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Prison Ministry - by Böðvar Ásbjörnsson

Introduction - by Dirk Schmitt, AET Webmaster,

The words that follow come from a posting made by Böðvar. Every now and again, the topic of prison ministry comes up with all sorts of debate for and against. The below is one of the best for reasons that I have seen, mainly because it is not ephemeral in nature, but is what has really taken place, and shows the effect that Böðvar's work has had on folk. This work is as important as any other in my eyes, and a horn to Böðvar and the folk he deals with in prison for the progress that has been made.

Update: It is a sad time, but Böðvar has returned to the fold of the Hvita Krist. The reason it seems is the lack of a true sense of community within the different groupings of the Germanic Folkway as it stands. It's a great loss to our Folkway, but regardless, we shall continue forward in the spirit of our ancestors, even if some fall by the wayside.

Ulfrikr inn Hrafn (Dirk Schmitt), AET Webmaster

Teutoburg Kindred's slothful godhi finally got back to what's important. I tripped back to our friends in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hughes Unit today.

I'd not visited them last in July. Since then, we've packed house, attended Althing, settled in a new house, received our household goods, started a new job, and have wrestled with the business of day to day living -- from being arrested to getting our eldest son into the Army Reserve -- and haven't had the peace or time to attend to this important duty.

Today, it was finally time.

The wife Patti and I left today from San Antonio about a quarter to six, travelling the almost three hours to the facility. She dropped me off at the facility and proceeded to attend to other duties in the area. I went through the gates, doors and checkpoints to the prison chapel. I got there just about on time.

I'd arranged with the helpful and positive facility chaplain to have the inmates "laid in" (exempted from any work and allowed to travel to the chapel) for four hours. The *only* time the inmates can assemble is when I or another godhi is there to supervise.

As there *IS* no other godhi at present cleared by the TDCJ in Texas, that means that they're stuck with living around my schedule to celebrate the rites of our Folkway. With this heavy thought in mind, I was able to get them laid in for twice the time I'd seen them during the time I was able to meet them monthly.

I joked with the chaplain that I'd have to find a way to fill up four full hours. Even *I* can't speak for that long. I suggested learning how to fold balloon animals. We had a laugh.

As it turns out, it was no problems at all.

It's almost as if I'd never been gone.

Sixteen men showed up. Four of them I'd not seen before, and a few familiar faces were missing...but, the "old campaigners", those I'd been speaking with for the nearly year and a half of Teutoburg's ministry, were there.

We started out getting caught up on old news and new business, and right in the middle of this a discussion of why "free world people" might not approve or support prison ministries. That's been discussed here at length, and many of the reasons discussed here were given, with emphasis added. Many of the objections are quite valid -- a reason no more grounded that "because I don't wanna" are quite valid, to be honest, as we have so much to do, all of us -- and many there understood the reasoning.

This gave rise to a discussion of "racism", "racialism" and pride in folk, faith and family. It was discussed, but we moved along to a discussion of actions and consequences, preceptions and
responsibility for perceptions, and the rights and wrongs of conduct as addressed by the Noble Virtues.

The Noble Virtues -- the standard Nine, as usually presented -- have been addressed in every one of my visits, as they bear upon luck and reputation, and these guys eat this stuff up!

These guys live the Folkway, you see, or try to, under the most difficult circumstances, which any of them will admit are circumstances of their own creation. Most of them have lived lives
with little luck, and have seen the sticky underside of life. They put themselves in prison, and are daily reminded of their folly. That is why they value the Folkway so. It is an expression of what
is true and honorable and valuable in life.

One thing discussed was of particular interest to them, and might be to you reading. Asatru/the Folkway/Odinism (the way a good many penal institutions refer to our lifeway) is a *communal* faith. We celebrate *together*. The faith is inseparable from the people who celebrate it. It rose from them, and they celebrate in the company of their Elder Kin -- plainly, the Aesir and Vanir -- their ancestors, the Disir of their lines, and as a whole.

It came through to me that without their "free world representative", they were missing out of their communal celebrations. So, I swore to make it happen that I visit every two months -- quite a feat, as today's travels took 13 hours to complete -- while they likewise swore to keep their discipline clean and get more folks to attend.

Toward the end, we returned to the discussion of "racism" and the Folkway. One of the new fellows attending was heavily tattooed (as are many of them) with "white", "those uncomfortable sunwheels", and other provocative things on his arms...and his *face*, including, on one jawline, "Der Fuhrer". This got me to thinking, and it was also brought up again, when the earlier discussion of the matter wasn't altogether clear to one inmate.

