Jail ... A Place of Freedom!

Last Saturday was a great day for many of the men and women at the local BJMP (jail). We have been ministering there for almost 7 years and now we really feel we are beginning to see fruit for our labour! Let me tell you this brilliant story ...

In 2001 a team from the N-E Scotland came to Sefton Village. One of the team was a lady called Anita and she had been ministering in prisons for a number of years in Scotland and wanted to find out if she could reach the prisoners here. To be honest, I had never really been to the BJMP before but I had heard many rumours that, shall we say, indicated that it was not a nice place to be!

I went to the jail with a letter asking if we could hold some services with the Scottish team. The Officer in charge was a lovely man called Captain Dornogan and he was a true gentlemen. He really had a heart for these people. He showed me around the jail ... something I will never forget.

The first thing he told me was that these people were not actually convicted prisoners. They were simply awaiting trial! Some of them had been there for 7 years and were accused of simple things like shop lifting! One guy was there for 5 years and when he was sentenced he was ordered to spend one month in jail. What a waste of 4.9 years. The judicial system here in the Philippines is so slow and so corrupt that it takes years to bring someone to a trial. Tragic.

And the conditions .... were like a living hell. In a cell where 12 men should be I found over 30. They slept side by side because there was not enough room. The lights did not work, they had no fans and the place looked terrible and so scabby. the inmates only got out for a few minutes every day to wash.

We had a great mission there and during that time the Lord out a burden in my heart for these 'forgotten ones." My dad and uncle Billy were over and we painted the cells, put in some basic fans & lights and aunty Betty and my mum made huge pots of home made soup. They were so grateful. One guy said, "You have made me feel human again."

Sefton Village began to minister there every Saturday and the work was eventually taken over my Mel & Mercy Bareng. They are a lovely couple with such a heart for these inmates. In 2003 Pastor Jim Dick came to Sefton Village and I took him to the BJMP to have a look. He was so moved and challenged by what he saw. He went back to Kilsyth and promised that he would help these men, women and young people. And they did! They raised a lot of money for the jail and we accomplished so much - new paint, new fans, new lights, a basketball court and sports equipment, water pump for the new garden, an aviary for the visiting area and money to plant trees and bushes. The place was transformed!

The men began to get out to play basketball twice a day and the whole atmosphere of the place changed. God was at work. The Bible says that 'It is God;s kindness that leads us to repentance." We try and shout and shove people ... sometimes 'acts of kindness' will arrest someone in their tracks. They began to ask me, "Pastor, why do you want to help us? Why did you come? What is your reason for changing our lives?" It was then - when they saw we were the real deal - that we could speak about the real reason why we were there ... because Jesus loves them enough to send us.

We opened the basketball court with the presence of the mayor of Santiago. Captain Dornogan was so blessed that he had rented a huge tent and made it a massive event. What a day.

Over the last few years Mel & Mercy have been ministering faithfully every Saturday (their day off!) They always go the extra mile. They were joined by one of our young Pastors called August who has a real burden for the inmates. August believes that if it wasn't for the grace of God he would be in BJMP right now! (August is in left of above picture and Mel is on right)

They are always collecting toothpaste, clothes etc. for the inmates. Every Saturday the inmates will give Mel handwritten notes with a family members' mobile phone number written on it. Mel & Mercy will text every message personally to the family member. Then they will handwrite any response from the family member and give it to the inmate the next Saturday. Now that is true love.

The inmates have really been discipled by Mel, Mercy & August. I went there a couple of months ago and the inmates took the whole service - leading the meeting, praise & worship, testimonies, three preachers and even the offering! August told them that if they can be faithful in their giving when they have little they will be faithful in giving when they have much.

Last Saturday was a great day ... August and Mel baptised 21 of the inmates! It wasn't pretty and the tank was neither heated or tiled. In fact, it was an old rusty drum. But the presence of God was there and 21 people wanted to show the whole world that they belonged to Jesus; no matter what they had done - whether guilty or innocent - their lives have now changed because they have met someone who has set them free.

There are three inmates who want to go to Bible School when they leave the jail. We have plans to run discipleship classes and simple Preaching Seminars. These people are hungry for God!

Pray for Mel, Mercy & August as they continue to touch the lives of these forgotten people. If you want to give a gift to help this ministry (we desperately need a simple PA system and some Bibles, toothpaste etc.) you can send a cheque to our agent (Dr. Norman Reid, 'Hazelbank', 83 Marjoribanks Street, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, EH48 1QH) made out to 'Assemblies of God - Sefton Village' and just write that it is for the jail ministry. Your little can go a long way here! I don't usually do this but I feel I should give the opportunity for anyone to give as the Lord leads.

Can the Lord transform a jail? Can he still set the prisoner free? Can revival come in a place no-one would expect it? Watch this space...

Selah!