I had my first experience with the gangs here in Chicago. It was scary, but also made me want to go hide in a corner and cry for the gang members at the same time.
What happened exactly was we went to an old paint factory that the church bought and wants to use and renovate for the future. It needs a lot of work, so in the mean time, they are using it for storage for donation items and rent out some of it to other local ministries. We did some yard work around it today, and then helped unload about 300 bikes into the building. All the bikes were donated by a community and were going to be fixed up and given out to the kids in the community. But some unwanted company had seen the huge semi of bikes and followed it to our building.
At first, they didn't do anything but stand on the side and watch. It was a couple of African American guys who were probably around the ages of 14 to 20. But soon, they got closer and closer to the bikes. Eventually, they started stealing some or trying to steal some. Some guys who were with us stood up to them. They got in there faces and said, "You aren't taking these bikes!" They were also young African American men, who were doing community service hours. Basically, they were guys who had once done wrong, but were trying to get their lives back on track and do good things. They stood between us and the gang members, knowing exactly what the gang members were capable up. They were my heroes and I never admired anyone so much in my life.
We eventually found a way to get the bikes in and unload them in a safer way. The members were still outside, and were threatening that they would come back later tonight and steal the bikes. An older guy from the community center I work with, named Jose Vega, was also threatened by them. Jose... he's just one of my favorite people. I love this guy. He's like late 50s, early 60s, and is just amazing. He's from Puerto Rico and I just truly enjoy working with him. But, when Jose went up to them and said, "Hey, we're just a ministry trying to do some stuff for the kids. Just please go away, or we'll call the police." One of the gang members said, "Look, if you call the police, I don't care what happens to me, but we'll come here and blow everyone up." Jose looked at them and said, "Fine. But look man, these are bikes that are going to be donated to the children. If you want to steal from the children, go ahead. This isn't about us. It's for the kids." And Jose walked away. I already knew that I loved and respected that man, but my admiration went up for him even more.
As we drove away, finished with all the bikes, we all were just glad that we got out OK. Jose pointed out that things could have gotten a lot worse. His grandson, Jordan, was with us, and I began talking to him about gang stuff, because he seemed to know a lot more about it. As he and I talked, he told me, "They were the four corners gang. They're an all black gang. But man, all I had to do was make a phone call and some Jaivers would have come and things would have gone down." I was curious and asked more about what he was saying. He said, "The Jaivers are a Latin gang. If the four corners had gone onto their territory, WHEW! They would have been done for." As Jordan explained more, I got sadder and sadder. He explained to me the names, the territories, and the race of each gang. There are A LOT, so I don't know each and every gang in Chicago. But he said, "You see, it's all about race and territory here. And respect, which is very little. My whole family are Jaiver disciples. I used to be one, but I got out. That's why I try to stick around the church. It keeps me off the streets."
I can't explain to you how sad and frustrated the situation makes me. Talking with Jordan and seeing the gang members up close, made the situation very real to me. I knew that there was still a lot of racial segregation in Chicago, and that the gangs were all based on race, but when it's in your face, it makes things so much more..... real, and so sad. I wanted to cry because how sad it all was. We were all in danger, over some bikes. Some bikes that didn't even work.
What also makes me sad is realizing how much more families and parents are involved in gangs. Jordan told me that his whole family, cousins, brothers, etc. were part of the gang. It's not like a choice these kids even specifically make. They are BORN into this life. The life of dealing drugs, fighting over territory, racial segregation, and violence. It's not something that's just bad luck or they stumble into, it's how they grow up.
More and more, the brokenness of the inner city is being revealed to me. Saturday, we ran into a drumline, and man, they were awesome. We actually all had lunch together. It was a FREE lunch too, which was paid for by this Puerto Rican guy named Tony, who felt like treating good kids. You see, what was special about this drumline, was that they were there to help and try to keep kids off the street. They try to teach kids how to play drums and do performances, to show that kids can strive for something else than just the gang life.
One of the kids, named Zairus, told us a little bit about his life. He said how he had been writing music since he was little, but his parents never supported it. He has always stayed away from the gang life, but when he goes home, every time and every day, someone is bugging him about selling drugs or a fighting that is going down. He said, "It happens every day. My parents don't support me with my music dream, and my friends and family are trying to get me into a gang all the time. But I know this is what I want and love to do. This is the way to go. So I just keep pushing forward and doing what I know is right." We asked him his age, because he sounded like 25 or so. He was 19.
The life here for these people breaks my heart. The system is so messed up here. But the thing is, I feel like that it may even be similar in Arizona. These two worlds, the one I live in, and the gang world, seem to be so hidden from each other, that I've been wondering how much I've missed. It seems like I've been missing a whole other world that has been happening right in my own backyard.
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