I won't bore you with details -- I've been writing about this for years now, and speak it as fluently as I write it -- but suffice it to say that they were using "racist" to mean "proud of who I
am". "Strong for my race", is how they prefer to think of it, thinking that negative connotations are incorrect for this overheated word.

It's rather like the old "nigger is just a low person...there can be white niggers"...using a provocative word, redefining it, and being surprised when people understand it differently.

What I told them was that using a provocative word -- "racist" -- to describe prositive things is creating a preception for which one must be responsible. If one needs a word to describe someone who is proud of his family, his inheritance, his Gods, his Lore, his Folkway, his
people's history and contributions, and who wishes to ward the way for his children in a threatening world, I wouldn't use a negative word.

About someone so motivated and focused, I'd simply say "there goes a MAN". One expects a man to be strong for his people, his family, his children's futures. That goes without saying. If one isn't, one is still a child...or worse.

Likewise, one *expects* that one's black and brown and red neighbors are equally strong for their families, ancestors, cultures and folkways. One should expect pride from a man. A man without pride isn't much of a man, afterall.

Mind you, the use of "man" here was used by a man, among an all-male audience. It applies, of course, to women in equal measure.

All this was explained to an attentive audience, and I flatter myself that one or two may be weighing what was said, by myself and their fellow inmates, as I type this now.

We ended the day with a blot to AsaThor. Much has been made of the Einherjar lately, it being the season to honor them, and we determined to let them get back to their feasting and fighting. We decided to honor He Who Wards Our World, and we broke out the "soap horn" of the inmate kindred (four of the sixteen attending had long ago established a kindred, braving prison anti-gang regulations), and it was a powerful rite together. Wise, heartfelt words were spoken
by all in prase of the Hammer Wielder. Hail AsaThor!

I'll be returning during Yuletide, and the wife's already talking about trying to have a friend make her a hammer-shaped cookie cutter so that I can bring them little Yule tree and Sleipnir and hammer cookies to enjoy as we meet next time.

When I was ready to leave, the four members of Odin's Folk Kindred drew me aside and presented me with a gift which knocked my beard straight. While it is a well-recognized bozo no-no to accept gifts from inmates -- it sets off all sorts of warning lights and makes one
liable, the system says, for later blackmail from the inmates -- but this was a rule not drafted with heathens in mind. I've given the inmates of that facility over 30 books, some of my writings and some writings of others printed from online sources, and passed along gifts generously given by Pip, TAG Barbarasson, and others...so, being heathens, a gift requires a gift.

Somehow, they obtained a new copy of Hollander's Poetic Edda. This is no small feat, as inmates in Texas must rely on relatives to provide them with materials...as Texas inmates are allowed no money. None. They try to find ways of paying for things in postage stamps.

They took this valuable volume and clad it in a gently tooled leather cover. The cover is a true work of art. I will try to photograph it and post the photos in the list photo page, but here is a
description, just in case:

The cover shows the Teutoburg shield (a gladius tipped in red surrounded by three Roman eagles on a shield of green, bordered in black), surrounde by attractive knotwork. Atop the top knotwork sit two ravens, looking inward, and the words "poetic edda" in runes between them at breast level.

The back cover is a rectangle of similar knotwork, with a design of gripping snake eating a winged serpent, with the words "to bodvar from your odins folk kindred" in runes.

The spine has raised leather-thong weaving, ending in two silver buttons. The bottom button shows a triskellon surrounded by a runic inscription I've not been able to decipher yet, the top shows our kindred shield, the word "teutoburg" and olive branches, and all of this again surrounded by runes.

This was a gift patiently made and proudly bestowed. I cherish it!

Now, you see, I can stand with all of the other chapel volunteers, with their well-thumbed bibles in their leather zip-closured cases, the wisdom of our Folk in hand. I can proudly boast of the
workmanship of heathens behind the wire, who may not meet the expectations of many by being nasty, degraded racists. I can boast of knowing men who try their best to live the Folkway, are mindful of the debts they owe, and who are proud to pay them.

I have the evidence of this in hand.

Now, it's late, and I'm off to bed with thoughts of these men and our time together today, and go to sleep proud to have been of any assisance to such men as these.

Why do *I* take time out for a ministry to men in prison? To have days like this, that's why.

Hail the High Ones! Hail the Folk!

-- B

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