Online Archives

BY BARBARA COWARD
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT

Drop by Casa del Pueblo UMC in Washington on any afternoon and there might be 35 or 40 young people punching each other. Not the sort of activity you would expect to see happening in a church.

However, these are 'spiritual' punches being thrown as part of the church?s boxing ministry program.

This unusual ministry, perhaps the only one of its kind, was launched to address the growing number of crimes in the Columbia Heights/Mt. Pleasant community.

'Columbia Heights has 15 gangs in the area who have been terrorizing people,' said the Rev. John M?Akwalu, pastor of Casa del Pueblo UMC. 'We want to make a difference in the lives of diverse youths (Latinos, Asians and African Americans) who are looking to make a difference in their own lives rather than join the gangs that have their roots in the neighborhood. It is an aggressive program intended to be an instrument of change. They have seen the results of gang violence to their friends and they want to be different.'

The strategy is all about engaging the minds of youth when they are not busy.

'The idle mind is the devil?s workshop,' said M?Akwalu, quoting an old adage. 'Most killings happen between 4 and 6 p.m. when kids are out of school.'

Located in the basement of the church, Keely?s Boxing Gym, operated by lightweight boxing world champion Keely Thompson Jr., has become the area?s premier anti-gang, youth violence prevention program by appealing to the interests of teens in the multi-cultural community.

Many of the youth love boxing and basketball, M?Akwalu said.

'We put them in the ring to release their anger and teach them to manage the anger. Punching is a way to tell them that anger doesn?t have to be released negatively. They get discipline, pastoral care and anger management.'

But the boxing ministry is about much more than the ring itself. The program offers self-improvement activities like aerobics, computer skills, health education and literacy. A key component is three hours of counseling.

'The best gift you can ever give to a person is your ears,' said M?Akwalu. 'Unless you listen to people and the crises they?ve been through, you can?t help them.'

M?Akwalu sees anger as the root of much of the violence in the community.

'Many (young people) kill because of frustration, pent up anger or disagreements with the family,' he said. 'It is like mountain lava that erupts in anger. We try to talk to them to open up and we provide confidentially so they trust and continue to work with us.'

Casa del Pueblo has a long history of changing young people?s lives. Various boxing programs were started in the 1970s and early ?80s and a previous minister tried basketball ministry.

But when M?Akwalu arrived in 2002, there was nothing going on. 'When I was appointed, it was a large building with no congregation,' he said.

So M?Akwalu called local D.C. Council member Jim Graham to find out about renting the gym. He was interested in starting a boxing ministry program, but needed funding. A $40,000 government grant helped to launch it.

The initiative evolved into a partnership between M?Akwalu, Graham, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, who officially opened the gym in the summer of 2003. Now the gym is active again, with between 400 to 500 young people participating each year.

The gym provides a safe haven for both boys and girls who range in age from 10 to 18 years old. It is open six days a week, from 3 to 8 p.m. During school vacations, the hours are extended from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The result is a remarkable difference in crime statistics in the community. Last year, the crime rate in the area decreased by 40 percent, said M?Akwalu.

Just as telling are the personal stories that illustrate the program?s far reaching appeal. A 23-year-old former gang leader in New York wrote a letter to the church expressing his appreciation.

'He said that it was the first time that somebody was concerned about his life,' said M?Akwalu. 'He wrote, ?You are telling me that I can be somebody. Now I would like to get a job.?'

For M?Akwalu, the 'transformational gym' is all about understanding the needs of the community.

'In any church, we are spiritual leaders not only in the church but in the community,' said M?Akwalu. 'Every church must reach out and study the needs of the community and people will follow you. Rather than go out on the streets and tell the youth about Jesus, you need to create a ministry.'

It all goes back to the notion of 'spiritual punches.' 'It is a theological expression about the war between good and evil,' said M?Akwalu. 'We?ve seen that good always prevails. I love changing somebody?s life.'