant money or free luncheons and coffee and tea.
Maybe Norma Jean Ryan will be in front of your house wearing a bright orange shirt saying she is with the crime watch when really she is just drinking coffee and eating at luncheons, at taxpayers' expense. That's my opinion.What is her motive; didn't she get enough money out of us? Norma Ryan, maybe you should join the fashion police. Hello, Norma, do you know you're not the queen bee of Brownsville anymore? OK, Governor Rendell, this letter is for you, too. Please investigate it. What comes around goes around, Norma.
Gaylord Flemming
Brownsville
References. The U.S. Constitution, Animal Farm, The Long Walk
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Wheels of Justice, Part II
If you haven't read Wheels of Justice, Part I. Click this link.
Our justice system is truly elegant and something to admire. Our Founding Father’s deserve our gratitude and admiration.
The case of “Holly” versus the Commonwealth of PA was finally called to trial on Tuesday morning. I moved from the hallway to a magnificent and large courtroom. It was quite crowded with every potential juror waiting for their number to be called.
In Court Room One, the judge was navigating through the various trials, jury selections and verdicts for the day. His court room was efficient and impressive with just a hint of late night talk show charisma. I couldn’t help but enjoy the experience.
And then it was Show Time. Show Time has best been described as Law and Order meets Jerry Springer.
The defendant, her attorney, the arresting office and district attorney were all introduced and jury selection began. Seven jurors were replaced in the process by the defense or the DA. It was not announced who and why they were removed. I suspect because some were landlords (with bad tenant experience) and some were tenants (with bad landlord experience). Maybe some had their appliances stolen or a bad experience with an appliance repairman. Who knows what information these guys had on them?
As the victim, I was called to testify first. My role was pretty straight forward: establish that I owned the appliances and that they are no longer in my possession. The defense attorney jumped at me on two issues: (1) the lease doesn’t say I own the appliances and (2) I wasn’t even there when the tenant moved out.
The first point was almost true as the lease did reference the appliances. On the second point, these guys were being evicted by an armed constable… you bet I didn’t want to be there. It turned out they “moved out” in the middle of the night just before the constable showed up. Everyone but one of the ten or so folks that were now living there.
He made the point that I didn’t even know that guy’s name. Of course not! He was living there illegally and one (of the many) reasons why Holly was evicted. He was on house arrest and couldn’t leave the apartment as that is where he was plugged in. But somehow, this was all my fault.
There was also a witness who testified that she saw my appliances on a truck with the tenant’s possessions. Pretty straight forward? Not until the defendant claims that the only reason the witness is testifying against her is that she (the witness) had an affair with the victim’s boyfriend and she (the defendant) ended up with the man so she (the witness) is trying to get back at her. Must have been some boyfriend for the witness to spend two days (of her own time) at the court house, another day for the pre-trial hearing and all the dealings with the subpoenas and the DA’s office. .
The defense attorney provides closing arguments first. There are two things implanted in my memory…(a) he tells the jury that it doesn’t matter what he or the DA says, that they have to way the facts as presented by those on the stand and (b) he tells the jury that I (the victim) cannot recall any of the details of the eviction and when the appliances were missing. Here’s another lesson learned: attorney’s can lie, it’s up to the jury to remember what I said… he doesn’t have to tell them. In fact, he can apparently tell them something entirely different. Which he did in his closing argument.
So the jury heads off to the “room” for deliberation and we wait, once again, in the hallway. We’re called back one hour later. Somehow I wasn’t surprised when the jury acquitted her. The DA told me I could stay and ask the jury questions to gain an understanding of why they rendered the verdict. I didn’t have the patience or will to stay. It sounds like a cliché, and in the scheme of things I am out about $5,000 from this experience (appliances plus damages plus back rent), but you do feel victimized again. Perhaps, even worse, as your faith in a system you respect and in the common sense of your fellow man is called to question.
The judge was about to tell “Holly” she is free to go but the bailiff indicated that she is already in prison. I later learn that earlier this year that she lost her children to foster care and she and her boyfriend were both imprisoned… likely on drug or theft related charges.
Our justice system is truly elegant and something to admire. Our Founding Father’s deserve our gratitude and admiration.
The case of “Holly” versus the Commonwealth of PA was finally called to trial on Tuesday morning. I moved from the hallway to a magnificent and large courtroom. It was quite crowded with every potential juror waiting for their number to be called.
In Court Room One, the judge was navigating through the various trials, jury selections and verdicts for the day. His court room was efficient and impressive with just a hint of late night talk show charisma. I couldn’t help but enjoy the experience.
