Photos: A Ride Home
When you get out of prison, you’re often on your own. That’s where A Ride Home comes in.
The other day, I was reiterating for a couple grandchildren the basics of the Christmas story. When you get down to essentials, the life of the grownup Baby Jesus, as told to us, was all about teaching kindness and going among the poor and outcast to comfort them.
I told the kids that “when Herod the King heard [about a new ‘Governor’], he was troubled” because he didn’t know the baby would not grow up to be the kind of leader that would take Herod’s throne and soldiers and money but instead would teach people about being good to one another.
Although we aren’t regular churchgoers, the kids like the annual Christmas pageant, and I wanted to go over the setting and roles a bit.
That’s a long intro to saying that Christmas is a particularly good time to consider how much the poor and outcast — and those who provide compassion to them — can benefit when we adhere to what is really the essence of all religions.
I recently learned about a great example of compassion for the outcast — a program for ex-offenders called “A Ride Home.” WNYC radio interviewed the people behind it.
“People released from prisons face all kinds of barriers as they transition back into the outside world, whether it’s finding jobs or housing.
“But beyond these large challenges, there are all kinds of small things the formerly incarcerated have to re-learn on the outside world — from opening doors, ordering from a menu, to choosing what kind of shampoo to buy.
“The Ride Home program helps people with those first few hours when they get out of prisons in California. …
“Carlos Cervantes is one of the program’s drivers, who is formerly incarcerated, and now picks people up, takes them for coffee and food, buys them new clothes and is with them in those first moments. He remembers the moments leading up to his own release back in 2011.
” ‘You feel nervous, asking, “What’s on the other side? How does the other side look like.” For me having spent 10 years 8 months, it’s kind of like this picture that like you can only imagine,’ he said.”
You can listen to WNYC’s podcast about the compassionate program via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
What I especially like is that former offenders want to help out by volunteering with the program. A Ride Home can make a person’s first post-prison emotion one of gratitude. And we all know what good things a feeling of gratitude can work in the world.
More at WNYC, here. Check out some really nice photos at the Ride Home website, here.
This is just what I needed to read after viewing a nauseating avalanche of commercials on TV encouraging/enticing/shaming us in to buying all sorts of things that no one truly needs to have in their lives.
For myself, losing interest in everything advertised (except my new slippers that have an elastic back so they don’t fall off!) has to be one of the !en Best Things about
Aging.
Oh, boy, this just warms my heart. I can’t even imagine how terrifying it must be to walk out of prison, alone. How does one even begin to make their way? What a good, good program this is. And you know how people are always saying we should put the “Christ back in Christmas”? How about we start by putting the “Christ” back in Christian? Showing some compassion??
Amen, Kerry!