A Tale of Two Bobs and Two Harriets

A caterpillar escapes its cocoon in San Diego, causing a butterfly to flap its wings in Baton Rouge, which changes the passenger list of a plane departing Uganda.  Two Bobs changed the lives of two Harriets.

Why?  Because both Bobs understand that Love Does, and both Harriets want to transform their country.

One of my heroes is San Diego lawyer Bob Goff.  He is primarily responsible for my life taking a sharp turn five years ago into the southern hemisphere.  Bob wrote a book called Love Does in which he tells lots of funny, interesting, and incredible stories of love in action.  About a year ago, another Bob read Love Does in his men’s group and was less than convinced Bob Goff was for real.  Retired Louisiana State Court Judge Bob Downing was more than a little skeptical about some of the stories he read, particularly those having to do with Bob’s work in Uganda.

After discovering a connection between the Ugandan work described in Love Does and Pepperdine Law School, Judge Bob called Pepperdine and was transferred to me.

“I wanted to let you know that Bob Goff appears to be taking credit in his Love Does book for the work you are doing in Uganda,” he said.

“Not as much as he should be,” I responded.

Over the next forty-five minutes, Judge Bob and I chatted about Bob Goff, Uganda, and the practice of law.  We became fast friends.  At the end of the call, he said, “Well, I know what I am eating for lunch tomorrow at the men’s Bible study.”

“Oh yeah?  What’s that?”

“Crow.  I will be admitting I was wrong about Bob Goff.”

Over the next few months, Judge Bob and I e-mailed and chatted periodically.  After my return from Uganda last July when I spent a bunch of time in a Ugandan maximum security prison, Judge Bob asked whether I’d ever thought about bringing prison officials out to the United States for training and idea exchanges, like we do with the Ugandan judges. “I have spent some time working with the folks at what used to be the bloodiest and most awful prison in American – Angola State Penitentiary just north of Baton Rouge.  The warden there, Burl Cain, is doing some phenomenal things and it is one of the best prisons in America now.”

“I haven’t actually ever thought about it,” I confessed.  “That sounds like a great idea, but I wouldn’t know where to start arranging it or raising funds to make it happen.”

“If you think it is a good idea and if you think you can get the Ugandans to come, I’ll work on the other aspects,” he replied.  “In the meantime, I am going to send you the book written about Warden Cain and Angola.  Read it and let me know what you think.”

A couple days later, “Cain’s Redemption: A Story of Hope and Transformation in America’s Bloodiest Prison” arrived.  I was blown away by the work the warden had done.

A couple months later, Judge Bob had secured a grant from his church (First Presbyterian of Baton Rouge) to pay for five prison officials to come, and had secured permission from Angola for a group of Ugandans to spend a couple days there.

A couple days ago, I flew to Louisiana to greet this group of Ugandans at the New Orleans airport as they stepped off the plane.

Two of them are named Harriet.

Jim and Bob Downing Conspiring to Assist the Ugandan Prison Authority

Judge Bob with Ugandan Prison Officials he Brought to Louisiana

More tomorrow on what promises to be a life-changing trip for all of us.