Are WE there? --Allen > =================== > If you find this transcript helpful, please forward it > to friends and family who may not be receiving this free > daily service from Chuck Colson and BreakPoint Radio! > =================== > > > To receive these free daily transcripts from Chuck Colson > go to http://www.breakpoint.org and click on "subscribe." > > > > BreakPoint with Charles Colson > Commentary #000802 - 08/02/2000 > The Dorchester Miracle: Eugene Rivers & One Neighborhood > > > Eight years ago, the Boston neighborhood known as > Dorchester had hit bottom. The crack epidemic had not > only produced hundreds of addicts, it had spawned a > terrible wave of violence, in particular among young > people. > > The extent of the problem was driven home when, at a > funeral for the victim of a drive-by shooting, gang > members entered the church and began shooting and > stabbing one another in front of the congregation. > > Out of this mixture of shock and outrage was born a > model for reclaiming neighborhoods like Dorchester -- > not only in Boston, but across the country. > > The model became known as the "Ten Point Coalition," > and the driving force behind the coalition was Eugene > Rivers, the pastor of the Azusa Christian Community > in Dorchester. Rivers, who was a gang member in his > youth, had personally witnessed the toll violence had > taken. His own home had been shot into twice, and > broken into many more times. > > One day he asked a local drug dealer, "Why did we > lose you? Why are we losing other kids now?" The > dealer told him "I'm there. You're not. When the boy > .. . . wants a pair of sneakers or just somebody older > to talk to or feel safe and strong around, I'm there, > you're not . . . I win, you lose. . . ." > > As a result of this conversation, Rivers and other > pastors made it their mission to "be there." The plan > was multi-faceted. It included summer recreation and > literacy programs. It included mentoring programs and > one-on-one drug treatment programs. And Christians > manned neighborhood patrols. > > After Dorchester's pastors proved their commitment to > both their community and the lives of Boston's young > people, they were invited to participate in various > criminal justice initiatives. These included anti- > gang policing, juvenile probation monitoring, and > crime prevention initiatives. > > This commitment to kids reflects a Christian > understanding of human nature. Rivers won't hesitate > to recommend locking up a dangerous juvenile. Nor > will he flinch from telling parents that their 14- > year-old son is a "sociopath" or "a homicide waiting > to happen." He knows that Christian love of neighbor > includes telling the truth about their condition. > > The results the pastors achieved in Boston were > astounding. The crime rate dropped 77 percent in less > than a decade. Even more amazing, Boston, which had > averaged nearly 20 juvenile homicides in the years > preceding the Ten Point Coalition, went nearly five > years without a single juvenile murder. > > What's more, the drop was accomplished without an > accompanying rise in tension between the police and > community - as has happened, sadly, in New York. > > Their Ten Point model has now spread to other cities > and is credited with helping reduce crime in > neighborhoods that, like Dorchester, some people had > given up on. > > In addition to saving lives and bringing hope where > none existed, the story of Eugene Rivers and the Ten > Point Coalition is a reminder of why, as Augustine > said, Christians make the best citizens. Love of God > and neighbor drives Christians -- like Eugene Rivers > and his friends -- to do more than is required. > > It moves them to go places that government can't and > won't go, to "be there." And it's a great testimony > of what happens when faith-based solutions replace > cumbersome government bureaucracies. > > > > > > Copyright (c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries > > > "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a daily commentary > on news and trends from a Christian perspective. > Heard on more than 1000 radio stations nationwide, > BreakPoint transcripts are also available on the Internet. > If you know of others who would enjoy receiving BreakPoint > in their e-mail box each day, forward this e-mail to them > or tell them they can sign up on our Web site > at www.breakpoint.org. > > For product requests or to make a donation, please > visit our website at http://www.breakpoint.org or > call 1-800-995-8777. > > http://www.breakpoint.org/ > http://www.pfm.org/ > http://www.angeltree.org/ > http://www.justicefellowship.org/ > http://www.neighborswhocare.org/ _______________________________________________________ Say Bye to Slow Internet! http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
