A Tale of Two Citizens

A Tale of Two Citizens  or ...

Cru, Terrorism and the Mafia

This past April much of the world was riveted by the fatal bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  The subsequent manhunt in and lockdown of the nation’s 5th largest metropolitan area was like a reality crime movie.  Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was apprehended, bleeding, hiding inside a boat on the north side of the city.  

We learned that Dzhokhar was a student at UMass Dartmouth, where there is a growing Cru movement.  The college had been evacuated as federal agents searched Dzhokhar’s dorm room for clues, weapons et al.  We were reminded of another UMD student ...

Two years ago, a sophomore named “Goose” began hanging out with Cru students at UMD after a few of them had an initial spiritual conversation with him in the dining hall.  Goose eventually came along with them to the Epicenter Winter Conference in Jan. 2012.  During Epicenter, with the encouragement of his friends, Goose put his trust in Christ.  Through a session in the conference where he learned to tell the story of his personal faith journey, this young believer came to grips with abuse he’d experienced all his life from his father.  Goose began the process of forgiving his dad.  

Goose began to grow in Christ, continuing to take steps of obedience as he experienced more forgiveness and grace.  Last winter Matt L, a staff member at UMD, was surprised to find Goose knocking at his door early one morning, at a time much earlier than college students are ever up and about.  Goose told Matt he wanted to get out of the Mafia.  What?!  Cru has specialized in training over the years.  We have manuals and booklets teaching How to Share Your Faith, How to Pray, How to Study the Bible.  But we didn’t seem to have a copy of How to Get Out of the Mafia.  

Goose had been born into the Providence Mafia.  Now that he was learning about the Gospel, he wanted to get out, but didn’t know how.  The Mafia is like the Hotel California - you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave.  Many, many of us were praying for Goose and for the Christian students rallying around him.  A couple of months later, Goose knocked on Matt’s door for a second early morning wake-up.  This time, Goose was bruised and beaten up, but had a slight smile on his face.  He told Matt, “They let me go!”  Goose had to meet with the bosses, was questioned intensely, given a thrashing ... and then released!

Two students on the same college campus started out the same in many ways.  Both needed a place to belong and needed that community to offer them not only relationships but also a purpose greater than themselves.  Because of the community they found and the mission they were invited into, one is now trapped in bondage, violence and death.  The other has been liberated into real life and hope.  Through Christ and His loving followers, Goose found the courage to do what’s right.  Through the misguided messages of a false community, Dzhokhar sank deeper into fear and evil.  

The earthly circumstances and events of most college students don’t end up on CNN.

But the choices made are real and lasting. 

Thank you for your role in helping to move students closer to life in Christ and away from the kingdom of darkness.