Eunice and Eugenio

The school is going incredibly well. Our English courses are taking shape and help is coming. Our internships and small social business are also slowly coming to fruition. I can’t wait to show you. They are all still in very early stages but they are going to happen. When they do, you will be the first to know! 

We had a meeting this week with a South African businessman who is in need of employees, housing, assistance with logistics and administration for his business. We have offered to help and are anxious to see how this partnership could help our students and school. 

 It is beautiful to see how my just being willing to come and simply show up has created something that didn’t once exist. 

Amongst all of this, I was summoned to court regarding the robbery this week. I really, really didn’t want to go. I dreaded it but knew I had no choice. It had been several weeks since the robbery and I felt like I had done my best to move on and didn’t want to bring it all up again and certainly didn’t want to see him again. I admit I have been fearful and that is not good. I had been processing it all and praying about the whole circumstance. I feel that I didn’t come here to condemn and didn’t want to press charges against anyone here. I know this is an arguable point but in a way I made myself a target and I am a stranger in this land. I am white and “rich” and I don’t really belong. I was a target for this kid and I was a temptation to him. Theft and physical violence aside, in a small way I feel guilty for putting these temptations out there. I also don’t feel that I can put the people God sent me here to help in jail. I don’t know if I would feel differently if I had gotten hurt or if I had not gotten my things back. Chances are I would feel very differently, so my grace has limitations. 

So on this day I was really dreaded just having to spend a day in court and honestly just felt inconvenienced. And of course I was a little intimidated and slightly nervous about the unknown. African courts are not my idea of a good time. The full story involves a lot of waiting, an overpriced taxi ride, and more waiting. Finally the time came where I was seated in a courtroom that smelled like Hartwell Elementary, old varnished wood and sweat. I felt incredibly out of place and knew that there would be a lot of waiting so I brought my kindle and read a chapter from that book about the wives of Henry VIII. Normally I would try to fit in and sit in silence with the rest of the crowd but I didn’t have the patience on this day and I needed a distraction. I decided I get to be Western and get to be myself on this day and bring gum, wear pants and a read a book and entertain myself. The judge appeared in a black robe and everyone stood. The convicts sat on the left and their families and victims on the right. The boy who robbed me was on the front row, barefooted, in the same red t-shirt and track pants he was wearing the day we met. His head bowed. When I saw the boy I felt compassion. I felt sorry for the poor kid. Would I feel differently if he had really, really hurt me or I had not gotten my things back? Probably so. I simply felt sorry for him. During this time, as I watched others get convicted, I prayed and asked God about it all. I felt him ask me about my grace and how much of it I had. Did I have grace that was just convenient or would I still be able to extend grace even when it was not easy to do. 

As in any case you don’t know what you would do until it happens to you. As I prayed and asked God what to do for this boy and what was best and searched my heart for true forgiveness, I felt God ask me if I was willing to offer inconvenient grace and mercy. I knew that it was easy for me to not want him to go to prison because I had not gotten physically hurt and I had gotten my things back. I knew that a sentence was most likely inevitable and a fine would be set that he could never pay. I had considered paying the fine and clearly heard God ask was I again, willing to be inconvenienced. A 200 Met ($8) fine would be easy to pay and I would get the satisfaction of opening my fat wallet that literally won’t close because I have my monthly budget of about $300 in 200 met bills. And this is not really even the real budget. (I say “monthly” as sometimes $300 lasts me a long time and sometimes it lasts me two days. I have long given up trying to stay within a budget in this economy). I heard God asking me if I was willing to dig deep and make a true sacrifice for this boy. I said “yes” but had no idea what was about to come.

When it came time for Eugenio (the prisoner) to take the stand, the judge asked me to leave the room. Apparently he asked Eugenio what happened. When I returned he asked me to tell him exactly what happened on that day. I told him in detail and he stopped me after the part about the police catching him and bringing him to me and beating him. He then told me that Eugenio told him that I had lost my bag and that I had asked him to help me find it and that the police chased him when they saw him carrying my bag. At hearing this I was shocked. I had not expected him to lie. At this point I wondered if this was going to be a real trial with his case against mine. But I knew he didn’t stand a chance, I had witnesses and his story was so untrue. I shook my head in disbelief. I cut my eyes over at him and gave him my Eunice on “Mama’s Family” glare and shook my head and through clinched teeth said, “He lied”. How dare he? I had come with my iota of mercy, my guilt, my missionary status, my kindle and my 200 mets to set him free and now he was lying! Then I heard God say, are you willing to be inconvenienced? Are you willing for it to hurt a little? Are you willing to extend grace when you absolutely don’t feel it and it isn’t easy? Does my mercy only cover stealing when I got my things back? Does my mercy cover lying too?

