Exgang members and tattoos

[kiwi_OT]

I have no idea where the topic of this thread should go so I just closed my eyes and pointed to one on the screen lololol.


Some may know I am a college student with 7 months left of my degree. I go a school called Otago Polytechnic in a town in New Zealand called Dunedin. Unlike Otago University (which is only a block away), Otago Polytechnic caters mainly to those who want to retrain or upskill or for those who seek careers which are more practical intern or apprentice focused (like engineering, IT, chef schools, midwifery, veterinary or occupational therapy).

Anyway, this year the South Dunedin campus has moved and joined the main campus. No one is happy about this. The school is being renovated so we have no decent library, our computor suite has been downsized from 200 free computors to 20. Compared to the million dollar funded university up the road our school looks and feels like an old homeless man with arthritis. But its not this which has pressed everyones buttons. 10 students from the South Dunedin campus are members of the Otago chapter of the Mongrel Mob. When I first saw a couple of them I hate to admit it - but I was frightened. The mongrel mob have a very bad history in New Zealand which you might be surprised to know rivals even the gangs in LA. In NZ it is culturally acceptable and even encouraged if you identify yourself as Maori to get a tribal tattoo. Most get one on their arm or thigh, and if your a high ranking female leader in your tribe you can even get a 'moko' (chin tattoo).

But the semester started in February and its now mid May. You slowly get used to them. Some obviously dont and I notice girls making a wide berth when they walk near them, and its obvious that most guys treat them with disdain. They dont strut. They dont harrass anyone, they just get on with their work and study quietly like the rest of us. Other than the fact that these guys wear a rediculous amount of red (gang colour) you wouldnt realise they were mongrel mob if it werent for the fact that all their faces have this on it:

In case you didnt notice, the english bulldog is the symbol of this gang hence the term 'mongrel'


Theres this one guy in this group of students who Ive quietly observed for a while. Just watching and eavesdropping on him has drastically questioned my beliefs which Ive realised were initially very discriminating. Once I bumped into him in the cafeteria and he would not stop apologising. Ive seen him open doors for people and be completely ignored even given a look of disgust. Ive watched him ask a guy politely what the time was and be told "its time you got a watch **face", he just walked away at that one.

However an interesting thing happened to me today. After being sick with a chest infection I decided to brave up and go to my lectures today. I obviously wasnt well enough because I had a coughing fit on the floor of the temp library. I forgot my inhalor at home. Someone pulled me up by the hand and took me to the nearby doctor. Guess who it was?

I asked him why he helped me, he said "first reason, I have asthma too so I know you needed help, second reason, for the past week your the only person let alone a female who actually smiles and say hello to me."

I dont doubt this guy has probably got a bit of a dark history. But I found out he and those other guys left the mob. I said congrats, mustive been hard to get out. He said "nah, waking up and comming here every day is harder." I dont think he was talking about his study... He left an environment of drugs and rape and crime and brotherhood to a new neighborhood of clean safe learning and incrediable isolation.

Jesus hung out with cheaters, stealers, prostitutes, infected and social outcasts. I dont know if this guy has met Jesus or not, I was a bit too sick at the time to witness to him. But next time I see him studying I'll sit down next to him and properly say thankyou. Might look a bit strange. A preppy looking goody two shoes blonde next to an ex gang memeber. Meh..

 

[zeroturbulence]

Wow that is an excellent story and I thank u for sharing it. It just goes to show that we shouldnt judge people too quickly. This reminds me of when Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) tried to convince a room full of terrified christians that he has been converted (Acts 22).

 

[Matthew]

It's a lesson worth remembering, I used to be look at those kind of groups with a cynical eye and I think most people would admit doing the same at some point in their life.

It's only as you get older and have some interaction with these people you begin to understand that what they consider their lifestyle is often largely distorted by people's interpretation and in reality they suffer discrimination for it, which sometimes leads to the kind of criminal rebelion they are known for.

But on an idividual basis they are often some of the most kind and considerate people because they have been on the receiving end of such poor treatment and therefore know how bad it makes people feel when they behave that way and it actually speaks to a strength of character that they emrbrace their chosen lifestyle knowing ahead of time it will bring with it a negative association that won't go away.

Of course there are those that embrace the harsh and aggressive attitudes but it cannot be said about all of them, some of them are among the best people in society.

