Coming into the end of the week, it’s a nice Friday morning, and pretty chilly outside compared to what we are use to here in South Florida. I am up early, yesterday was busy for me, did not have time to put a journal together so I forced myself to make time today.
Mr. Campos is in my room wondering why I am not awake yet. I look at my watch and it’s 7:35am.
“Good morning, remember what today is; my team meeting is at 8.” He tells me, as I look at him from my top bunk.
“Okay, okay, I’m up, and I will be ready”, I tell him.
I change into my uniform, after making my bed and organizing my room for inspection.
“Let’s go” I tell him, “Don’t stay behind” I continue, as I am walking away from him. He laughs and tells me he will catch up.
We stand in front of our case manager, as he explains the information from Mr. Campos’ program review for me to translate it to him in Spanish. He is happy with everything, and we head back to the Glasshouse to look through the paperwork thoroughly in case I need to explain anything to him he may not have understood.
There was a group of guys who came in yesterday evening from a prison up north. One particularly was put into the Glasshouse with us. From afar I notice him walking through, and I see his gestures as he walks towards his room. I see others watching him as well but pointing at him and whispering things to others near them. I decided to introduce myself.
“Excuse me; Hi nice to meet you I’m Eddie, is there anything I can help you with?” I ask him.
“Hi, nice to meet you I’m Mr. Seaton.” Very humbly he responds.
As we get into conversation, I explain how the morning will go, and what he will need to do. I offer to wake up in the morning and guide him to breakfast and to get his uniforms. He thanks me, and tells me to be patient with him because he is blind in one eye, and can see only what is directly in front of his other eye and nothing around it.
“I am so sorry, don’t worry, let me introduce you to a few guys close to me who I trust will be there to help guide you in case I am not around”, I tell him, as I see Mr. Aronofsky enter the Glasshouse, and I call him over. As Mr. Aronofsky talks to him, I see Mr. Lorenzo and Mr. Sanjuan across the way and invite them over to meet Mr. Seaton.
Back to present day, I notice its 9:01am and a move was called, I see Mr. Seaton and call him over.
“Let’s go, we need to take this move to medical so you can see Mrs. Hugo in medical” I tell him and he walks with me out of the unit and over to medical where Mrs. Hugo is standing outside with a portable chest height table where she is writing down what each person needs. I introduce Mr. Seaton to Mrs. Hugo, and leave him there to speak with her about what he needs.
“Ok, good luck, I will be back in the unit, see you there.” I tell him as I head back to the dorm.
Once back in the unit, I grab a small cup of coffee, and read my daily devotionals. My favorite out of all of them was from today’s date, in the “Jesus First for Men 365 Devotions to Start your Day”.
“He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”
[Hebrews 7:25]
WOW! What a verse. Jesus “lives forever to intercede with God” on our behalf. Those of us that come to God. Follow Him and His ways through His Word and he will save us. “Save us from what”, some ask. That is what we need to pay close attention to, and truly see the things he does for us, including eternal life after our life here on earth.
Why is there so much noise in here today, I thought. The construction group is drilling away fixing a few things in the Glasshouse. It’s nearly 10am and one of the guys asks me if there is anything in the chapel that I may need done that is quick in which they could pass by and fix. I jumped up…..
“YES, please!!!!”, I tell Mr. Duluc-Mendez.
We head out and over to the chapel; I hope there is a chaplain available. I see the chaplain in her office, we knock and ask to walk in. I tell her the construction guys would be hanging a painting properly in the area by my desk and fixing the front door since it has not been closing properly.
Finally, the door is fixed, and the painting looks great hanging high behind my chair, and visible from outside the chapel. The painting is of one previous chaplain. Her name was Chaplain Dixon, and she would sing beautifully for the Christian worship service, so one guy decided to gift her a large painting consisting of an outline of her face, a microphone in a hand, and some music notes, showing her singing. This painting has been sitting in a storage room in the chapel for a long time I understand, until I decided to pull it out and find a place for it, add some color to the chapel.
Back to my unit, to prepare Mr. Rivero for lunch. When I arrive, I see him sitting in the main area with Mr. Campos. I head to his room and grab his wheelchair, then head back to where he is. Before they call lunch, I go to the restroom, wash my hands and grab a few napkins for us to take. Lunch is called, and we head over to the dining room, saying hello to everyone as we pass by them on the way.
“Eduardo, que frio” Mr. Rivero tells me. The wind is blowing, and Mr. Rivero didn’t think it would be as cold as it is, but thankfully the sun is hitting so it feels nice.
Back in the unit after lunch, I leave Mr. Rivero in his room, grab what I need and back out to the chapel. Two guys wanting to watch movies follow me. We arrive at the chapel, main door is open, we walk in and begin heading towards the back.
