Miracle: an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.
According to their website, the United States Postal Service manages 700 million pieces of mail each day. One of these pieces of mail, was mailed to me from Polk County Florida on October 14, 2006. The sender, an inmate in an isolation cell, did not have my correct address and erroneously addressed it to Memphis, Tennessee. I do not live in Memphis, nor do I live in the State of Tennessee. But miraculously the letter made it to me in less than 48 hours after it was mailed.
Memphis is a large metropolitan city that has a population of about three-quarters of a million people. Somewhere, there is a postal employee that received this letter and re-directed it to my small town in another state. This letter, that would change my life forever, made it to me in record time.
Everyday since mailing the initial letter to a mysterious inmate I had seen on television, I raced home to see if there was a response. Two weeks had gone by. Nothing. I must admit I felt slightly relieved. Writing an inmate was a dangerous thing to do. Secretly I hoped that the letter had never made it to it's intended recipient.
On October 16, 2006, I was shocked to find a letter waiting for me when I arrived home from work. I sat down in my favorite chair, switched on the lamp, opened the letter carefully and began to read.
(excerpts from the original letter)
October 14, 2006
Dear Norma,
Thank you so much for writing me. I had no idea who the letter was from when the C/O (correctional officer) handed it to me. I was quite surprised to read the part about seeing me on Court TV and wanting to write to me. It made me laugh. And yes, I could certainly use a friend right about now. ISO (isolation) can be quite lonely at times. You have no idea.
I'm also Catholic and I haven't been to mass in quite sometime. Before I was incarcerated I attended a little church here in Lakeland.
I was born and raised in the Hamptons in Long Island, NY. I ran security for some of the largest nightclubs in New York City back in the 80's and 90's. I have seen a lot in my 43 years.
Two years ago, the mother of my children was diagnosed with breast cancer. My father was then diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and died weeks later. I fell back to drinking hard and the rest is history.
Trust me - I do not enjoy the orange uniform - this is my last time wearing one. I'm going to bury my bad habits once and for all. I believe it was Martin Luther who once said that "no man ought to lay a cross upon himself or to adopt tribulation; but if a cross or tribulation come upon him, then let him suffer it patiently, and know that it is profitable for him". I've learned a lot from my mistakes and I know the good Lord will bring me through this. Romans 8; 1-7.
As for being a "snitch", I can assure you that I had no choice. While I was incarcerated for 16 months I worked as a jailhouse lawyer of sorts. I helped several hundred inmates with their motions, discovery demands or bar complaints. I could have made several dozen other cases for the prosecutor if I wanted to. Of all those cases that I worked on, Nelson Serrano was a monster. He executed 4 innocent people and molested his own daughter in 1982 when she was 14. I couldn't sleep because of what he told me. I kid you not. So I did what I had to do.
Thank you for sending the envelope and the paper, but they don't let us receive anything through the mail at this jail. Inmates can only purchase things off the canteen list, which comes around every Friday. Books are allowed but they must be soft cover.
I won't ask you for anything. But if you ever do send something, I won't consider it a handout. Let your heart be your guide. I can tell from your letter that you are an honest person with a very kind heart. God bless you. Please write again ASAP and thank you so much.
Sincerely Yours,
Todd
Wow, I thought to myself. This guy seems very well educated. The letter was well written and all the words were spelled correctly.
He had referenced two scripture passages in the letter. Romans 8; 1-17 and in the margin, he had scribbled another; Romans 5; 3-6. He didn't write down what these passages said and I didn't bother at that time to look them up. Week's later I would go back and look up these scriptures and be shocked at what they said. But at that moment, I was more anxious to pen another letter to him so that it would make it in the next day's outgoing mail.
God's plan for us was well underway. I was about to embark on a wild journey. A journey that would take me into the bowels of the criminal world and the American justice system. One that would lead me to places I had never been before and introduce me to an entire universe that operates invisibly around us everyday. This journey would also lead me to a deeper understanding of God's love and grace for all humanity.
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