And then it was Show Time. Show Time has best been described as Law and Order meets Jerry Springer.
The defendant, her attorney, the arresting office and district attorney were all introduced and jury selection began. Seven jurors were replaced in the process by the defense or the DA. It was not announced who and why they were removed. I suspect because some were landlords (with bad tenant experience) and some were tenants (with bad landlord experience). Maybe some had their appliances stolen or a bad experience with an appliance repairman. Who knows what information these guys had on them?
As the victim, I was called to testify first. My role was pretty straight forward: establish that I owned the appliances and that they are no longer in my possession. The defense attorney jumped at me on two issues: (1) the lease doesn’t say I own the appliances and (2) I wasn’t even there when the tenant moved out.
The first point was almost true as the lease did reference the appliances. On the second point, these guys were being evicted by an armed constable… you bet I didn’t want to be there. It turned out they “moved out” in the middle of the night just before the constable showed up. Everyone but one of the ten or so folks that were now living there.
He made the point that I didn’t even know that guy’s name. Of course not! He was living there illegally and one (of the many) reasons why Holly was evicted. He was on house arrest and couldn’t leave the apartment as that is where he was plugged in. But somehow, this was all my fault.
There was also a witness who testified that she saw my appliances on a truck with the tenant’s possessions. Pretty straight forward? Not until the defendant claims that the only reason the witness is testifying against her is that she (the witness) had an affair with the victim’s boyfriend and she (the defendant) ended up with the man so she (the witness) is trying to get back at her. Must have been some boyfriend for the witness to spend two days (of her own time) at the court house, another day for the pre-trial hearing and all the dealings with the subpoenas and the DA’s office. .
The defense attorney provides closing arguments first. There are two things implanted in my memory…(a) he tells the jury that it doesn’t matter what he or the DA says, that they have to way the facts as presented by those on the stand and (b) he tells the jury that I (the victim) cannot recall any of the details of the eviction and when the appliances were missing. Here’s another lesson learned: attorney’s can lie, it’s up to the jury to remember what I said… he doesn’t have to tell them. In fact, he can apparently tell them something entirely different. Which he did in his closing argument.
So the jury heads off to the “room” for deliberation and we wait, once again, in the hallway. We’re called back one hour later. Somehow I wasn’t surprised when the jury acquitted her. The DA told me I could stay and ask the jury questions to gain an understanding of why they rendered the verdict. I didn’t have the patience or will to stay. It sounds like a cliché, and in the scheme of things I am out about $5,000 from this experience (appliances plus damages plus back rent), but you do feel victimized again. Perhaps, even worse, as your faith in a system you respect and in the common sense of your fellow man is called to question.
The judge was about to tell “Holly” she is free to go but the bailiff indicated that she is already in prison. I later learn that earlier this year that she lost her children to foster care and she and her boyfriend were both imprisoned… likely on drug or theft related charges.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Does God Have a Plan for Brownsville?
Yes. God has a great temporal and eternal plan for the people of Brownsville… and he has a very specific plan for Brownsville in this generation. There are four ways that I want to develop the basis for this plan: historical and current events, biblical and personal testimony.
Let’s briefly look into the historical perspective… God has a Great History of establishing covenant with individuals and nations. Noah and all living creatures. Abraham and his descendents. In recent history, the Pilgrim’s and their calling to the New World to establish a New Jerusalem. Our Founding Father’s who were called to found a nation.
Let’s pause there and talk about the idea of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” … our unalienable rights as declared in 1776. Let’s focus on Liberty.
I believe that liberty is critical to unleashing God’s plan for Brownsville. It was notable Revolutionists such as John Adam’s who believed that liberty demanded action. I think that Adam’s would agree that liberty is the freedom to submit to the will of God. In his time, the cause of liberty demanded action against a tyrannical government. A tyrant is an illegitimate ruler.
There are illegitimate rulers in Brownsville today. Not because of some election fraud but because the men, women and even the children have given the prince of this world control and power in their lives. And by this same power, there are earthly religious and government leaders that are destroying the people of our community, culture and nation. Not by direct malicious intent but out of their own selfish and prideful pursuits of power, wealth and prestige... or from laziness, sloth and lack of concern for those they claim to lead.
In pursuing their earthly gains, they oppress or hold down the children of God and the people of our community. This is exactly the situation in the OT lesson today. The prophet Jeremiah cries out to these shepherds and gives them a word of terror for their negligence. The day is at hand when God will reckon with them concerning the trust and charge committed to them. That is God’s business.
