October
05, 2003
Chinese
Version
NEW YORK, United States - Celebrating
the release of a young man from jail.
Two months ago, I received a letter from
him. It read:
"Dear Sister Kang,
The judge has re-examined my case. If I am released, I will
definitely call you. I thank you for your trust and support
all these years.
Yours sincerely,
Johnny
7/14/2003"
Overjoyed at Johnny's news, I mumbled to
myself, "Johnny's getting out! Johnny's getting out!
He's finally going to get a second lease on life!"
This morning, I was somewhat depressed after
my son and I took our dog to the veterinarian. When we got
home, the "message waiting" light on our answering
machine was blinking. It was Johnny, who had just been released
from jail. I immediately returned his call. Hearing his voice
again after eight years, I was both speechless and tearful.
A $100 check to help the needy
I first learned of Johnny in the winter
of 1993. He and his friend David wrote to Tzu Chi from a prison
in New York. They sent a check for one hundred dollars to
help the needy.
"We hope this small amount will help
to bring hope to the world. Due to our current situation,
we are not able to give more. We hope this $100 can be of
help."
Their good deed touched me deeply. I started
to correspond with them. It would have been ten years this
autumn.
In 1994 and 1995, a few friends and I visited
Johnny and David in prison. After several lengthy conversations,
we found that they both deeply regretted their past.
Incarcerated at the age of 18
Johnny immigrated from Taiwan to New York
with his family when he was 12 years old. He was in seventh
grade at the time. Unable to keep up in school, he started
to skip classes with his friends. In 1991, at the age of 18,
he was caught and sent to prison. The event shook him.
Inside the prison, he felt scared and hopeless.
He began to ponder the meaning of life. He started to learn
the Buddhist teachings. Determined to turn his life around,
he started to study for a general education diploma (GED,
equivalent to a US high school diploma), and he planned to
take college courses in prison.
A few months later, Johnny passed his GED.
This boosted his confidence for the prison college. To earn
money for the tuition, he worked in the kitchen preparing
food for more than a thousand people. He worked eight hours
a day at an hourly wage of 25 cents. He was later promoted
to head cook and then to manager. His wage went up to 65 cents,
for a total of $104 a month.
Determined to turn his life around
Aside from his regular $100 donation to
Tzu Chi, Johnny saved the rest of his hard earned wages. He
said he had to resist temptation whenever his cellmates enjoyed
their snacks. On occasion, he'd even get mad at himself. His
cellmates called him a cheapskate, knowing that he would never
spend money on food. They didn't understand him.
After a year and a half, he finally saved
over a thousand dollars to pay for four or five classes. When
he received his first A ever, everything changed. He became
more confident. After that, he woke early every morning to
study. He sacrificed his leisure time to study. Every second
was precious. He no longer felt he was just waiting for the
end of his sentence.
Besides studying and working, Johnny prayed
and meditated every day to strengthen his contemplation. He
became a vegetarian. Since vegetarian food was not standard
prison fare, he often ate only white rice or pasta to maintain
this precept. This self-imposed austerity was his way of repenting
for his sins. He was determined to turn his life around.
There is always hope
In these twelve years, Johnny has changed
from a reckless teenager to a responsible man. He took more
than 40 classes and expects to receive his college diploma
by the end of this year. At the same time, new information
has emerged concerning his case. He had hopes for renewed
freedom.
When I saw him one early autumn afternoon,
it felt like a dream. We embraced. His handsome face and his
happy laughter made the whole world bright.
Johnny matured in the eight years since
I last saw him. There was so much to say and I didn't know
where to begin. During the ten years of our correspondence,
I had witnessed his journey to enlightenment. I am immensely
proud of him.
I am confident that Johnny, having risen
like a phoenix from the ashes, will overcome all obstacles
in his new life. As I always told him, "There is always
hope. God will always help those who help themselves."
Keep up the good work, Johnny! I hope society will give him
a chance to rebuild his life.
