Experience the Exodus REAL Team

The silence was deafening. Over one hundred men, and a dozen staff members, yielded their complete attention to a single speaker. No yawning. No outbursts. No disrespect at all. The powerful message rested not so much in the individual stories they shared, but rather in the emotional attachment they projected in an effort to etch the experience on to the hearts and minds of these men.

The Exodus REAL team is not some religious revival, although everyone was revived. The day-long event was not a private seminar, although nearly everyone felt as though they were the sole focus of the day. This was not a self-help session, but only the most calloused soul could have been unmoved.

Real life stories are more powerful–more moving–than fiction, yet it is rare that hardened, stoic men confined behind concertina wire will surrender their attention to anyone. That is precisely what happened when the Securus Foundation’s Exodus REAL Tea visited Green Rock Correctional Center.

Each speaker–may of whom once sat where those men sat that day–shared a personal story with only one string attached: there is hope. Whether it was a personal experience or that of family member, each man and woman who spoke shared what hope can bring for today and for that amazing day when the gate will open and each would rejoin society and their families and friends. They reminded every one of those men that a journey is not accomplished alone no matter how it may be viewed.

As a five-year old girl, Charlotte rode by car for two hours each way to visit her incarcerated father. For a small child, this journey seemed to last a lifetime. She endured the routine security pat downs and the indignity of drug-smelling dogs sniffing her private parts just for a short visit with a man who was angry because no one put money on his commissary account.

Nearly two decades later, Charlotte vividly described moments when she visited her father. She did not share happy memories, because the negative, embarrassing times were seared in her mind. When her father was released he did not ask about his family. Instead, he chose a selfish attitude that has forever altered his relationship with his children. This experience affects more than just the inmate. Families, children, friends all do time as well.

Sometimes the time can last a lifetime. LaHeather silenced an entire room as she shared the challenges of facing a lifetime of alcoholism. Poor choices and irresponsible thinking cost her the life of her small son under circumstances that she cannot recollect…something that may never truly be known. That is a life sentence.

LaHeather tugged at heart strings. She somehow magically became relatable to each of the 100 men gathered before her. Each of them suffers from basic human faults. Each has made poor decisions and has been forced to live with the ramifications of them. Each has endured tragedy and loss. What LaHeather shared was the greatest human fears: the loss of a child and the fear of the unknown.

Humans confront the unknown in different ways throughout our lives. When each of these men arrived at the Department of Corrections, each time they change facilities or cells, and each time they walk out the gate to resume life beyond the fence. The challenge of facing the unknown is a spoken or unspoken fears strong enough to cause men to commit another offense so they can return to the familiar surroundings of imprisonment. Each of those men can look around–or perhaps just look in the mirror–to see an example of this.

Whatever they face may not be a life or death decision, nor may it force them to kill their best friend or be killed. However, Jason said he faced those exact circumstances. We may be called upon to take care of a stranger or become a bully. Jason faced both of those situations. He decided to help someone against the will of his buddies. He made a friend for life with someone who has become one of the most influential people in his life today.

Jason’s story proved that it really is never too late to make a change. He proved that people who influence our lives can appear any where and at any time. He challenged his audience to be watchful and to always be planning for a better tomorrow. Mentors appear. Obstacles can be overcome. Opportunities abound. Determination and perseverance are the key. Jason was willing to sacrifice money for an opportunity to prove himself. Need proof that it pays off? Ask Jason–he’s living proof.

Tonyita shared what it feels like to be a mother whose youngest son is looking at a life sentence.

Life.

She could not share the story without sharing the pain. It did not fall upon deaf ears. No one was unmoved. Men lined up to give her a hug at the end of the day. Men cried with her. Brave men who confronted their own personal challenges.

The last speaker truly captured the feeling of the day. Royal Chatman asked a simple question: What is our legacy?

Some believed that a legacy happens only after we are gone. Royal explained that every day of our life is building a legacy, and we have an opportunity to change its direction any time we choose. He made that change long before the governor pardoned his 40 year sentence.

Royal challenged everyone to make a better decision starting immediately. He was real, not a phony imitation. His words pierced hearts ad made more than a few men sit up a little straighter in their seats. He asked each to answer the following question:

Knock! Knock! Who’s there?

Who are we? What legacy are we writing?

Three weeks have passed and those men are still talking about the Exodus REAL team. Passionate discussions randomly erupt in he Pre-Cognitive and Cognitive communities. These men are still talking about Dawn, and Leonard, and Jason, and Tonyita. They remember Alexander, and Charlotte, ad LaHeather, and Royal. These are names. These are people. They are not faceless stories.

There are many seminars and workshops offered every month. Some teach better thinking habits. Others teach safer life choices. None matches what the courageous Exodus REAL team offered–in word and in deed. These dedicated volunteers proved that success is really just one decision away when there is accountability. They prove that giving back has the reward of seeing it change the heart of someone in need.

“Aspire to inspire before you expire.”