In addition! This form of tyranny must be crushed in our own lives. Jeremiah reminded his people that the beginning of error in their lives was their failure to take God seriously. The people of Judah had lost contact with the word of God. They did what was right in their own eyes… not doing what they knew was wrong in the sight of God but becoming like God in judging what is good and evil. A regression all the way back to the fall of man.
But in the midst of the pain and suffering, the looming captivity and, for Jeremiah, a ministry that was marked by 40 years of failure as a prophet to a decaying nation… God gave a word of comfort to the neglected sheep.
The pain and suffering, the neglect as well as the words of comfort and hope ring true today for our time, our church, and our community. There are 4 parts of this word of comfort and hope.
- Judah was a little remnant, that has narrowly escaped destruction. We are a little remnant…
- God, Himself, will gather that remnant. God, Himself, will gather us…
- And there they shall be fruitful, and increase in numbers. We shall be fruitful and increase in numbers
- Formerly they were continually exposed and disturbed with some alarm or other; but now they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed. We have been exposed… but now we shall fear no more…
There is a well worn passage in the 29th chapter of Jeremiah that sums this up and reads “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” These plans are for us, for Brownsville and for you… as Deacon Don will bring to us next week.
Jumping back to our reading from the 23rd chapter this morning…
“The days are coming”, declares the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous branch, a king who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land”. This is, of course, the Messianic Promise fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. The leaders, even in our day, who are more like wolves than shepherds will be replaced by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And, even in this coming advent season, when we are reminded of his first coming, we are even more expectant of his second coming.
Let’s turn to the gospel reading this morning, where we find ourselves taken to the place called the Skull where Jesus was crucified between two criminals. I toiled to understand how and why this scripture was appointed for this morning. And as I was reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon from over 100 years ago, I realized that this passage, for us, this morning is about the repentant criminal.
This man justly hung on a cross as punishment for his sins while a man with no sin hung on a cross for our sins. We are the criminal who must die justly but by the grace of God we are saved. The way Spurgeon said it is “The cross of Christ is to some a savour of life unto life, to others of death unto death”. There were two criminals -and one had a great faith - as he suffered in intense pain and certain death, also surrounded by scoffers and derision. He heard the priests ridicule the Lord, he heard the same from the soldiers and the people as well as his friend who hung there with him.
How easy for him to join the crowd, to follow these people, to suffer from the tyranny of his time and place. But he did not! His faith, like Jeremiah’s, was not affected by his surroundings.
I mentioned at the onset today that liberty is critical to unleashing God’s plan for Brownsville. This criminal, had one member of his body that was not bound (by nails to a cross), and with his tongue he rebuked his friend and asked Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom.
What faith – even as he witnessed Jesus dying on a cross!
This criminal experienced the fullness of the grace of God and he submitted to the will of God in his painful and final hours. Liberty demands action. His action was a testimony, in front of his friend, the priestly rulers, the soldiers who nailed him to the cross, the common people, and our Lord Jesus. The testimony and proclamation is “Jesus is Lord”. What is your proclamation? What is your action? How will you participate in God’s plan for Brownsville?
We have heard about historical and current events, the teaching from our scripture readings today… now I would like to close with a testimony (short version) of how God has spoken and worked in my and my family’s like these 10+ years in Brownsville.
We were living in the Washington DC area where we were both starting our professional careers, she as an OT and myself as a consultant with PW. We were newly married, young, showed the signs of successful, building new friendships, involved with our church and active in ministry. God asked us to leave and leave all of that behind to move to Brownsville to minister to the young people here. We were married in this church but that was about the extent of what I knew and have ever seen of Brownsville. (Good thing too).
I couldn’t wait to move. I thought I was going to miss all of the action. I believed and still believe that God will pour out his spirit on this community and change it’s very character. Liberty is critical to unleashing God’s plan for Brownsville. Liberty demands action.
I pray that I live to see this day but if I do not, my children or my children’s children will be here to see it and be worker’s in this harvest field. I have come to see Brownsville as not just a lifelong mission, but a generational mission and an eternal mission… Until then God is calling us all to live like Jeremiah and to die like the criminal on the cross. But liberty demands action.
God, who set all the boundaries of the earth, loves and cares for Brownsville, He has a plan and purpose for Brownsville. And Brownsville will become a community known for its love for God and for each other and we will make disciples whom we will send to the very ends of the earth. God will be glorified… and it all begins with you. Just this morning, I came across an article about David Livingstone, a famous Christian missionary and (interestingly enough) contemporary of Charles Spurgeon. Livingstone, in all his difficult years as a missionary, was directly involved with the conversion of only one African. He wrote “we work for a glorious future which we are not destined to see.”
