Countdown:
74 days before going home to Swaziland.
It has been 9 months now since I have been back in N. America, and staying in the mindset of ministry is so difficult. I do prison ministry with the Salvation Army, and it has been an awesome, humbling, mind blowing time. At first I had to look deep in my heart to find the love and compassion Jesus would have for these guys. I struggled with “how do I have compassion on this guy who tied his wife to a bed and beat her with a pipe.” But as I prayed, and talked to more and more guys, the root of these problems stems from drug, alcohol, and sex addictions, and most guys in prison are all repeat offenders. My heart started to break, and I was overwhelmed with how to bring the transforming power of Jesus to these guys. The only answer that I have, is to pray to intercede for them, and ask the Holy Sprit to soften hearts, and give the right words at the right moment. Pray that the Lord would continue to sustain me in my last few months of ministry. I will truly miss it, and am thank the Lord allowed me to experience it.
There are some really funny stories though!! When a guy gets out, I will go and meet with them, and hang out. One guy stoped dead in his stride and said,” Man you need to pray for me, I am getting some bad vibes.” So, I prayed with the guy about his suicidal tendencies right there on the busiest street in the city. Guys have tried to choke me, put feces on me, and even get me to take off my pants. All in all it has been fun, but I cant wait to be back to Africa.
Pray for Naomi and I as we continue to raise support and prepare to leave.
My sense of prison is warped from watching too much Prison Break. But I believe you when you say it’s difficult to love those people ..and it’s gotta be an infinite times more difficult for God to love us filthy beings. He does it though.. what amazing grace.
God bless you and your plans to minister to the lost and hurting in Swaziland, Africa!