that time I didn’t know what to expect or what God was going to do. At the end of that night I was holding my hands into a jail cell to wipe
tears from an elderly woman who was behind the bars and later holding hands and praying with the women in that jail cell. In fact I wrote a blog about it so if you want to read more about it here is the link
Right after that night the El Salvadorian government passed
a new law that only family was allowed to visit the prisoners. I wanted so
badly to do prison ministry again. While in Uganda we told our pastor that we
wanted to go visit the prison one day and he found a way for us to go. It was a
Sunday afternoon when we finally got the chance.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I imagined it would be
close to the same thing as El Salvador. I thought perhaps we would be visiting
them while they were behind bars just like the first time I did prison
ministry. However as we walked into the courtyard of the prison the prisoners
were walking around freely, no bars, no chains. There were about 10 women
prisoners at the front of the courtyard all dressed in yellow jumpsuits one woman
with a baby in her lap. Then I noticed a group of about 70 men all dressed in
the same yellow jumpsuits sitting on the steps at the far end of the courtyard
just waiting patiently for us.
“One of you is going to preach” the pastor told us. “I’ll do
it” I said eagerly. I was so excited to be in the prison and to be doing prison
ministry again. Yet after I said that I realized I had only a few minutes to
figure out what I wanted to share with 70 prisoners who were all waiting to
hear what I had to say. “God just give me the right words” I prayed and then I
decided that I would just share the same message I had taught the kids in Sunday
school at the church that morning. It was the story of Jesus calming the storm
and Jesus walking on water.
and the women on the other side to hear you” they told me. So then I realized I
was going to have to scream. “I’m going to start by praying” I told them all
thinking mostly that God needed to help me with the message as well as to help
me be loud enough for all of them to hear me and also because I was nervous. I
was so thankful that God had brought me back into a prison to do prison
ministry but also that these 70 men were sitting here because they wanted to.
They were all looking at me with hunger in their eyes for the word of God and I
felt so respected by them. My message ended up being about how when we have
fear we start to sink but Jesus is always there to pull us up and back onto the
boat.
anyone wanted to accept Jesus and let go of fear in their lives. He said “I know most
of you are fearful, you fear about your families back home, you fear that your
wife is going to leave you before you get out, you fear about your court dates,
you fear about being here in prison. Have faith not fear and trust in Jesus.”
Then several men walked up for prayer. I wasn’t sure if they were praying to
accept Jesus because there were other men who wanted prayer for healing and I
was praying over them. After we were done praying I had several men walk up to
me shake my hand and tell me “Thank you mam for your message it really blessed
me”. I was so taken back that they were so respectful of me. I felt like these
70 men would protect me and stand up for me and that they truly honored me.
I wasn’t sure what my message had done that day but I knew
it was God who had given me the words and the love to stand in front of them.
It was one of the most rewarding moments of my life. I have always tried to
live by Isaiah 61 and that day made me feel like I was truly living that out.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord
has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness
the prisoners…”
Two days later pastor was driving us to church and he said “Suubi
(my name in Lugandan) I am so encouraged by your evangelism. 17 men accepted
Jesus at the prison on Sunday!”
I had no idea that 17 men had chosen to accept Jesus that
day. All I knew was I had loved that day. I had loved sharing good news to
those men and women. I loved being there in that prison. I was so happy God had
anointed me to preach the good news, to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim
freedom for the captives and set the prisoners free from darkness.
I just wanted to share this story to show you that God is
changing lives and setting the captives free from El Salvador to Uganda and he
is letting me be a part of it and you are a part of that for helping support me
in getting here so thank you for all of your love and support, you are helping
bring people into the kingdom!