God is calling us to the hard work of discipleship … of building our families… of reaching the lost… of ministering to the poor, the needy, the addicted… of loving each other
And Brownsville will become a community known for its love for God and for each other and we will make disciples whom we will send to the very ends of the earth. God will be glorified… and it all begins with you.
I remind you, again, that liberty is critical to unleashing God’s plan for Brownville. We are called to a difficult task of building the road that other’s will enjoy. Livingstone’s life motto was “Fear God, work hard.”
Brownsville must be set free from its illegitimate rulers. You must first be set free from the power of sin and death. Liberty demands action and I submit to you that this day, that (like the thief on the cross) action begins with confession. When Brownsville comes to a place of repentance and confession, life and liberty will prevail, and God will unleash his plan on this city of hope.
Fear God, work hard. Amen.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Does God Care About You?
This is a new feature to The Brownsville Experience. You can now download audio files. The link below is today's sermon by Deacon Don from Christ Church, Anglican in Brownsville titled "Does God Care About You?" It is the second in a four part series about Brownsville. Stay tuned towards the end where Deacon Don gives his life story (in 3 minutes) where God rescued him from a living hell.
Here is the entire series...
Does God Care about Brownsville? (below - blog post only)
Does God Care about You? (this post - audio only)
Does God Have a Plan for Brownsville? (November 25)
Does God have a Plan for You? (December 2)
The other posts will come as available.
Please pardon the sound quality. I'll do my best to improve this over time.
To access this sermon, simply click on the link below. You will have the option to "save" or "open" the file (5Mb). If you "open" the file it should load into your preferred audio reader. Let me know if you experience any technical problems.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Does God Care About Brownsville?
We have lived in Brownsville for over a decade, in that time we've witnessed Brownsville’s 40 year slide, deep cynicism, the little hope or false hopes of the community, the poverty, the addiction, the oppression, depression and apathy and all of their scorching effects.
Does God Care About Brownsville?
And in that decade we have seen homes burn, buildings collapse, police departments close, friends come and friends go, we’ve been robbed, vandalized and sued, we’ve witnessed tragedy and… worst of all…we’ve witnessed the erosion of hope.
Does God Care About Brownsville?
To answer this question, I ask you to consider “Biblical Proportions”.
There are three Old Testament geographies to think about: the cities of Sodom and Gomorra, the land of Egypt and the entire Earth. These were bad times and circumstances, this is what the bible has to say about each of them.
Sodom and Gomorra
The cities were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49)
The Land of Egypt
The Egyptians held the Hebrew people in slavery for 400 years of which God said.. I have seen their misery…I have heard the cries of my people… and I am concerned about their suffering (Exodus 3:7)
The Entire Earth
The thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6: 4-6)
In the end, S&G was destroyed by fire, ten plagues were brought upon the land and people of Egypt, and a flood was brought upon all the earth.
Before we discuss what God has brought upon Brownsville and what he will destroy… let me assure you that the fire, the plagues and the flood are images of a God who cares.
S&G demonstrates that God is merciful and just. The plagues illustrate that God liberates his people and redeems his creation while the flood teaches us that God rescues the righteous and covenants with all living creatures.
Let us pray that God is merciful and just with Brownsville, that he will liberate Brownsville and redeem his creation and rescue the righteous while remembering His covenant. Amen.
You could say that God smote S&G, the land of Egypt and the entire earth. The OT talks a lot about smiting. Smiting enemies, armies, etc. Smiting – to completely and utterly destroy. In the OT, he brought catastrophe of biblical proportion… now he has brought love of biblical proportion.
The fullness of His compassion and love become manifested in the giving of his son Jesus to a lost and dying world…
Does God care about Brownsville? The answer is … yes.
God brought his love upon Brownsville.
For God so loves the world, that he gave us his only begotten son, so that whoever shall believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life.
While we are still sinners, Christ died for us…
God does want to completely and utterly destroy you… with his Love. He will free you from the penalty of sin, set you free from the power of sin and one day he will free you from the very presence of sin.
This is the picture of a New Creation in Christ. God is the Great Liberator and Redeemer. He cares so much for Brownsville that he was willing to die for Brownsville.
For God so loved Brownsville, that he gave his only begotten Son…
But Yet… There is darkness in Brownsville; physics tells us, and more importantly, the bible tells us that darkness cannot overcome light… and speaking to his people, God tells us that you are the light of the world
The Erosion of Hope and False Hope needs to be placed with the Hope of the Resurrection.