 

[grace]

Thanks for shareing Melody.
There are so many who are comfortable with their lives that they do not step out and get their hands dirty every once in awhile.

I listen to a christian radio station....and they have this thing called, Make a difference Monday. People call in and share stories etc.
This morning they shared a story that Beth Moore (popular author and bible and conference speaker) experienced. It went something like this:

She was in an airport and noticed an elderly man sitting in a wheelchair. He looked quite frail, thin and a bit unkept. His clothes were to big on him, and his fingernails were long, and his gray hair was long and tangled.
As Beth was sitting there, she felt this nudge in her spirit about this man. Beth immedietly said to God, "please do not make me go over there and talk to this man in front of all these people!" She felt the tug again...and again she repeated her plea to God. She felt the tug again but with more of a specific request from God. He basically told her that He wanted her to go over there and brush the mans hair. Beth was immedietly wanted to back-peddle and say..."Ok God, I will go and witness to him....BUT PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME GO OVER THERE AND BRUSH HIS HAIR!"
God basically said, "go and brush his hair'"

She sheepishly got up from her seat and walked over to where he was, knelt down in front of his wheelchair and said, "sir, would you give me the honor of brushing your hair?"
The man looked at her and loudly said, "WHAT?" Because he was hard of hearing.
She repeated what she had said before, but this time the older man replied..."young lady, if your wanting me to hear you your going to have to speak louder than that!"
So, Beth took a deep breath and said almost shouting, "Sir, would you give me the honor of brushing your hair!!"
Basically the whole airport was looking at her right then.
The old man said, "well, if you really want to.":
Beth told him that she only had one problem, that she did not have a brush with her.
He told her he had one in his bag.

She got the brush out and proceeded to brush his long, gray hair and get all the tangles out until is was smooth.

When she was done, she put his brush away and then asked him if he knew her Jesus. He replied that he did. That his bride would not marry him until he gave his life to the Lord and loved Him more than he currently loved her. So he did give his life to the Lord.

The old man went on to tell Beth that he was acctually on his way to see his wife. He had not seen her in quite some time because he had open heart surgery and some complications and that this would be the first time seeing her in months. When Beth approached him he was sitting there thinking was a mess he must look and how he wished he could look more presentable upon seeing her.

Beth then knew that by obeying that tug in her spirit, she truly was doing the will of God. She also stated that she knew that she had shown and felt the love of God for that man.

The mans flight was called and so he got on the plane, a stewardess came out and found Beth and asked her why she brushed that mans hair because he was sobbing on the plane and could not stop. Beth then had the opprotunity to share Jesus with her as well.

Weather its an old, thin, unkept man or a twenty-something man with facial tattoos......we never know when God may choose to come visit us in the form of another.
How often do you think you have rejected God?

Do you know a single mom right now that could use help with yard work? Load up your mower and go to her house and do it...don't wait to be asked.

Are you aware of an elderly person on a tight budget who needs medication? Go to their pharmacy and pay for a prescription for them annomously.

Its not always easy to hand over our time or money because its in the back of our mind that somoene else will do it. but what if they don't?

Melody showed how her actions made a difference to this guy. Noone else gave him the time of day...but because she has, he may get to know her Jesus too.

 

[zeroturbulence]

Thanks for shareing Melody.
There are so many who are comfortable with their lives that they do not step out and get their hands dirty every once in awhile.

I listen to a christian radio station....and they have this thing called, Make a difference Monday. People call in and share stories etc.
This morning they shared a story that Beth Moore (popular author and bible and conference speaker) experienced. It went something like this:

She was in an airport and noticed an elderly man sitting in a wheelchair. He looked quite frail, thin and a bit unkept. His clothes were to big on him, and his fingernails were long, and his gray hair was long and tangled.
As Beth was sitting there, she felt this nudge in her spirit about this man. Beth immedietly said to God, "please do not make me go over there and talk to this man in front of all these people!" She felt the tug again...and again she repeated her plea to God. She felt the tug again but with more of a specific request from God. He basically told her that He wanted her to go over there and brush the mans hair. Beth was immedietly wanted to back-peddle and say..."Ok God, I will go and witness to him....BUT PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME GO OVER THERE AND BRUSH HIS HAIR!"
God basically said, "go and brush his hair'"

She sheepishly got up from her seat and walked over to where he was, knelt down in front of his wheelchair and said, "sir, would you give me the honor of brushing your hair?"
The man looked at her and loudly said, "WHAT?" Because he was hard of hearing.
She repeated what she had said before, but this time the older man replied..."young lady, if your wanting me to hear you your going to have to speak louder than that!"
So, Beth took a deep breath and said almost shouting, "Sir, would you give me the honor of brushing your hair!!"
Basically the whole airport was looking at her right then.
The old man said, "well, if you really want to.":
Beth told him that she only had one problem, that she did not have a brush with her.
He told her he had one in his bag.

