A little over a week ago, someone came up to me and said that an older woman, that looked like a beggar came up and asked for me by name. When my friend tried to clarify, the woman pulled out a picture of me baptizing her eldest son. As soon as I heard a little more about the family and the woman that was asking, I knew it had to be Jonna’s mom. I was quite touched to hear the story and that Jonna would give his mother the only picture of himself he had, so I had to go visit him.
A few months ago, Jonna was living in cell two at the jail and seemed to be living fairly peacefully. He was growing up to be one of our leaders and was really taking hold of the promises and the truths we were teaching. Unfortunately, a couple of months ago, there was a disagreement between Jonna and one of the men that didn’t want us to come back. Jonna stood up to him, and after the quarrel, they were told one of them had to move. While the other man didn’t want anymore visitors to come to the cell, he still didn’t want to move. Jonna took a hit, and moved out of the cell where he met Jesus, and into a whole new territory.
Much like most of the men in this prison, Jonna got mixed up in drugs and eventually ran out of luck. He’s been in jail now for a few years with no real sign of getting released anytime soon. However, he has developed into quite the leader and has even joined up with a group of men I call my “dream team”, or the guys that are just constantly seeking more of Jesus. Over the last couple of months, these men, that are by choice represented in every cell, have been allowed to have an intimate, disciple type Bible study led by the inmates themselves. I had never heard of it until this afternoon. This was something they’ve been doing all on their own.
Jonna is probably the youngest, at least he looks a good decade younger than the rest, and he’s still trying to find out what his place as a leader is. He wants to start leadership development training with me so that he can know how to lead his new cell. He is very quiet and shy, but he seems to be asking the perfect questions. I sat and talked with him for a while, because for the first time in several months, his mother was able to come visit. He was out in the visiting area and asked that I would join the two of them. When his mother pulled out the wrinkled picture, I could tell she was proud of her son.
This man hasn’t has anything near an easy past and by the looks of it, he may be around for a good portion of his future. However, what Satan intends for evil and destruction, God can turn for His glory. Jonna is a leader in this prison and is just beginning to realize what God has for him…