I encourage you to read and meditate on the following passages.
Job 19: 23-27
2 Peter 3: 8-14
Matthew 9: 35-38
You, are the workers in his harvest. You are the light of the world.
William Wilberforce, who led the fight to bring the abolition of the slave trade in the English Parliament , proclaimed “the national difficulties we face result from the decline of religion and morality among us. I must confess equally boldly that my own solid hopes for the well-being of my country depend, not so much on her navies and armies as on the persuasion that she still contains many who love and obey the Gospel of Christ. I believe that their prayers may yet prevail."
I know that God cares about Brownsville. May those who love and obey the Gospel of Christ in Brownsville prevail.
If you want to see and know a God who cares about Brownsville. Try four things this week…
(1) Forgive a friend or relative who has harmed you
(2) Reach out to a neighbor with some great or small kindness
(3) Pray for a friend in need
(4) Live in the hope of resurrection
God cares about Brownsville. Do you?
Does God Care About Brownsville?
And in that decade we have seen homes burn, buildings collapse, police departments close, friends come and friends go, we’ve been robbed, vandalized and sued, we’ve witnessed tragedy and… worst of all…we’ve witnessed the erosion of hope.
Does God Care About Brownsville?
To answer this question, I ask you to consider “Biblical Proportions”.
There are three Old Testament geographies to think about: the cities of Sodom and Gomorra, the land of Egypt and the entire Earth. These were bad times and circumstances, this is what the bible has to say about each of them.
Sodom and Gomorra
The cities were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49)
The Land of Egypt
The Egyptians held the Hebrew people in slavery for 400 years of which God said.. I have seen their misery…I have heard the cries of my people… and I am concerned about their suffering (Exodus 3:7)
The Entire Earth
The thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6: 4-6)
In the end, S&G was destroyed by fire, ten plagues were brought upon the land and people of Egypt, and a flood was brought upon all the earth.
Before we discuss what God has brought upon Brownsville and what he will destroy… let me assure you that the fire, the plagues and the flood are images of a God who cares.
S&G demonstrates that God is merciful and just. The plagues illustrate that God liberates his people and redeems his creation while the flood teaches us that God rescues the righteous and covenants with all living creatures.
Let us pray that God is merciful and just with Brownsville, that he will liberate Brownsville and redeem his creation and rescue the righteous while remembering His covenant. Amen.
You could say that God smote S&G, the land of Egypt and the entire earth. The OT talks a lot about smiting. Smiting enemies, armies, etc. Smiting – to completely and utterly destroy. In the OT, he brought catastrophe of biblical proportion… now he has brought love of biblical proportion.
The fullness of His compassion and love become manifested in the giving of his son Jesus to a lost and dying world…
Does God care about Brownsville? The answer is … yes.
God brought his love upon Brownsville.
For God so loves the world, that he gave us his only begotten son, so that whoever shall believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life.
While we are still sinners, Christ died for us…
God does want to completely and utterly destroy you… with his Love. He will free you from the penalty of sin, set you free from the power of sin and one day he will free you from the very presence of sin.
This is the picture of a New Creation in Christ. God is the Great Liberator and Redeemer. He cares so much for Brownsville that he was willing to die for Brownsville.
For God so loved Brownsville, that he gave his only begotten Son…
But Yet… There is darkness in Brownsville; physics tells us, and more importantly, the bible tells us that darkness cannot overcome light… and speaking to his people, God tells us that you are the light of the world
The Erosion of Hope and False Hope needs to be placed with the Hope of the Resurrection.
I encourage you to read and meditate on the following passages.
Job 19: 23-27
2 Peter 3: 8-14
Matthew 9: 35-38
You, are the workers in his harvest. You are the light of the world.
William Wilberforce, who led the fight to bring the abolition of the slave trade in the English Parliament , proclaimed “the national difficulties we face result from the decline of religion and morality among us. I must confess equally boldly that my own solid hopes for the well-being of my country depend, not so much on her navies and armies as on the persuasion that she still contains many who love and obey the Gospel of Christ. I believe that their prayers may yet prevail."
I know that God cares about Brownsville. May those who love and obey the Gospel of Christ in Brownsville prevail.
If you want to see and know a God who cares about Brownsville. Try four things this week…
(1) Forgive a friend or relative who has harmed you
(2) Reach out to a neighbor with some great or small kindness
(3) Pray for a friend in need
(4) Live in the hope of resurrection
God cares about Brownsville. Do you?
