Dec. 6 – 90 Degrees today at Masindi Main & Masindi Women's Prison

 Ministry Partners,

Today we were not having breakfast at the hotel until 8 I was awake at 6 and was ready to also load my bags because I did not want to come back up the flights of stairs after breakfast. Walking up inclines or stairs are a bit difficult for me and this trip we have already had far too many stairs. After breakfast, we took the one-hour drive to Masindi where we had a Men’s and Women’s prison crusade scheduled.

      

Drying coffee beans on the ground

Alfred called the Men’s O.C. to make sure they were ready for us but found out that the Seventh Day Adventists would be there until noon or so. He then contacted the Social Affairs Officer at the Women’s side to see if we could do our morning there, and she said yes.

We arrived at the main entrance and took the long walk to the women’s area. When we arrived at the women’s area, the very nice young women who was the social Affairs Officer that Alfred had talked with greeted us. We sat with her on the porch outside while the women inmates got ready for us and Aaron went to their area to get our sound system ready. As I looked around there were not only turkeys roaming around there were also turkey chicks scattering everywhere.  When it was finally time for us to enter the women’s area, we found that they had set us up in a very small room where only about half of the women could come hear our program. I was so happy when the S.A. Officer agreed with Alfred when he suggested that we relocate outside, under a huge tree where all 132 women could attend and hear although a few were working a short distance away. Thirteen children were also present with their mothers. It was such a nice morning and the women responded well to all three invitations. When we finished the women with babies and a couple of pregnant ones came forward and choose a beautiful hand crochet cap for their child. It is always wonderful to see such a small gift bring such broad smiles.  Some women shared their testimonies out how God had worked in their hearts during our time together and then the S.A. Officer spoke some very kind words about what I taught and how it impacted her. Alfred observed her during the crusade and said that she responded with tears in her eyes, to both the Salvation and Forgiveness invitations. One woman inmate shared her testimony about how her compliant was also in this same prison and how she was never going to forgive her and how she wanted to be moved to a different prison. But she knelt and told her compliant, who was sitting right in front that she forgave her. After we finished we had about 30min. before we could enter the men’s area so we sat again on the porch and visited with her. 

Then we took the walk to the men’s area where 1,560 men waited for us, some sitting on porches under the building roof overhang of three very long building on three sides. There were men sitting on the porch where we were and in the direct sunlight the very large open area in front of me. I will never understand how they can sit under the direct sun like that for the whole crusade. It was 90 degrees today!

As I walked in I tried to shake a number of hands so that the other inmates would view me as kind and friendly NOT the Bishop who has come to tell them how bad they are. Alfred is so funny, he usually opens our crusade by talking the prisoners in their language and then he looks at me and says something to me in English so I know when to stand and get started. But today when he looked at me he just kept speaking the Luganda language …… and grinned! I pointed at him while looking out at the prisoners and said, “He is being so funny today. He is talking to me in your language and he knows I do not understand.” I ended but making a funny face. Goodness, how the prisoners laughed.

I love watching the atmosphere change from dark and sad to light with smiles on their faces as the prisoners ask Jesus to forgive them for their sin and be their Savior, then choosing to forgive someone else or themselves and ending by apologizing to another inmate or guard they have had an argument or fight with. I can already see the evidence of their good choices in their smiles as they tell us that their hearts are happy, peaceful and joyful.

As one inmate gave his testimony about what God did in his heart during our time together he never stopped looking directly into my eyes like most prisoners who look out over the other prisoners or the ground or sky But each of the four who gave their testimony started the same way, they said,"Thank you mama for coming ............"

By the time w finished I was really tired with being out in the 90 degree heat for almost 5 hours and it was a long walk back to our van but Alfred made me laugh out loud when he said, "Mom, you were a machine today."

Tomorrow is a a travel day so please pray for our safety on the road. We appreciate each one of you.

It is almost 9 pm and I have had dinner so shower and bed is what is left for me tonight. 

That none would be lost,

Arlene