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Celebration of Healing: Report from the Sycamore Tree Project® – Pilot at Acacia Prison
Last modified 2006-01-04 13:47
28 people, both men and women, sit in a circle facing inwards. It is morning. Among them, dotted about in random fashion, are 9 men in green, the clothes marking them out as prisoners. We are in a large classroom, a cross and some stained glass windows identifying this as a chapel. The location - Acacia private prison - a loose block of buildings, 50 kilometres East of Perth, heavily fortified by razor wire indicating its maximum security classification. Around us are the living and working quarters of about 750 inmates (this is the largest of WA’s prisons) and a large number of security personnel. It is Friday 11th November 2005. There are smiles and an atmosphere of peace, confidence - even of joy - among those present.
A prisoner reads from a one thousand word letter he has written.
A woman then reads with deep emotion from a prepared statement. She tells a story of profound pain arising from the molestation of one family member by another. She has lived in an environment in which “everything was a lie”.
“When I started the project, all I wanted to do, was simply to start dealing with the pain….. I felt right from the start that I was the weak link in the chain. Everybody else seemed so in charge of their feelings…I woke up some mornings in the pit of despair…..One day I realized that I had opened my heart to a few people. I had only intended to take a small step outside but, instead, a huge crowd had entered my life”
She goes on to say that as she looked around her she realized that everyone was struggling with their own problems. “In that moment I made a huge discovery. They had all become my friends. I had bonded with them in a way you can only bond with someone that you share deep wounds and pain with. We have been tied together in the most amazing way and I have found love again. I have found healing and understanding and acceptance in the deepest part of this prison because you were willing to listen and affirm me and my feelings and not mock or ridicule me. The Sycamore Tree Project has changed my life”
A prisoner in the circle speaks. He is a young man, his crimes drug related - he himself fighting addiction. Quietly he describes how difficult he is finding his imprisonment to be. He says he (his name is Joe) identifies with another man called “Joe” (Joseph) who according to the Old Testament story was thrown by his brothers into a pit. In his struggles he had found great encouragement and hope in participating in the course.
A tall Maori woman stands and addresses the group. She describes how, a few years ago, her husband had been brutally murdered; how devastated she was - the bitterness she had felt towards the offender. She had visited him in prison on a number of occasions to confront him - “he would never meet my eyes”. She tells how the man had a wife and children and how she felt that she was a widow, her children fatherless and her grandchildren without one of their grandfathers. “I wanted to kill him” she says.
She goes on to describe how after 3 years she decided she could not go on with this bitterness and due to her Christian faith was gradually able to let go some of the feelings. Much sadness remained however. She tells how she could never look at a water melon because whenever she saw one - particularly one cut open - she immediately recalled the wounded head of her murdered husband.
“That changed 3 Sundays ago”, she says, “after the fourth session of the Course. I got a water melon, sliced it open and ate it. It wasn’t a problem any more”. She continues describing how healing the Sycamore Tree Project had been for her, thanking each of the prisoners who had been with her on the Course individually for their care for her. To the last prisoner who had been especially kind she says (with a laugh) “keep going like that and you could be my next husband!”
Another prisoner speaks. “I am a sex offender. I never thought I would have the opportunity to meet with any victim”. He recounts how astounded and moved he had been by hearing these victims’ stories. It had caused a total shift in his consciousness. For many years he had had difficulty making any progress in his faith. ”Every time I thought of giving myself to God I seemed to myself such a hypocrite. A few days ago I finally found the courage and surrendered to Him”
Another visitor to the prison speaks and tells a strange story of being imprisoned for a murder he did not commit only to be acquitted many years later after his sentence had been served. “I have seen it from both sides” he says “even though I did not do the crime I was treated as if I had – so I have the feelings from both perspectives – of the victim and the offender – this course has been helpful to me”
A prisoner rises and thanks all the victims for their courage in taking part in the Course. He has written a letter in which he says “I have a greater understanding and insight into the damage I have caused” In the letter he promises a payment of One Thousand Dollars for the relief of victims of crime upon his release from the proceeds of his work (he is a skilled craftsman)
And so it continues until all the Course Participants (11 in total) have shared their experiences in this, the first pilot of STP conducted in Australia. Each participant receives a Certificate of Achievement from the Chairman of PFWA. Some of the prisoners present (who did not participate in the Course) are themselves anxious for the next Course to start and we promise to be back “in February/March - but we need more victims to volunteer”.