Friday, November 9, 2007
Roach Clip
Tuesday night (after returning from the criminal trial) I get a call from a tenant. In a quiet whisper, he says “Mark there is something you should know.” Any call after dark from a tenant can’t be good, this one seemed ominous. Oh Lord, I thought, here we go.
“There are five guys walking around the building.”
They could only be there for two reasons: to steal something (either copper or my contractor’s equipment) or to find a place to smoke some dope. I thanked him, hung up and immediately dialed 911. Unfortunately, the borough police were not on duty. Of course they weren’t. The Chief of Police (our only fulltime officer) just spent the last two days (unpaid) with me as the arresting officer in the criminal hearing.
So I was transferred to the state police barracks. They took my information… five male juveniles, possible theft, drugs, location, etc…. but I learned that it would likely be 30 minutes before they would show up. Someone could do a lot of damage and take a lot of stuff in 30 minutes. So, on with the coat, I grabbed the mag flashlight, my cell phone, asked my wife to notify the Neighborhood Watch and ran out the door with the final words of the state police officer ringing in my mind… “don’t approach the suspects.”
That proved to be impossible. I walked up the back steps to the complex and as I hit the top step, five guys were staring right at me - separated by about 20 feet. Turn around or confront were my only options.
I shined the flashlight directly in their faces and found myself asking “Who are you?” “Jeff” replied a slight voice. Another voice jumps in, “Who are you?”
“Wrong question”, I respond, “What are you doing here?”
“We’re just trying to get out of the wind.” Likely true as it was cold and spitting snow and they were taking hits from a joint.
“Well, it’s a bad place to do that. You guys need to move along.” This was going to be easy or not and the police were still likely 15 minutes away. I was about to find out.
“Sorry, sir” was the response.
Three of the guys immediately left and two seemed to have lost something they were intent on finding. But they moved on in short order.
The state police did show up about 15-20 minutes later and found a roach clip and some butts, they took my information and that was that.
It reminded me of my first encounter with a young person in Brownsville. That one, unfortunately, didn’t go quite as well and involved a flying priest. But that’s another story.
“There are five guys walking around the building.”
They could only be there for two reasons: to steal something (either copper or my contractor’s equipment) or to find a place to smoke some dope. I thanked him, hung up and immediately dialed 911. Unfortunately, the borough police were not on duty. Of course they weren’t. The Chief of Police (our only fulltime officer) just spent the last two days (unpaid) with me as the arresting officer in the criminal hearing.
So I was transferred to the state police barracks. They took my information… five male juveniles, possible theft, drugs, location, etc…. but I learned that it would likely be 30 minutes before they would show up. Someone could do a lot of damage and take a lot of stuff in 30 minutes. So, on with the coat, I grabbed the mag flashlight, my cell phone, asked my wife to notify the Neighborhood Watch and ran out the door with the final words of the state police officer ringing in my mind… “don’t approach the suspects.”
That proved to be impossible. I walked up the back steps to the complex and as I hit the top step, five guys were staring right at me - separated by about 20 feet. Turn around or confront were my only options.
I shined the flashlight directly in their faces and found myself asking “Who are you?” “Jeff” replied a slight voice. Another voice jumps in, “Who are you?”
“Wrong question”, I respond, “What are you doing here?”
“We’re just trying to get out of the wind.” Likely true as it was cold and spitting snow and they were taking hits from a joint.
“Well, it’s a bad place to do that. You guys need to move along.” This was going to be easy or not and the police were still likely 15 minutes away. I was about to find out.
“Sorry, sir” was the response.
Three of the guys immediately left and two seemed to have lost something they were intent on finding. But they moved on in short order.
The state police did show up about 15-20 minutes later and found a roach clip and some butts, they took my information and that was that.
It reminded me of my first encounter with a young person in Brownsville. That one, unfortunately, didn’t go quite as well and involved a flying priest. But that’s another story.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wheels of Justice, Part I
It’s pretty surreal. I’m sitting at the county court house waiting for a case to be called for which I am the victim. The noon o’clock hour marks three hours of sitting in a beautiful turn-of-the-century “hallway” in 1970’s office furniture with quite an eclectic group of people. Today’s date marks 1 year and 13 days of becoming victim of this crime.
The crime? Appliance Theft. In the scheme of things, this falls higher on the travesty scale than the tragedy scale. But still, I’m out $1000 and quite a bit of time in the eviction process, civil suits and now criminal hearings. Not to mention the concern over personal property, personal safety and everything else any landlord suffers through when their tenant turns on them.
Here’s the first lesson: never be a landlord. We are landlords for a higher calling and purpose; some folks must make money on this kind of thing. We don’t. I’ll have to explain that higher calling and purpose at some other time. This is the story of “Holly”.
