The Everyday Club

7/21/10         Rico,         about 45
While at the park today I met Rico, a middle aged man from Puerto Rico. He was hard to talk with because he was very emotional and opinionated. He would try to answer my questions about his beliefs, but but easily lost focus and rambled to different subjects. He seemed to have some church background and was familiar with the Bible, but had a lot of anger toward society in general and the police in particular. I found out what I think is a major source of his anger and frustration - his teenage son is in prison for five years and Rico believes he is an innocent victim.  Talking about his son brought him to tears, but talking about his own goodness and desire to do good brought him to tears also.  All three examples he told me of why he believes God would say he is "98% good" had to do with helping people in wheelchairs - one from over 15 years ago. I tried to get him to see that much of the "good" we do is only that which God rightfully expects us to do in the first place, but Rico didn't want to hear that and seems to want to be in the role of the good and innocent victim who is being mistreated by an unjust society.  I wanted to be of some sort of spiritual help so I offered to pray for him and his son and family. Rico appreciated my concern and prayer and I was glad to be a blessing to him in this way.