She got the brush out and proceeded to brush his long, gray hair and get all the tangles out until is was smooth.

When she was done, she put his brush away and then asked him if he knew her Jesus. He replied that he did. That his bride would not marry him until he gave his life to the Lord and loved Him more than he currently loved her. So he did give his life to the Lord.

The old man went on to tell Beth that he was acctually on his way to see his wife. He had not seen her in quite some time because he had open heart surgery and some complications and that this would be the first time seeing her in months. When Beth approached him he was sitting there thinking was a mess he must look and how he wished he could look more presentable upon seeing her.

Beth then knew that by obeying that tug in her spirit, she truly was doing the will of God. She also stated that she knew that she had shown and felt the love of God for that man.

The mans flight was called and so he got on the plane, a stewardess came out and found Beth and asked her why she brushed that mans hair because he was sobbing on the plane and could not stop. Beth then had the opprotunity to share Jesus with her as well.

Weather its an old, thin, unkept man or a twenty-something man with facial tattoos......we never know when God may choose to come visit us in the form of another.
How often do you think you have rejected God?

Do you know a single mom right now that could use help with yard work? Load up your mower and go to her house and do it...don't wait to be asked.

Are you aware of an elderly person on a tight budget who needs medication? Go to their pharmacy and pay for a prescription for them annomously.

Its not always easy to hand over our time or money because its in the back of our mind that somoene else will do it. but what if they don't?

Melody showed how her actions made a difference to this guy. Noone else gave him the time of day...but because she has, he may get to know her Jesus too.

What a beautiful story! Thank u for posting it Grace. It also made me realize that some of the people we thought were angels may be people who heard God sending them to us.

 

[Dread_Zeppelin]

Kiwi and Grace-

Those were beautiful stories. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear and experience life lessons straight from Jesus Himself. A very loving, interactive God!

 

[godsbluesman]

I understan completely-I used to run with some bad folk,and was known in my town as a troblemaker.i used to dress trashy,be part of a gang and I have tattoos on me.I still remember how I would be walkin down the street and watch people cross before i got to them to avoid me,even after I gave my life to christ..as I grow in God I havw noticed that slowly this stuff is ceasing and I think it was some kinda air I put accross. you are on the right course,I would be freind him-just polite convo cn go a long way here.from what you say,He may be open to christ.maybe he like me is trying to be a better person than he was before,maybe he feels he was mistaken in how he lived..Great post KIWI, I realize that more than ever,God is changing us all,as much as we allow.As for me and my house,we will serve the lord (pp)

BILL

 

[godsbluesman]

Grace....Thank you,that story was inspirational to me-I have,in the past, had these opportunities too.Doesn't it feel good to know that you are in God's will?
Bill

 

[seoulsearch]

Melody,

My best friend is in prison for a gang-related murder--when he tried to leave his own gang (while in prison), they tried twice to kill him. The only reason he's alive today is because God put him in places where older members who had tried to leave as well took him under their wing.

And as a friend, he has helped me more than the next 10 people combined.

My friend is black, and I can't tell you what it has been like on some of our visits, particularly one in which we were sitting no more than 3 feet away from a guy who was nothing but tattoos on every visible inch of his skin except his face--and even then, he had devil's horns tattooed on his temples. He was white and a member of the Aryan Brotherhood--one of the most notorious and violent gangs around, especially in the prison system--and was staring at us the entire time.

During part of the visit, we had been praying together.

But when he got back to his cell, this particular individual asked my friend what we were doing, and why.

There are times when I'm at church functions and/or listening to some well-meaning zealot lecture me to pieces without even listening to what I have to say... And you don't know how many times I'll say to myself, "God, I would so much rather be back at the prison praying with Ray!"

 

[loveschild]

Thanks your cool I'm glad there are people like you!