Forgotten – Victim and Prisoners

Armodoxy for Today: The Forgotten, part 4 – Victim and Prisoner

In Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11f), there is point of awakening, which leads to his repentance and return home. When he had money and means, he was surrounded by friends, but once the money ran out, so did his friends. He found himself alone, searching for the bygone days. Fortunately, there was a loving father who welcomed his son’s return and celebrated. But what if he came to that point of repentance, that moment awakening, and there was no who wanted his back? What if they designated him as “forgotten” and no doors were open for him to return to life?

Meet Silva. She’s a forgotten inmate at the California Institution for Women. She has been confined behind prison bars since 2007. Like the Prodigal Son, she was on top of the world financially. She had friends and she was well respected in the Armenian community in Southern California, until she was incarcerated. Slowly, she found herself alone, and isolated. Unlike the Prodigal, there have been no open doors for her to return.

Her story is all too common, and especially in immigrant communities such as the Armenian one. She was a victim of domestic violence. And, she still is.

Quick, what’s wrong with this picture? She’s a victim, so why is she in prison? And if she’s in prison, how can she still be a victim of domestic violence?

While everything seemed fine on the outside, Silva was being abused emotionally, psychologically and physically by her husband. They were married for over 25 years and the level of abuse became intolerable for Silva, to the point that she wanted out in the worst way possible. And so, she did the worst thing possible by deciding to kill her husband as a solution, to end the violence. She hired a person to kill him. The murder was botched. Silva was tried and convicted of attempted murder.

In the nearly two decades that she has been in prison, she has been a model prisoner. She has educated herself and holds several degrees. She’s been up for parole a couple of times only to be passed by. Ironically, if she had killed her husband, she probably would have been out by now, perhaps on a self-defense plea. Instead, she was abused for 25 years in her marriage and now she’s being abused in prison and by a system that is broken.

This story is a personal one for me. Jesus sought out and ministered to the forgotten, giving us an example to do the same. I have met with Silva and chronicled her struggle through the system. The story itself is filled with intrigue, betrayal, hatred, and much loneliness and despair. It would make for a very interesting novel or film. My intention is not share those details, but to place this in the context of the Church – Christ’s Holy Body – in response to evil. I’m determined to get this story out and hope that somewhere someone will pick up and join the cause of righteousness.

We will continue tomorrow. We pray today, Lord, have mercy. Amen.