Dec. 29

Ministry Partners,

Hello from Bushenyi, Uganda. It was a beautiful morning here and I was awakened by chirping birds and a crowing rooster, bless his heart.

Today’s breakfast consisted of a Spanish omelet, delicious pancakes and juice. I was disappointed that they did not have pineapple today. I am so glad that Pastor Aaron and I made the decision to drive here yesterday afternoon so that we would be close to the prison this morning. That meant we could take our time with breakfast, loading the van and getting there by 9 o’clock.

I must admit that there are times I just do not have the words to relate to you accurately the impact of what is happening during our crusades. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit as he works in the hearts of the prisoners is an amazing thing to say the least.

Thank you for partnering with his ministry with your prayers and financial support, thank you for sending me here and thank you for allowing me to be your representative to those the world considers, “the least of them.”

When we arrived at the women’s prison today we were greeted by the Deputy OC and by an almost newly born black baby calf. He was so cute and I could tell these women had been spending some time with him as he was so gentle, I could not help patting him on the head. I liked that Deputy OC immediately. I have entered a lots of women’s prisons but this Deputy OC had the most gracious way when she spoke to the prisoners let alone the way she greeted us. By the end of the day I said to myself, “Every women’s prison should have a Deputy OC like this young woman.”

Our battery and electric sound system is failing us and we have found that most of the time it is not working so we had decided not to even take it out of the van but the Deputy OC said the women would appreciate the music. I called to Aaron who was still at the van and told him to bring the sound system and the music stick, which he did. As soon as the music went on the women started dancing and the smiles came out when I started dancing with them.

I presented the same program that we do in every crusade and as I watched the women respond to the invitation to receive Christ, to pray forgiveness over someone else or themselves or gave them the opportunity to extend their hand to one of the other women that they had a disagreement with and say, “Sorry.” I could not have imagined how the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts.

I told the women that Christmas is the time of giving gifts and today they had given me the best gift ever by responding to the Holy Spirit the way they did at each invitation. 

Then I had the opportunity of blessing the women with one of the donated headscarves, they loved them and put them on immediately. Then I had the seven women with babies come forward and gave each one a pair of new socks and one of the crochet caps made by Canby Foursquare women. I was surprised that there were five baby girls and only two baby boys.

There was time for a few of the women to give us a testimony as to how God worked in their hearts while we were there. I stood by each woman as she spoke and it was hard for me not to cry.  

1.  She said she appreciated me and God for today’s message as she had lived with pain for a long time because she could not forgive her family for the way they had treated her but today she chose to forgive them. 
2.  She said her husband had tormented and beat her so much that she killed him. She had been living with remorse and guilt but after hearing the message, she said she forgave her husband and herself. She did not want to live life with the “rope” example about unforgiveness that she saw today.
3. She said her father died when she was young and her mother disappeared. Other people brought her up so she grew up an angry child and because of her anger; she had murdered someone and was then sent to prison. Nevertheless, she was thankful for the message today that was just for her and she wondered what her life would be if Bishop Arlene had not come today. 
4.   She said she had a grudge against some other inmates because they had gone behind her back and told lies to the OC. Since then, she purposed in her life to never forgive them and because the hurt was so much she thought of throwing herself in the septic hole and killing herself. She said she thanked God because the message today changed her life. Today she said, I heard a woman who has gone through all that I have gone through. At least she is someone I can identify with.

As each women told her story and cried, I watched other prisoners also crying. I did not have to guess that they struggled with the same things.

The Deputy OC stated that she was thankful to God for me bringing such a message to the prison and that they really needed that message. Then she had two of the prisoners read Matthew 25:35 and said we had fulfilled that scripture.

Three of the women wanted to sing us a song as a thank you, which they did, and the harmonizing was absolutely beautiful. The Deputy OC told me that many family members do not come to visit but I had come all the way from America to visit them. She said they do not have gifts to give visitors but I had made it their best Christmas season ever. 

Just then, two women prisoners appeared with a beautiful large green and gold basket and I could not hold back the tears that came to my eyes. Then two more came, this time with a spinach type plant similar to Swiss Chard they had cut from their garden. The Deputy OC took the spinach and stuffed it into the basket making an arrangement. We will have the spinach cooked for our dinner tonight.

It was hard for me to leave the women but another pastor had arrived and before leaving he invited us to come too his church next year if we are in the area.

Everything in the van was a jumble so when we arrived back at the hotel and had finished our lunch we emptied the van and re-positioned everything so we will know exactly where everything is for the remainder of this portion of the trip until we return to Kampala on Jan. 3. 

Thank you for the prayers concerning my sunburned back. It must be getting better as parts are itching. Today I was careful and wore a high-necked top so as to not aggravate it further.

Tonight we had ordered Sweet & Sour Pork with vegetable rice and the spinach but we got Savory Ribs instead.

We appreciate your continued prayers for the prisoners and the comments you make are an encouragement to us.

That none would be lost,

Arlene