A couple of weeks ago, I told you about one of the inmates I have spent some one on one time with, Bernie. He is the type of guy that is always smiling, always joyful, and always telling me what he wants to praise God about. However, a little over a week ago, I walked up to his cell and he wouldn’t even sit up to greet me. He just laid there and said he didn’t want to talk today. Well, that wouldn’t settle with me, so I pushed a little and asked him why. I was finally able to get out of him that he was depressed because he got a message from his mother that she wouldn’t be able to visit for his birthday.
I knew family was important to Bernie because he always talks about his mom and his two sisters, but I wasn’t expecting to see this. Trying to console him, I told him that I would be there to celebrate his birthday. Right as I made this promise, I thought about all the travels I had coming up and kept my fingers crossed that it wasn’t one of those days. I asked him his birthday and he told me September 1. I knew I would be leaving that day to go to Ozamiz City to visit a detention center, but I promised him I would come by that morning to wish him a happy birthday and make sure he wasn’t forgotten. As I was leaving that day, I just decided to ask him where his family was, just out of small talk. My jaw dropped when I heard his answer: “Ozamiz City”
Now, Ozamiz City is over 7 hours away and not exactly a booming metropolis. What were the odds that his family would be living in the city I was going to on his birthday? I didn’t want to get my hopes up because finding them would still be a long shot. I tried calling and texting their number, but couldn’t get a response. Finally, we were in the city and I tried one last time. Someone answered! It was his sister and while she was a little hesitant to answer our call, she gave us directions to find their little store. We drove around the city for a while and finally found them. I hopped out with the biggest smile on my face, so excited to be able to give Bernie this present.
Before I left, I went to visit Bernie on the morning of his birthday. I woke him up singing Happy Birthday with a cake just for him. As I left he handed me a full size, fully functioning lamp he made out of magazines. This thing was incredible. He asked me to take it to his mom and tell her he loves her so much and can’t wait for her to see the new man he has become. I gave his mother the lamp and the message and she just hung on tight to the lamp. She didn’t understand any English, so the older sister translated for me. They were so shocked to see me and that I would make this trip for their brother. I told them it was truly orchestrated by God and how this trip had been planned for weeks before I knew anything about Bernie. I was further able to tell them about how this proved how much God loved their family, that he would plan something like this for them.
As I left, they agreed to make the trip to come visit Bernie at the end of the month. They wanted to see this new man that, even though still behind bars, was living in such freedom. I haven’t been to the jail yet to tell Bernie the story, but that will come in just a couple of hours. It’s truly a blessing to watch God coordinate all of this and just be along for the ride. He really does have a plan for each of us…