I realized so many things in that moment. I realized how unconditional are God’s grace and mercy. They cover every sin and they don’t run out. He doesn’t pick and choose the sins he chose to die for. We are fully covered. I also realized just how much this boy was stricken with fear. He had sat in jail for three weeks thinking up this lie and it was his last hope. He really didn’t want to go to prison. Never mind that perjury didn’t come in to play here. 

The judge took account of everything that was stolen and I had to tell him how much everything cost. It was a lot and Eugenio’s fines increased with every article of flax linen clothing and Apple manufactured electronic. The judge took my side and sentenced him to four months in prison. Upon hearing this, Eugenio hung his head and cried. I hung mine too. I asked to speak. I said something along the lines of how he is just a boy (maybe 18). I said he really belonged at home with his family. The court reporter who typed fast, but only with his index fingers, took something over for Eugenio to sign, but Eugenio waved him away as he knew something was happening and he wanted to listen. I said didn’t want him to go to prison. The judge waved his hand at me gesturing at my crossed legs. I uncrossed them and kept talking while at the same time trying to figure out an alternative to the most ladylike position I know. I opted for crossing at the ankles and kept talking. I said I didn’t want him to go to prison and that I wanted to drop any charges against him . The judge starred at me, mouth open, eyes wide. Then he smiled and laughed a little and shook his head. He got serious again and said that in order to do this I would have to pay his fines. I agreed and said I knew it would be impossible for him to pay them on his own. Then he looked intently at me and said, “This has never happened in this court before. No one has ever shown mercy or forgiveness before. I have never seen this happen”. He asked all the people working in the courtroom if they had ever seen it before and they all shook their heads. Eugenio’s countenance changed immediately. I think I heard him sigh. 

The judge tells Eugenio, “Do you realize what just happened? Do you realize that she is paying for your freedom? Do you realize that she is paying for your liberation? You have been given a rare gift today”. The Portuguese version is beautiful. Even I became moved by what he said. Eugenio kept nodding his head, recovering from his sobs and wiping his eyes. I have my head bowed and can only look at him out of the corner of my eye still. He gives the audience a speech about what just happened and then the judge turned to me and said, “Thank you. No one has ever come here to set someone free. Everyone always goes to prison. Thank you for coming here and showing mercy toward someone else”.  I realize that the judge agrees that home, not prison, is the best place for this boy. I mumble, “de nada” to his, “muito obrigado”. It was “nothing”. 

The clerk brings me the total,  a fine of 6,000 mets, based on the value of items that were mine to begin with. This is what God must have meant by digging a little deeper. I had to dig a little deeper and extend grace to a thief and a liar. I had to dig a little deeper and turn over two months Mozambican salary for a thief and a liar, paying for items that were already mine. But I knew it had to be done. I knew that mercy on this boy would far outlast serving a sentence. I didn’t want to imagine what prison in Africa would be like. I have actually been to the prison where he would go, so I actually had an idea. 

Eugenio could barely catch his breath and went and sat by all the other prisoners who had just been sentenced, a free man. A boy really. 

I still felt like I had been to a funeral. I felt sad. I am still sad. It is my prayer that Eugenio takes this story of freedom home and he is changed by his second chance. I wonder if the judges second speech to him will impact him and he will do good and not rob or steal and he will “stay away from foreigners”? But it also makes me wonder just how grateful am I for my second chance? Do I take it for granted and assume that all fees will be paid? How do I steward the freedom I have been given? 

48 hours later I got an unexpected check in the mail at home for a little more than twice Eugenio’s fine.  The Christine Perry circle group at Hartwell FUMC. I got my money back, twice. Doesn’t He say something about this? Luke 6:38. Give. And it shall be given unto you. “For the measure you use, it will be measured to you”. 

The Kingdom is so incredibly upside-down and haven’t a clue what I am doing and can do none of it on my own. I can’t forgive on my own. But He meets us wherever we are and His grace and mercy fills our lack. And His promises are true. He didn’t even want my sacrifice, He gave it all back and then some. He just wanted my willingness and faithfulness to do what He asked. And I all did was say, “okaaaaayyy”. I didn’t say, “Yes”, “Sim”, “Absolutely”, “Muito prazer”. It was more with eyes rolled, arms crossed “if You say so”. And He took my little faithfulness and blessed me. And I am once again blown away at the kindness of my Father. 

Luke 6:27-38

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak to not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you”.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from who you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measure to you”.