February 2, 2010
I went to prison today.
It was a victory in itself to make it through the final frisk and massive metal doors that shut out my intentions last week. After traveling to the prison via mini bus for 30 minutes, waiting outside in the women’s line for an hour to go through the first security check/aggressive pat down, waiting an hour and a half in the waiting room sipping tea and practicing Arabic with wide eyed children until our prisoners’ names were called, moving to the metal doors and guards that monitor ultimate entrance for 30 more minutes until our names were called once more and then passing through another security check/pat down I was taken to the visitors cage where the prisoners awaited. Some men wear white signifying less severe crimes (commonly immigration) the rest wear blue. Blue means life in prison. Michael wears white. Michael is a 22 year old Sudanese prisoner who will soon meet his one year anniversary on February 20th while still awaiting a court date. He is from Southern Sudan and fled to Libya where he stayed for 6 years because of the war and violence in his village. He is in prison because he beat up a man very badly and “broke almost every bone in his body.” Michael loves hip hop, (especially Kanye West and Jay Z), football (soccer), and recently found God in prison. He is eager to return to Sudan after he is released to reunite with his older brother and family he hasn’t been in contact with for years. In talking with the Sudanese prisoners I couldn’t help but be reminded of my friends at Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles that are also ex-convicts and realize how the same issues transcend countries, culture and context. Some prisoners just need a visit to be reminded that there is hope. Today I was empowered by men who are slaves to a system they didn’t create but came to know through poor judgment, false information, and sacrificial opportunities.
There is a Sudanese man who has been sentenced to life in prison and has taken the initiative to start weekly bible studies, accountability, prayer, food sharing, and hope for the younger guys who come in feeling defeated. He gave me the privilege of hearing his story from drug dealing in Sudan to daily gratitude in prison and made me promise to “tell the outside world that their brothers are across the world in prison loving Christ just as they do.” He thanked me countless times for visiting and said he knew we loved Christ because Christ’s love is what told us to come visit them. Lastly he said “I don’t like prison, but I have joy. God loved me enough to take me away from drug dealing and into prison so I could be close to Him, for that I am thankful.”

February 3, 2010
U.S. Foreign Policy
Scott Hibbard spoke to us this afternoon about U.S. foreign policy paying specific attention to the Middle East. He is currently in Egypt teaching International Relations and Foreign Policy at American University Cairo while on a short term Fulbright scholarship. He lives in Chicago and teaches at DePaul University after receiving his PHD from John Hopkins in Washington, DC, working at the U.S. Institute of Peace in DC and completing the religion ethics human rights program there. For nearly 2 hours Scott spoke to us about America’s real interest in the Middle East and shared inside information about the current state of the region. He spoke on US ideals, actions and motives while formulating an open ended discussion for questions about the future concerning countries like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and of course Israel. Despite common talk of the relations between the US and Middle East, Scott highlighted the role of religion in politics especially dealing with Iraq and the tensions between the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds who occupy the country with individual aspirations for ultimate control. I clung to Scott’s every word while struggling to find a balance between ethics and politics concerning the east and the west. Although I am absolutely fascinated and intrigued by both past and present political actions I feel myself holding tightly to the micro capabilities performed through relationship, community, and solidarity. I am quick to sign myself up for Capitol Hill (as I spoke with Scott about after) yet not equally as quick to sign away my God guided ethics. We shall see how it all plays out. I can guarantee that Capitol Hill will see my face :)

Interesting notes:
EVERYTHING runs on oil.
“We want Democracy, but are afraid of what it will bring”
Theoretically we are all about democracy, but when push comes to shove what are the ultimate interests?
The nature of America’s current Obama administration: “to promote incremental reform through liberalization rather than democratization.”
“There is no compromise without sacrificing the essence of who you are”
“Currently there is no exit strategy” (Iraq and Afghanistan)
Everything is related to everything else (!!)
One country’s freedom is at the expense of the others (Israeli/Palestinian conflict)
How can we use religion as a common ground in politics instead of a breeding ground for division?
2/3 of the world’s oil is from 5 countries: Iran, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia
China’s negative presence in Africa, (specifically Sudan). Oil money feeds the dirty hands in the Darfur conflict.