Inmates and Insights

Today began in the Blount County courthouse where we listened to presentations on the dangers of technology, elder abuse, and the presence of domestic violence. We also got to sit in on a few domestic violence trials in the court and speak to the judge about his viewpoints on the situation. They engaged us in the action, kept the conversation friendly, and provided great food which we couldn't stay away from (I know I will dream of those biscuits tonight).

We decided to end the visit with a tour of the jail. It was a bit disturbing to see first hand what kind of conditions the inmates were subjected to, and kind of put a damper on the night for a lot of us. But, it also lead to a great discussion about how we need to balance punishment with humanity.

Thankfully, to mellow out the mood, we decided to play a game and bake cookies at the end of the night. While I sadly succeed in burning the bottoms of a few cookies, the first impressions game was a complete success. We went through our group and chose one person to talk about and share our first impression of them. But soon it just became a chance to tell how and why we love each other so much.

Our topic, domestic violence, is a very personal issue for a lot of people, and that only served to bring us closer together. With so much tension and worry, we all needed each other in a way that no other group could ever relate to. And with all of the positive thoughts and loving messages flowing, I have never been so proud to be a part of anything. While it felt great to receive the comments, and be described as an intelligent Pooh Bear, it felt even better to give those compliments. I truly love each and every one of these girls and feel so blessed to have been put on this trip. They all bring something unique and absolutely essential to our mission, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for being exactly who they are.