Imagine you are being taking care of by someone that doesn’t like you very much. You are 64 but you feel much older. Your face is weathered, your eyes are sunken, your hair is wispy gray, your skin is wrinkled. It takes you awhile to get up and you shuffle slowly with your back bent so it looks as though you’re constantly looking down.
You lie on a piece of wood and try and get comfortable but there’s not a whole lot of room to move around as there is a person sleeping right next to you. 
Your thoughts drift to your son. Your precious son. He died last October of bone cancer. He left behind seven sons and a daughter. You haven’t seen them in a long time. Your eyes prick with unshed tears as you think about all your family, your many sons, daughters and grandchildren that haven’t visited. Every holiday, every Christmas, New Years, Birthday you wait in anticipation for your family’s arrival. Surely they will come and see you but no one comes. You feel so very alone. You’re surrounded by women (67 to be exact). They share this one room with you.
They are everywhere. 
They are younger, more fit. Imagine the smells, the sounds of 68 people living so closely together. You feel sick. You struggle with diabetes, asthma and heart problems. You feel about 99 years old. You feel sad and empty and kind of scared. When will you get out and who will be there when that time comes?
You are snapped out of your pain-filled thoughts by the sound of breakfast coming. Today it’s watery brown soup with rice. It was the same yesterday too and it will probably be the same tomorrow. Soon you hear that the missionaries from the States have arrived for Bible study with you. You slowly stand and meet with everyone in the communal area. You are sad but you smile, you greet the missionaries with such kindness. 
They teach you a song about praising God that has a silly dance with it. You sing and dance along with everyone else. Your name is Benny and your the oldest women in the prison here in the Philippines.
Meet Benny……
Benny is one of so many that are in prison for former drug use. She is a very special friend of mine. We talk about God a lot and spend time praying whenever I visit the prison (which is about 3 times a week). The language barrier makes it a bit difficult sometimes but I believe she has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Please keep her in your prayers.
