Dec. 8 - "WHO...... are you guys?"

 

Ministry Partners,

The party last night went on until late and was so loud at times that you could feel the vibration in the walls. I got some sleep but was awake a bit after 5am. Since we were to have breakfast at 7am I decided to just get up.

But when we went to breakfast we passed the area where the party was last night and they were just cleaning. That meant when we got to the room for breakfast nothing was there. We waited for about 20 minutes and finally they started slowly bringing items in. The Spanish omelet today was just a scrambled egg with not enen the normal carrot.  While we waited we read wonderful scriptures from our Advent devotional, what a great way to start our day with scriptures about the Savior. We waited for the Bishop but he had decided to not have breakfast and had failed to inform us.

Finally we were loaded into the van and headed to Shinyanga where the prison was. The Bishop informed us that the area of the town we stand in last night was know for the gold mines and that the area of the town area where we are going to is know for the diamond mines. WOW!!! 

The drive was long and again today God protected us from an oncoming semi that decided to take 1/2 of our lane but Aaron took the shoulder and we whisked by in safety. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE MINISTRY WORK 

AND US.

We still were not sure they would allow us in but Alfred said he would "storm the office" of the O.C. like he has done so many times before in other countries. I stayed in the van with Aaron so I would not be an attraction until Alfred got the O.C. actually Deputy O.C. to allow IRM in, then he came and got me. The officer told me I had    5 min.to which I said that was not be enough time. Then he gave me 10 min., I told him that was not enough time either. That our program not only told them about Jesus but it also taught about "Forgiveness" and we taught the prisoners about the importance of apologizing to those they had disagreements with and we give them the opportunity to do that so the prisoners can be more peaceful.

Alfred had to do the first section and then he asked for more time. I did the second and he then asked for more time and so the crusade went. The 778 eyes were glued to me. Not only was I the first visitor to their prison but, probably, the first white person most had ever seen. It was exciting to see Mus....s, all but one,  accepted Christ as their Savior and also responded to the Forgiveness and Apology portions.

The Deputy said to Alfred, "WHO.... are you guys? Nobody has ever come into this prison and spoke for       1 1/2 hrs." Then the Deputy came up to me and said, "I gave you 10 minutes and look at how much time you have had." I am not sure why I did it but he was young and so handsome, smiling as he spoke, that I reached forward and pointed my finger at him saying, "And do you know what is going to happen? God is going to bless you for being so kind today." With that he smiled even bigger and agreed to allow me to have my photo taken with him outside the prison doors. After our photo was taken we were allowed to take some group photos.

 

Arlene & Deputy O.C.

We had noticed that there was a women's building so Alfred asked him if we could go there but it was a very firm no. Because there are more prisons for us to do in this area, Alfred is going to call that Deputy tomorrow and ask him if we can see the 16 women tomorrow afternoon.

As we were about to leave I was informed that I was to speak at a church. When we arrived there the music was so loud that I refused to go inside until it was turned down. They tend to play music in churches here loud but today on a 1 to 10 level it was a 20! And I am not exaggerating.They said they turned it down but because of the Tinnitus in my ears, it was still blaring and I just could not enter until they turned it completely off. At least half the 500 people were children, I don't know how their ears will be when they get older.

I could feel a  strange kind of hardness as soon as I walked in and as I was preaching there was an oddness in the atmosphere inside the church that I could feel. Something was going on there and my thought was correct because when I gave the invitation not one person, not one child responded!!!  I told the Bishop that what he witnessed was the very reason I do not do many churches and prefer to speak to prisoners. I learned a long time ago that many people in Africa think that because they know some religious facts about Jesus, go to church and sing in the choir that that makes then a christian and will pay their way to heaven. I left the church with my heart hurting.

One lady from the church came with us to show us a possible place to stay, we passed 4 or 5 that she said were not good. I approved this one although I am not happy with it. I am on the bottom floor and Alfred and the guys are on the second floor. This is a very different country with a different culture, and I would prefer for Alfred be be within the shouting distance. And they have promised to have the internet fixed, we will see.

Alfred has ordered dinner for 5pm, I hope it is an improvement from what we have been having as Alfred and Aaron have both been dissatisfied. As long as we carry PP&J and bread in our lunchbox I can always find something to eat. It was not an improvement and I will leave it at that except to say the pizza I ordered was not anything I recognized.

We find out now that we are in the middle of a children activity park, although on an outside wing. 

Oh goodness, I hope you see the humor in all of this as I do!

Tomorrow is a new day and we are going to another prison and then try to get into see the women prisoners from today.

I must say I am tired so I will bathe and be off to bed. I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for us tomorrow.

That none would be lost,

Arlene