I cannot explain to you the extreme change that has happened in this one cell in the city jail. When I left back in September, this was one of the most intimidating places to visit, and now we can’t seem to spend enough time there. Day after day, our World Race team has visited this one cell and just poured out everything they have to give and the men can’t seem to get enough. They always ask when we’ll be back and what we’ll talk about tomorrow so they can study tonight. I know many of these men are battling loneliness and just want the visitors, but there are some exciting things happening in cell five.
Today, I stopped to talk with Adrian for a while. Adrian is a rare case in the fact that he actually has a college education. He’s not from the poorer community out here, and he actually speaks very good English. Back in September, I spoke to their cell. I didn’t think anyone heard a word I said, but sometimes, people will surprise you. Adrian remembered the message I taught them and wanted to know how he could apply it practically. I basically spoke on what it meant to be a man and the responsibilities we have as men.
One thing that stuck with Adrian was the idea of provision. He said that he could call himself a man when he was able to provide for his family. For him, this didn’t mean financial wealth, it just meant stability. Finally, he asked me, “How can I provide for my family from this prison cell? How can I provide if I cannot leave?” This may seem like a question with no happy answer, but it’s just the question I’ve been wanting these men to ask. I love the Gospel and will base my whole life on it and sharing it, but I love it when it takes practical hold on people’s lives.
Over the last year, I’ve been developing a business plan. One of the first things I spoke to each cell about was the fact that I was praying they would have to beg no more. I always told the men, that if they needed basic livelihood materials, I would help out, but I wouldn’t be around forever. Cell two quickly took hold of this, and instead of asking me to buy soap and shampoo, they asked me to buy beads. I’ve have never seen people create some of the beautiful things they can create out of beads. I started buying them beads, and before long, they started handing me cash to pay for the supply.
Now, cell two has a pretty productive business and not a single person in there begs or has to ask for handouts. Sure, family members will bring gifts of basic necessities, but if the men don’t have visitors, then the cell as a whole buys their supplies. When I was here in July, there was no running water for over three weeks. By the end of the first week, the smell was almost unbearable. The men in cell two gave me a sketch and around 800 pesos to go and buy a hose, a two liter bottle, and two ten gallon water jugs. A couple of days after I bought them the supplies, the men in cell two were taking showers with the excess rain water their contraption caught.
This news quickly spread to the rest of the cells, so everyone wanted to start creating a product. They asked for material and ideas, and the concept has very slowly progressed. For them, it was’t just about having something to kill the time, or having money to buy for themselves, but it was about the confidence to solve their own problems. I don’t need to tell them they’re living in extreme poverty and many things are unsanitary. They know that already. They just want to have the confidence to solve those problems.
Adrian sat me down today and said, “Teach me how to start a business. I don’t just want money, I want provision.” Many of the men in the other cells, sell their products and trade for beer and cigarettes. I asked Adrian how I could trust that if I made a $20 investment in him, he wouldn’t just trade it off for quick fixes. He looked disgusted by the question and just said, “Because there are so many other things that are much more important.” The only question I had left was, “Well then, what’s your product?”
These men may be here for way longer than they need to be, but it doesn’t mean they have to waste away. There minds can be sharp and their hopes for the future can be huge. It’s just a matter of fueling the right things and pointing them in the right direction…
