Ministry Stories

The Awful Price

Letter writing is a valued form of ministry to many prisoners across the world.

In my role of as a volunteer with Prison Fellowship NSW/ACT I correspond with some of the men and women held in prison in Thailand. My heart was touched by a poem sent to me recently by inmate Felix and so I share it with you, so that you too may gain an insight to life inside a Thai prison.

The Prisoner

by Felix

Only a prisoner can feel the loneliness

of brick and steel

Where concrete walls and iron bars

obscure the trees and dim the stars

Shutting out reality and

straining human sanity

Who longs for early morning light

to scatter the demons of the night

The breakfast tray can only dim

the hunger pains that rage within

Who else can count each lonely day

 as it slowly grinds the years away

And fantasy must take the place of

loving touch or friendly face

Our visitors may come and go

but few of them will ever know

Discipling the Inmate

As I slowly built a mentoring relationship with an inmate, a foreign national, I realised how this inmate, who had been so trusting and opened, had become a suspicious and hurting woman, and found it it hard to trust anyone. ‘Has God abandoned me?’, she asked. My role was to keep encouraging her that God has not forgotten her, even though sitting in a cell in a foreign country may not feel like it, he is there and loves her very much. I visited her regularly, prayed with her and for her and sought to model true friendship, love and care.

Prayer played a big role in my involvement. I prayed, other volunteers prayed, other Christians prayed as the trial approached and during the trial. I and other supporters also attended the trial each day to give support and to pray that the jury would see what the truth was and bring a verdict according to the truth.

To have been a part of this woman’s ordeal and to see God at work in her, in others and in me was worth the pain, for God did triumph. The truth was recognised and she was released. On going contact is maintained, though the scars of the ordeal have forever changed this woman, she and I are wiser and closer to God.

For God at the Court

Many days at the court seem so routine and not much impact. We are there to share God’s love, care and compassion and to ease the tension for all at the court. God does work through us.

“The other day”, a volunteer shares, “ a lady came up to the Prison Fellowship coffee corner and asked for a coffee and offered $5 but wouldn’t accept change. As we got chatting she told me that ‘on a previous visit to the court, the people at the coffee corner were kind, understanding and so loving – they were a lifeline and without them I’m not sure I would have got through that day’”. The volunteer paused in thought and said “Thank you God for your times of encouragement in this ministry”.

“But its not only the court clients whom we minister to, it is fellow volunteers and staff. The staff at the enquiries counter have testified several times about the crowd being ‘less agro’ when the coffee corner is operating.”, continues the volunteer, “It is knowing that God is using us to impact on people’s lives that keeps us going.”

Responding to God’s Lead

“I met a lady whose husband had been charged with assault, despite her not wanting charges laid. She, her husband and 4 children had travelled some 3 hours that morning to get to court. She was 6 months pregnant and faced losing her husband if he was sentenced to prison. Three of the children had developmental delays and it was obvious that they were struggling as a family. We looked after the children – we read to them, played games and fed them for almost 3 hours. Then her eldest child came and said ‘Mummy is crying’. I went and sat with her – she had been excluded from the court room as she may have had to testify against her husband, this was all confusing as she didn’t want to testify. I prayed with her for wisdom and peace to know what she should do. Within minutes the Court officer came and said she could come in and that she didn’t have to testify. Her husband was given a suspended sentence and the lady smiled as I said to her that God can work miracles”. The leader went on to say “we didn’t serve much coffee that morning, but we served a needy family who learnt something special about God.

Snippets of feedback from all around

Discipling Inmates

A team leader reports “We have 15 – 20 guys come each week to our prison bible study group. The guys love the discussions and its exciting to see them grow in their faith”. Another writes “ We’ve had a lot of guys wanting to talk & pray and some come to the Lord. Over the years there has been a lot of prayer for this prison, its like we are now seeing some of the fruit of that prayer. Of course we still need prayer and we need patience so that we minister in God’s time”. From a chaplain: ‘To have Prison Fellowship volunteers come and assist me with chapel services is such a blessing. They are really great with the inmates, who appreciate the ongoing contact so much’.

Camp WerX

From a Sunday School teacher, “Thank you for running Camp WerX, the change in _____ has been amazing.” Comment by camper on the way home, “I didn’t know anything about Jesus before I came to camp”. Card from a camper: ‘Thank you for the camp, I had a great time with lots of fun’. Comments from parents/carers: ‘I have seen such a change in his attitude that I can’t speak highly enough of the camp’ ‘Be sure to invite her again next year. She has been telling her friends all about it at school. It was so good for her’. ‘Thank you for caring for us, it is so appreciated’.

Angel Tree

A comment from a sponsor with Angel Tree shows how God works even in sponsors, “Praise God for the wonderful ministry of Angel Tree, I had not thought about prisoners having children – this is an amazing opportunity to share God’s love.” A carer’s comment: “ Thank you for caring for us, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get a gift or the kids from their mum as well as from me. What yous do is really appreciated”.

Art Exhibition

An inmate wrote to us, “the theme ‘Treasures in Isolation’ has helped me to express my faith in God that I couldn’t do in words. I never thought I’d be good enough to enter an art exhibition. Thanks for giving me this chance”. A visitor to the exhibition commented on the great quality of the work and the depth of expression by so many of the inmates. “It’s a challenge to my own spiritual life”, they said.