By Lauryn Eason
About two weeks ago, I got back from the best trip of my life – one that I’ve been preparing for
academically, emotionally, mentally, relationally, and spiritually. March 1, I flew out to Kampala, Uganda with Pepperdine Law School to participate in the Prison Project, which aims to build capacity for Ugandan lawyers and law students as they implement guilty plea bargaining throughout Uganda’s justice system. I worked with some of the most brilliant and compassionate people I’ve ever met. Here’s the highlights:
-On our last workday, our team congratulated 13 remandees who were immediately released from prison as they walked out of the prison gates. We gave out high fives and congratulated them by name as they ran through our makeshift arm-tunnel and into their new lives as free men.
-Our team successfully identified two survivors of forced labor trafficking, leading to their immediate
release and return to their families, communities, and tribes who will keep them safe. One of them is
pictured below. Her name is *Lily! She was arrested at 17 for stealing from her trafficker to escape, but
no one knew she’d been trafficked until we identified her during plea bargaining. She had been missing from her family for over a year and a half. After her release, when asked about her dreams for the future, she told us she wants to study to be a lawyer once her family can save the money for her to go back to school. The driver sent us a picture of her with her mom when she got home.
-Our teams of American and Ugandan advocates and students served hundreds of clients, most of whom had never spoken with an attorney or been before a judge. Now, the next generation of Ugandan advocates have gained practical experience implementing plea bargaining in their own country – and the rest of Africa is paying attention to their work. I was incredibly impressed by the judges and prosecutors, whose trauma-informed approach benefited all parties involved. It was a pleasure to negotiate with them!
-On the plane from Entebee to Amsterdam, I saw a lady walking up and down the aisles praying while I got up to stretch my legs. I tapped her and asked who she was praying to. She said, “Jesus.” We got to talking and it turns out she was on her way to go speak at the UN Commission on Women’s Rights in New York. She runs a nonprofit whose objective is to provide community support, mental health treatment, and reintegration services for prisoners, especially upon release.
I learned last week that the highs in this job are incredibly high, and that the lows often feel hopelessly low. Our team experienced the full range of both of those throughout the week. If I had to pick one emotion to describe the week, it would be humbled. When I read about the beginnings of the Prison Project in “Love Does” by Bob Goff at 18 years old before I even knew it officially existed, I never could have imagined I’d get to take part in that work. Not even when I went to law school.
During this externship, the Lord reminded me that He doesn’t need me in order get someone out of
prison. He doesn’t need me to catch the people falling through the cracks of imperfect institutions and escaping the gaze of imperfect people. He doesn’t need me. I merely get the privilege to accept the invitation to partner with Him in the work that He is already doing. I’m just a vessel – and He cares so much more than I do.
There is still much work to be done, but nothing changes overnight. So I’ll keep working: one person, one dismissal memo, one guilty plea bargain, one training, one “how did you sleep last night?”, one bill, one policy, one relationship, one partnership at a time. Until all enslaved are truly free.
Thank you, Regent University School of Law for providing and equipping me for this incredible opportunity!
*Lily’s name has been changed to protect confidentiality.
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice student staff member. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.