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Oxnard Juvenile Justice Complex

Santa Barbara Chaplain Report

I was only able to visit the Juvenile Complex once in January. I had a table of six boys on A side of the particular pod and another table of older boys on B side.  A side was rowdy and younger and it took a little time to settle the boys. We worked with Proverbs 23: 7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” and Science & Health p. 144 and 166 where it talks about the human mind producing pain, suffering, and sin, whereas the Divine MIND produces health, harmony, right thinking and acting. It was pointed out to the boys that their thinking creates their environment and their actions.

A few of them said they had never thought of this idea. So, we worked with a few word games changing hate into love, anger into peace, sadness into joy and more. They also had not heard of God as MIND. On the B side, the boys were older. They also seemed more somber and reflective. They thought about this Proverb idea and we did word changes also. The changes in outward appearance came to these boys when I told them that God loved them and I loved them. I told them they were unique and important. That seemed to change everything. One boy said he had never heard that before. He had never heard anyone tell him he was LOVED!!!!!

This month I had only one boy on A side and 3 on B side. The boy on A side had just graduated and his court date was approaching. Most of the time, the boys who have turned 18 and are graduating are fearful and uncertain about their future because they could end up going to Adult County. However, this young man was optimistic and the best expression he had for this positive attitude was “he had God in his heart”.  I let him express himself and tell me about his big family and about his understanding of God. When he had finished, we created a prayer for him to use for all individuals including his so-called enemies, drug addicts, police, the staff in the complex, his neighborhood, even the liquor store were deals are made, as well as himself. He said he wanted to be a policeman.

On the B side of the Pod, I had 3 young men. One was really shy and would not look at me directly. The other 2 were a bit quiet but a little more direct. No one seemed to want to engage. It was very interesting. I had written question on pieces of paper and put them in the middle of the table. Each boy had to pick a piece of paper, read the question aloud and then answer it. There were all kinds of questions including asking their aspirations and what qualities they would need to obtain those dreams. We talked about the attributes of a disciple of GOD and how they had those same qualities to help them fulfill their goals for honest and successful living. The best part for me, was at the end of the session, the very shy one started looking at me, and when I asked him if there was anything I could do to make our session better for them he said, “I don’t talk much but this really made me open up”.  Praise God!!!

We closed with prayer.

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