Holly was in a tough spot. She and her three kids were living with her folks and “between jobs”. She wanted to get her feet back on the ground and focus on raising her children. She secured gainful employment and, in a serious streak of compassion, we thought we would be able to help her out. Here’s the second lesson: there is a line somewhere between being compassionate and being a doormat. You can get burned, but I’ll still err on the side of compassion. Jesus did.
I love giving folks a second chance, an opportunity to improve their situation and their lives. Certainly, you have to enter into such endeavors with both wisdom and prayer. You don’t just invite anyone into your house (have you ever seen The Lost Boys?). Holly had all of the makings of someone who was ready to turn her life around, she could have been and still could be a New Creation.
And she did quite well… for the first eight or nine months. Then, her boyfriend got out of jail. His existence and situation never came up in conversation. Holly immediately assumed her role as victim. It was sad to watch how someone could suffer such abuse. And even harder to see them call this love.
The situation became increasingly difficult and the environment became downright scary. The physical property suffered (damaged walls, broken doors, busted windows) but so did my reputation through their obnoxious, loud, illegal and illicit activities. This all started around the April timeframe but really hit stride in June when some 5-7 adults and 3 children were living in a two bedroom townhouse. At that point, I thought “she only has 6 weeks left on the lease, she’ll have to move out and I won’t need to go through a difficult eviction process.” All the while, trying to balance the safety of the property, my neighbors and my family.
Lesson Three: tenant’s have more rights than landlords…. “they ain’t gotta move out”. So began an arduous three-month eviction process that ended with over $4000 in damages including the theft of all the appliances in the townhouse. The only criminal activity in the whole lot of it that I had a chance of proving was the theft of the appliances. We decided to purse all of the civil and criminal action we could. I’ll post the outcomes at a later date.
The crime? Appliance Theft. In the scheme of things, this falls higher on the travesty scale than the tragedy scale. But still, I’m out $1000 and quite a bit of time in the eviction process, civil suits and now criminal hearings. Not to mention the concern over personal property, personal safety and everything else any landlord suffers through when their tenant turns on them.
Here’s the first lesson: never be a landlord. We are landlords for a higher calling and purpose; some folks must make money on this kind of thing. We don’t. I’ll have to explain that higher calling and purpose at some other time. This is the story of “Holly”.
Holly was in a tough spot. She and her three kids were living with her folks and “between jobs”. She wanted to get her feet back on the ground and focus on raising her children. She secured gainful employment and, in a serious streak of compassion, we thought we would be able to help her out. Here’s the second lesson: there is a line somewhere between being compassionate and being a doormat. You can get burned, but I’ll still err on the side of compassion. Jesus did.
I love giving folks a second chance, an opportunity to improve their situation and their lives. Certainly, you have to enter into such endeavors with both wisdom and prayer. You don’t just invite anyone into your house (have you ever seen The Lost Boys?). Holly had all of the makings of someone who was ready to turn her life around, she could have been and still could be a New Creation.
And she did quite well… for the first eight or nine months. Then, her boyfriend got out of jail. His existence and situation never came up in conversation. Holly immediately assumed her role as victim. It was sad to watch how someone could suffer such abuse. And even harder to see them call this love.
The situation became increasingly difficult and the environment became downright scary. The physical property suffered (damaged walls, broken doors, busted windows) but so did my reputation through their obnoxious, loud, illegal and illicit activities. This all started around the April timeframe but really hit stride in June when some 5-7 adults and 3 children were living in a two bedroom townhouse. At that point, I thought “she only has 6 weeks left on the lease, she’ll have to move out and I won’t need to go through a difficult eviction process.” All the while, trying to balance the safety of the property, my neighbors and my family.
Lesson Three: tenant’s have more rights than landlords…. “they ain’t gotta move out”. So began an arduous three-month eviction process that ended with over $4000 in damages including the theft of all the appliances in the townhouse. The only criminal activity in the whole lot of it that I had a chance of proving was the theft of the appliances. We decided to purse all of the civil and criminal action we could. I’ll post the outcomes at a later date.
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Fall
Several years ago we started renovating eight turn-of-the-century townhouses. Our vision is to use the homes to provide housing for missionaries who will commit to serving Brownsville. It’s been a slow road and quite a lesson in running a small business, property ownership, the justice system, perseverance and grace. There is much more to tell about the vision and mission and many stores to relay about this adventure. This is just one of those stories.
I was working from home and was just finishing a conference call when a great commotion broke out upstairs. Out of the commotion, I heard a voice in panic, “Someone fell from the roof”.