“Valdes!!”, Chaplain Kulungu yells for me.
“Yes sir”, I quickly reply.
“Who are these guys, why are they here?”, he asks me.
“They are from my unit, they want to each sit and watch a movie at the televisions”, I reply.
After a little back and forth between myself and Chaplain Kulungu, the three of us head back to the unit. Some days he does not mind having guys watching movies when he finds out they are already sitting down with their headphones on, other days he seems to be in a different mood and kicks everyone out before they even get to the televisions, but doesn’t know how to say it respectfully.
Back in the unit, I head to the computers to check my emails and as I am about to close out the session, I hear my name being called. I turn around and see Chaplain Hostler looking for me. He sits down beside me to see how I am doing, if I am okay, and to hear my side of the story. Apparently Chaplain Kulungu was really in a bad mood and it was a good thing I left. Chaplain Hostler, asked me to return to the chapel with him because they really needed me there.
“When I arrived at the chapel and saw the lights off, no sign-in sheets out, and it was 1pm, I knew something was wrong. I began getting things together for the two services, and I realized how much you go through and do for us there in the chapel.” The chaplain tells me.
“Chaplain, I just wish the other chaplain would stop treating me like such a bad person and realize all I do in the chapel is in the best interest of the chapel and the chaplains, and I bust my butt to make sure everything is 100% for you guys to look good in your program review”, I tell him.
“Thank you, I know you do, and I hope some day, Chaplain Kulungu does too”, he replies, as we head back to the chapel.
After services end, I accommodate the chairs that were out of place; I organize the sign-in sheets used, and prepare the papers for the evening Jewish services. Back to the unit I go for count.
I arrive at the unit to find Mr. Aquino cutting up meats, preparing food for the two of us. He had told me earlier this week he was going to make a dinner bowl for us Friday night, but I had forgotten, yet very grateful for him. After count, I head to the phone to wait, they activate for us at 4:30pm, and I call my dad to say hello. We keep the call short, need to save the minutes for real important calls throughout the month. Back to my room, I leave my bowl out, grab a spoon and my water bottle and head to the chapel on the first move.
Jewish services start at 5pm today, as they light the candles at 5:16 according to the Aleph Institute calendars, so I am first in the chapel, to turn on the lights, place a sheet over the altar for their prayers, bread and juice. I grab 4 candles, two for the Orthodox, and two for the Messianic’s, place the lighter in my pocket until the lighting is needed, and set out the sign-in sheets. Mr. Aquino arrives at the chapel with my bowl in hand.
“Thank you; You didn’t have to bring it to me, thank you so much”, I tell him.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t want it getting cold, see you later”, he responds.
Thank you God for getting me to where I need to be so far and I know you have much more prepared for me.
The food is amazing. On top of the mixed rice which included diced sausages, onion, bell peppers, olive salad mix, pork cracklings, bacon bits, he placed several small sized balls of plantain masses around the inner wall of the bowl, and pork in the center. To make those balls, he used two packs of plantain garlic chips, crunched them to small pieces and using water made it into a type of paste, which then made into little balls.
The move is called, and the guys all leave the chapel, but soon return, saying there was a situation in the recreation yard and an officer sent them all back. This was a good chance to sit down and eat my food. Poor Mr. Campos, because this meal was extraordinary compared to many things I have eaten in prison, but I can’t tell Mr. Campos that.
Lights are off, candles are off, chapel is quiet, doors just got locked, I grab the trash bags to throw away and take them with me as I say goodnight to Chaplain Hostler and head to my unit. Time to wash my bowl, and head to the shower. It’s only 7pm so I have plenty of time before I call mom.
Mom and mima are doing good but time on the phone flew by. Back in the Glasshouse, I begin typing my journal, but my session time runs out so I need to wait 15 minutes before signing back in. Walking over to my room, I hear, “EDDIE V!”, and I look over to find Mr. Bethune waving me over.
“You want a grilled cheese?” he asks.
“OH MY WHAT!!!! FROM WHERE??” I ask him.
“Here, have half of mine, Mr. Beardslee made it for me”, he responds, offering me a half of his.
It’s not really a grilled cheese but it surely was very similar. Lord I can’t wait to have a real stove top made grilled cheese made at home with my family.
The evening is over for me. I sit here listening to K-Love 89.7FM as I type my journal, so it leads me to say, Father God, you are able to save me from my every mistake, I want to thank you for being great, and thank you for choosing to love me no matter what it takes. Thank you God for those things you give me, and even for those things you allow to be removed from my life and my path going forward. I trust you Lord. I have faith in you Father. Please don’t ever leave my side dear God. Please continue to protect and guide us all Lord and I will do my best to bring to you those who seem lost. Thank you Jesus for all you do, Amen.
Eduardo Luis Valdes
02499-506
November 22, 2024
22:23
