I was able to start a new type of ministry this month with Pan Y Chocolate. It was working in the jails with the women. We were able to visit with them and bring them food. Only their families or friends can bring them food during the day, and if you do not have either of those, or they did not bring you anything to eat, you just go hungry all day.
I felt a lot of love for these women the instant I saw them. There were confined in an extremely small and extremely hot room, no bigger than 6 by 6 feet. There were 18 of them in there (the men were much more crowded) the cell was complete with a toilet within open viewing to anyone. The woman had to really look out for each other and hide each other for privacy. When being served with the soup and bread, they always passed it onto the others and took last.
When some off the workers were going over the Bible with them, the women were eager to listen and were HUNGRY for the word of God. They were attentive and silent during the readings, they would underline and highlight their favorite parts. They were ingesting every piece they could get. When the workers finished, they looked at us. I shared a few of my favorite verses but the workers did not know English, so of course it was a battle to get the point across.
Then a lovely woman came by to help us speak to them. I got to know most of their names and truly enjoyed getting to know bits and pieces of their lives. I would love to do one on one with each of them.
These woman had worth and beauty in the Lord. I wanted them to see themselves as God sees them. Carin and I spoke with them for awhile and then prayed over them. It was hard to say goodbye to them. I did not know how long they would be there, if we were coming back, and if I would see them again.
I was excited on a Tuesday night when we pulled up to the jail again. Five or six of the same women were there and excited to see us. This time it was much more informal and revolved around discussions of their lives and children.
Almost all of the woman had a tattoo of some dude they were no longer dating on some part of their body. They had asked about the bird on my foot and it ended up as a crazy session of the woman showing off their tattoos.
You do not always have to speak about the Bible or God to show Christ to people.
We didn’t have a translator but the Lord really stepped in and gave us understanding and words to speak to them. It was Ashley, Andrea and I.
I was the only one who spoke with them the last time, but Andrea and Ashley felt the same burst of love that I had.
We then proceeded into a hilarious discussion about PIOJOS– a word I have become very familiar with this month. I knew it instantly when they said it!
It means LICE! All the woman are battling lice and I could sympathize and empathize with them, as I too have been battling lice for the last three weeks. I cannot seem to get rid of it-even after four treatments and countless hours of my wonderful family picking through my hair (thanks Carin, Jessica, Andrea, Lili and Mariella)
So Tuesday, I I hope to bring them lice treatments, so they can get relief from the licees even if it is only for a short time.
God has a plan for all of these men and women, and I’ve LOVED visiting them, talking with them, hearing about their life, and telling them it does not matter what they’ve done, it matters what’s been done for them-the fact that Christ died for them.
And we are not defined by our past, but seen in perfection.
Psalm 139: 13-14: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
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