We had just engaged with a contractor to renovate three of the townhouses; over the past week, they had been replacing the old slate roof. I ran up the steps reacting to the commotion and panic, not fully grasping the words I just heard. I could see from the window the figure of a body on the ground and someone standing over him.
I ran to the scene expecting to see a dead man and grieving friends. Miraculously, the man was moving and even alert. He was obviously in great pain and you could immediately see his arm, legs and hip were not aligned. In fact, his arm bones appeared to be separated from his hand. The man just fell 24 feet from the scaffolding and it wasn’t until his friend said “Steve, stay with me” that I even recognized the man as the owner of the construction business.
911 had already been called. The work crews were busy cleaning up and making a path for the ambulance. One guy was waiting at the front street for the ambulance and the neighbors started to gather to see what was going. Steve’s friend stayed with him.
It seemed like an eternity for the ambulance to arrive. By the time they did, the Life Flight was also on their way. After the medical crew arrived and began to evaluate Steve, we began to search for his cell phone to call his wife. It was a difficult call…
“… no, this is Mark. Steve is doing the job for me over in Brownsville. Jane, Steve is hurt pretty bad. He’s moving and alert but he fell from the scaffolding...”
I was able to relay to her that Steve would be flown to Pittsburgh as a precaution to internal injuries. He was answering the paramedic’s questions and was coherent even through the excruciating pain.
We learned the next day that there were no brain, neck or spinal injuries. But it really wasn’t for days until the extent of his injuries were known. He suffered through shattered bones, countless surgeries and a nasty infection that split his leg open.
This all started October 5th. As I began to write this on November 2nd, I received a call from his wife that he would be coming home. It was nearly a month in the hospital. He will walk again but the long road to recovery is just beginning. Pray for Steve and his family.
I was working from home and was just finishing a conference call when a great commotion broke out upstairs. Out of the commotion, I heard a voice in panic, “Someone fell from the roof”.
We had just engaged with a contractor to renovate three of the townhouses; over the past week, they had been replacing the old slate roof. I ran up the steps reacting to the commotion and panic, not fully grasping the words I just heard. I could see from the window the figure of a body on the ground and someone standing over him.
I ran to the scene expecting to see a dead man and grieving friends. Miraculously, the man was moving and even alert. He was obviously in great pain and you could immediately see his arm, legs and hip were not aligned. In fact, his arm bones appeared to be separated from his hand. The man just fell 24 feet from the scaffolding and it wasn’t until his friend said “Steve, stay with me” that I even recognized the man as the owner of the construction business.
911 had already been called. The work crews were busy cleaning up and making a path for the ambulance. One guy was waiting at the front street for the ambulance and the neighbors started to gather to see what was going. Steve’s friend stayed with him.
It seemed like an eternity for the ambulance to arrive. By the time they did, the Life Flight was also on their way. After the medical crew arrived and began to evaluate Steve, we began to search for his cell phone to call his wife. It was a difficult call…
“… no, this is Mark. Steve is doing the job for me over in Brownsville. Jane, Steve is hurt pretty bad. He’s moving and alert but he fell from the scaffolding...”
I was able to relay to her that Steve would be flown to Pittsburgh as a precaution to internal injuries. He was answering the paramedic’s questions and was coherent even through the excruciating pain.
We learned the next day that there were no brain, neck or spinal injuries. But it really wasn’t for days until the extent of his injuries were known. He suffered through shattered bones, countless surgeries and a nasty infection that split his leg open.
This all started October 5th. As I began to write this on November 2nd, I received a call from his wife that he would be coming home. It was nearly a month in the hospital. He will walk again but the long road to recovery is just beginning. Pray for Steve and his family.
Sneaksie Balotses
Yessss, my precious... those sneaksie balotses will take away every American Right.
I don't normally write out of the political arena, but hey, it's part of the Brownsville Experience too. This morning, I was walking home and finding myself habitually picking up the litter along the sidewalk and BEHOLD, I find a letter from the Mayor of Brownsville.
Whether or not the claims are true is another issue. I can't help but observe the following... Brownsville is chalked full of criminal activity, dilapidated homes, a declining population, poverty and various social ills (see July 3 post). In the past year; I’ve been robbed, reported criminal activity, requested assistance but have never heard from the mayor’s office… until today.
Slap the judge and jury and threat of executioner on official borough letterhead? I can only conclude that the most important issue on this administration’s mind is that sneaky ballot. The government is here to administer justice and restrain evil. What are we about?
With apologies to Gollum.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