This report was submitted by Michael Cockram of Prison Fellowship Australia (Western Australia).
January 2006
A woman then reads with deep emotion from a prepared statement. She tells a story of profound pain arising from the molestation of one family member by another. She has lived in an environment in which “everything was a lie”.
“When I started the project, all I wanted to do, was simply to start dealing with the pain….. I felt right from the start that I was the weak link in the chain. Everybody else seemed so in charge of their feelings…I woke up some mornings in the pit of despair…..One day I realized that I had opened my heart to a few people. I had only intended to take a small step outside but, instead, a huge crowd had entered my life”
She goes on to say that as she looked around her she realized that everyone was struggling with their own problems. “In that moment I made a huge discovery. They had all become my friends. I had bonded with them in a way you can only bond with someone that you share deep wounds and pain with. We have been tied together in the most amazing way and I have found love again. I have found healing and understanding and acceptance in the deepest part of this prison because you were willing to listen and affirm me and my feelings and not mock or ridicule me. The Sycamore Tree Project has changed my life”
A prisoner in the circle speaks. He is a young man, his crimes drug related - he himself fighting addiction. Quietly he describes how difficult he is finding his imprisonment to be. He says he (his name is Joe) identifies with another man called “Joe” (Joseph) who according to the Old Testament story was thrown by his brothers into a pit. In his struggles he had found great encouragement and hope in participating in the course.
A tall Maori woman stands and addresses the group. She describes how, a few years ago, her husband had been brutally murdered; how devastated she was - the bitterness she had felt towards the offender. She had visited him in prison on a number of occasions to confront him - “he would never meet my eyes”. She tells how the man had a wife and children and how she felt that she was a widow, her children fatherless and her grandchildren without one of their grandfathers. “I wanted to kill him” she says.
She goes on to describe how after 3 years she decided she could not go on with this bitterness and due to her Christian faith was gradually able to let go some of the feelings. Much sadness remained however. She tells how she could never look at a water melon because whenever she saw one - particularly one cut open - she immediately recalled the wounded head of her murdered husband.
“That changed 3 Sundays ago”, she says, “after the fourth session of the Course. I got a water melon, sliced it open and ate it. It wasn’t a problem any more”. She continues describing how healing the Sycamore Tree Project had been for her, thanking each of the prisoners who had been with her on the Course individually for their care for her. To the last prisoner who had been especially kind she says (with a laugh) “keep going like that and you could be my next husband!”
Another prisoner speaks. “I am a sex offender. I never thought I would have the opportunity to meet with any victim”. He recounts how astounded and moved he had been by hearing these victims’ stories. It had caused a total shift in his consciousness. For many years he had had difficulty making any progress in his faith. ”Every time I thought of giving myself to God I seemed to myself such a hypocrite. A few days ago I finally found the courage and surrendered to Him”
Another visitor to the prison speaks and tells a strange story of being imprisoned for a murder he did not commit only to be acquitted many years later after his sentence had been served. “I have seen it from both sides” he says “even though I did not do the crime I was treated as if I had – so I have the feelings from both perspectives – of the victim and the offender – this course has been helpful to me”
A prisoner rises and thanks all the victims for their courage in taking part in the Course. He has written a letter in which he says “I have a greater understanding and insight into the damage I have caused” In the letter he promises a payment of One Thousand Dollars for the relief of victims of crime upon his release from the proceeds of his work (he is a skilled craftsman)
And so it continues until all the Course Participants (11 in total) have shared their experiences in this, the first pilot of STP conducted in Australia. Each participant receives a Certificate of Achievement from the Chairman of PFWA. Some of the prisoners present (who did not participate in the Course) are themselves anxious for the next Course to start and we promise to be back “in February/March - but we need more victims to volunteer”.
This report was submitted by Michael Cockram of Prison Fellowship Australia (Western Australia).
January 2006