July 11 - Two prisons today

Ministry Partners,

We were at breakfast at 8 this morning and yea they had pineapple juice and pineapple but I also had a few fried potatoes w/ onions, baked beans and my French toast. A breakfast fit for the child of a king.

Edward called with the Google instructions for Aaron to put into his phone GPS, which he did but after a bit Aaron became concerned as he could tell the GPS was taking us back to the prison we were at yesterday. As we were stopped on the side of the road and Aaron was talking to Edward on the phone telling him we were lost and trying to find a place to connect that both of us could find when God supplied just what we needed. A friend of Pastor Edwards from yesterday’s prison drove past and recognized us, he stopped and then drove us to where Edward was. The goodness and care of God is seen by us every day.

Then we were off to the prison and as I entered my heart hurt. It had rained during the night and the ground in the courtyard was mostly wet with a few places trying to dry. The men’s “beds” were everywhere on that wet ground, some with plastic or paper on the ground then a piece of foam if they were lucky and on top, again if they were lucky, a very thin mattress. I can’t imagine trying to sleep there as it rained last night.

This is the first prison of our trip that “things” were just not right for the Holy Spirit to completely pour out his power. Satan was defiantly at work as only about half received God’s precious gift of salvation. I have only seen this one other time in over 300 entrances into prisons and that was in Uganda on my first trip there. First time EVER, at that prison of about 60 men not one prisoner accepted Christ as Savior. As I drove away from that prison I wept at the hardness I had seen.

But today I addressed the issue before we went to the second prison and the result of the Holy Spirit's work was so evident. Other than the contingency of M….. s without their caps most of the prisoners accepted Christ. It is so interesting that sometimes the M…..s want to sit at the side but up at the front when I speak, Alfred thinks perhaps there is some kind of posture they are doing to try and intimidate the other prisoners. I am not sure but I think it is interesting. Chaplain Edward is a wealth of information and he said most of the time it is the official place they are supposed to sit.

It was so much fun and when we entered they were using about three drums and singing boldly. The Social Affairs person started dancing with the men that were dancing in an oval in the front. At one point he motioned me to come and dance in the oval with them so I did. It was so much fun, it was nice to be invited.

After the 2^nd crusade we went by Edwards to leave his car and pick up his things. He as the most lovely family and his 3 daughters are beautiful.

The drive to the next town we are doing prison ministry was only about an hour drive and the guys found us a nice hotel to stay in.

They brought tea and fruit to my room as I am writing on this blog, goodness that was nice but the sweet and sour chicken dinner, not so much. I am not kidding, the chicken was so tough that I could not cut it with my knife!

We need to be ready to leave for the prison at 9 in the morning since it is close by and it is almost 11 now so that is all for today.

Keep praying!

That none would be lost,

Arlene