Every Sunday after church my teammates and I travel by foot about 2 kilometers to the nearby prison. Last Sunday was my day to preach at the prison.
We start by being escorted into a room with 38 male inmates. They aren't cuffed and they aren't behind bars. They are all sitting around the wall in their yellow shirts and shorts and holding their small Gideon bibles. Our ministry host Pastor Tomas introduced us to the prisoners and then I began to preach. I preach about God's love for them and how nothing they do can take away His love. I preach for about 25 minutes. During my sermon a man raises his hand. He says something in Swahili so I'm left in the dark to what he asks. He finishes quickly and our translator tells me to continue. Seeing the desperation in the mans face, I decline. I look at the translator slightly annoyed that I have to ask him what the mans question was. He tells me that the man would like for me to pray for him. I look at the man, smile, and give him a thumbs up and tell him when I am through preaching I will.
I finish and Pastor Tomas elaborates on my sermon. While he was speaking, me and the man who raised his hand make eye contact. The look in his eyes move me. Again I see despair. I just want to walk over and talk to him. I wait and Pastor Tomas tells all of the inmates to stand so we can pray for them all at once. The first thing I notice is that the man who wants me to pray for him is a foot taller than everyone in the room yet he has this vulnerability and gentleness about him. I ask the translator to see if the man would come to where I'm at. The man comes, smiles, and then falls to his knees. (To give you an idea of how tall he is while on his knees he was not far from my height.) He shakes my hand and I ask him his name. John. I dubbed him John the giant. I ask him what he needs prayer for and he tells me that he gets attacked by demons. I could feel the fear in this man. My heart broke with compassion. I said a prayer for John and declared freedom over him in the name of Jesus.
John gives thanks and smiles with gratitude. The men all sit down and Pastor shares a few more words before we are off. We begin walking out the door and I see John the giant waving and grinning at me full of joy. I was touched. Humbled, broken, and amazed by this sweet giant man. If you would say a prayer for John and these men here in Uganda. They have a big problem with lice in the prison and no phone to talk to their families.
With all my love,
Kendall
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” 2 Corinthians 3:17
