Graffiti project update

It's funny how doing something as simple as an art project can run so deep. The graffiti project I talked about a couple of posts ago has uncovered a scary truth. We made the piece for a health conference, which was yesterday. It was hanging up, and one of the guys, John, on the Innerchange team (who does art and knows a ton about this neighborhood) was there. I had wanted to talk to him about what I should do regarding the boys dad who wasn't that he was spray painting. Well, John gave it one look and saw our names written at the bottom corner. The boy who had painted it with me wrote his and his friends name down in what is called "crazy writing." Many people can't read the letters of crazy writing because they're distorted. Well, John goes on to tell me that, in this neighborhood, the gangs have enveloped all of the tag teams (teams that do graffiti together.) And that each gang has a very unique and recognizable form of writing. And that the writing shown on our artwork had one of those very recognizable styles.
So what that means, is that this boy who helped me (who's only in 8th grade, is as sweet as can be, hangs out with his family, is a good kid) has somehow become familiar with one particular gang. Now, I'm quite sure he's not part of one, yet. But the fact that he was reproducing their tag-style means he either knows someone who has shown him or that he wants to emulate it. Either one is a dangerous step towards eventually being part of a gang.
I can't imagine this fantastic kid going into that life. It may be easy to look at gang guys and their destructive lives and think they're no good and never were. It's a whole other story when you know the kid before all of that. I was counseled not to confront him about this, but rather to just continue giving him opportunities to learn and experience new things. John told me that in this neighborhood the greatest deterrent to a kid joining a gang is if they have a good reason that makes them want to leave their neighborhood. Because when you're part of a gang you no longer have the freedom to do that, to go into others territories.
Yesterday through this and also through things that were being talked about at the urban health conference, I was overwhelmed by a sense of needing to pray. We have a creative God who loves us. He has "endowed us with splendor." (Is 55:5) He created us so wonderfully and living the life of gangs and living in impoverished conditions with no access to health care are not evidences of the glory of God. I believe God does want to express his glory...I see tidbits every day. Pray that it would be expressed here.