October 19, 2011

A team from Destiny Church in St. Louis was staying at the guest house in Pierre Payen.  They came to Borel to visit some friends.  While they were here they shared with us about their ministry, Haitians Helping Haitians (HHH), which includes a prison ministry in St. Marc.  Since I did prison ministry at home, I asked if I could go with them to the prison on the following Saturday.  They graciously included me in their group which included Gloria and Emily Board.  Gloria and her husband founded HHH.  I drove to St. Marc to meet them at the prison.  One purpose of my trip was to find a hardware store and buy some caulk.  I drove up and down the back streets, trying not to hit hundreds if not thousands of pedestrians, scooters, wheelbarrows, donkeys, pigs, etc.  I found the store but no caulk. The prison has no place to park around it, so I hunted for a safe place to park.  There was a big open area about two blocks away that looked good, so I parked there.  I wasn't sure where the entrance to the prison was, so I asked a couple of people using my limited Creole and made it.  The group wasn't there yet, so I just waited.  I am sure many Haitians wondered why the Blan was sitting outside the prison.  The prison's outer wall is a two story concrete structure.  When the group arrived, we went inside.  As I went in I noticed an open drain flowing to the street outside.  The cells are in a U shape building.  There are 10 cells on the first level, maybe 12 ft by 18 ft, with an average of 25 to 30 men in each cell.  Sometimes there are 40 men in one cell.  There is not enough room for every one to lay down to sleep, so they sit or stand.  Most men were wearing just underwear.  It is very hot of course.  I have done prison ministry at home and it is nothing like this.  At home, cells are clean, not crowded, food to eat, clothes to wear, and a comfortable place to sleep.  Medical and dental facilities are available.  Not so in St. Marc, Haiti.  My job, with the help of an interpreter, was to talk and pray with the men.  HHH brought some crackers for the men to share and some type of drink.  The men were hungry for human attention.  They all wanted something and most of them did ask for a bible.  Gloria, Emily, and Stacy were full of love and joy for these men.  I was overwhelmed.  The second level was where women prisoners and death row inmates were held.  A husband and wife had been accused of murder, both are in this prison.  Their baby was born in prison and now lives with her mother in her cell.  Gloria asked me to dedicate the baby to God.  I reached through the bars to hold the baby and prayed for her - my one and only baby dedication!  Life is so different in Haiti.  After about two hours we left.  I was drained.  Gloria, Emily, and Stacy were still full of love and expressing their joy.  John 15: 9-11 - I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Remain in my love.  When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!