Going to Prison to be set FREE!

Life is always interesting…

When you think about Prison, I’m sure you don’t think about FREEDOM. I didn’t anyway. However, my mind has shifted a bit…

Last Sunday, I attended service at the central Prison here in Buea. I
had no idea what to expect as every church is different, even within
the penal system. It’s interesting here in Cameroon that the prisons
each have their own “Pastor” from within the church who is himself also
an inmate. Their “Elders” and other leaders are also fellow inmates.

There is generally someone “from the outside” who comes and teaches
the inmates about the Word of God and they in turn teach their fellow
prisoners. They also have various people within the system to counsel
and disciple new converts and generally keep each other “sharp.” This
encourages me a great deal.

Being in prison in Cameroon means something entirely different than
being in prison in the States. There is no air conditioning, television,
and you aren’t guaranteed 3 square meals a day. You may get one meal a
day provided by the prison. If you don’t have family/friends to bring
you food and other necessities, you must do without. This includes soap
and toothbrushes and toothpaste.

There is something in this society that values “honor” like no other
place I have been. You honor your elders, honor your parents, honor
church leaders, honor teachers etc… What you do to “honor” these
individuals varies greatly and is sometimes quite disturbing… One way
of honoring your family and friends means staying out of trouble. In
many instances, when a person goes to jail, their family feels that they
have dishonored them and brought shame to their families… What do you
do in this situation?? Usually, you DISOWN the person who has “brought
shame” to your family. If you disown them, there is a perception that
they don’t exist. If a Father tells his child that they are no longer a
part of them, then the rest of the family is to follow suit. This
usually means, the person in prison is forgotten about and ignored. This
isn’t the case with ALL prisoners but it’s certainly the case with most
here.

Just like at home, there are some people who believe that you go to
church on Sunday because, that is just what you do. Your attendance has
nothing to do with loving the Lord and certainly doesn’t mean that you
are an actual Christian… You do your duty to be accepted by society
and those around you. There are plenty of people who “follow the rules,”
but they have no RELATIONSHIP with our Lord and Savior.

For prisoners to take the time to go to church and submit themselves to the leadership of other inmates floors me.

They don’t have to, their lives are already not their own and yet
they willingly submit to others in the same situation they are in. More
importantly, many of them have submitted themselves to the Lord.

As I sit in service, I marvel at the manners displayed and the
reverence for the Lord that I see. I dare say, it’s more peaceful and
respectful than many of the “churches on the outside” I have visited.

It is refreshing to see inmates worship, not just pretend but really
worship. (you can tell when people are pretending if you have any
discernment at all) This isn’t to say that some don’t but…

So for me to see people who are gathered to worship not just because
it’s expected of them but because they WANT to be there and to see the
time they take to invest in each other. It makes my heart glad. In
prison here we are up close and personal with the people. There are no
barriers and if someone wanted to reach out and touch you, they
certainly have the ability to do so. (most do not, just saying)

We are respected and loved and yet I don’t feel like I am a fish in a
fishbowl. People here appreciate your presence simply because they know
that you have not forgotten them, they understand that you care about
them and most importantly they understand that Jesus cares for them
because He wouldn’t send you if He didn’t care right? For me, this is
the highest expression of Christ’s love. He loved us enough to leave the
comforts of Heaven and all of His freedom there to be “bound” here on
earth and to walk with us and talk with us on a daily basis. Sometimes
we forget that He is our example and we are to do as He did. (and
greater things!) If He can come to earth with all of our filth and junk
that we have put here, surely we can spend a few hours with those that
seem to be the most “unlovable.” Our presence alone and not “presents”
of stuff demonstrates how much God loves them. He has not forgotten them
and they do have a place in our world and our society.

As I stood in worship, singing with the 100 or so others, there was
one prisoner who was in shackles… Literal chains around his ankles…
Someone had taken the care to put pieces of fabric between his skin and
the chains. The only reason I noticed him and his chains was because
while we were singing he began to dance. He moved out from under our
little shelter (in the rain mind you) and danced and sang with all his
might. There were tears in his eyes and his hands were raised to heaven
and he just danced. In that moment I thought, this is what it looks like
to be FREE. He is bound, literally and physically in several ways but
in his heart he is FREE. This is true freedom.

I don’t know his name, I have no idea what he is incarcerated for but
I know that no matter what, because of our Savior, he is truly FREE in
all the ways that count.

The movie the guardian has a rescue swimmer’s motto – “so others may live.” That’s what it’s all about.

Christ died for us, so that we can live. He doesn’t want us to just
exist. He want’s us to be free in every since of the word and when we
experience that true freedom, he wants us to share it with others so
they can also LIVE.

Regardless of your circumstances today…Know that Christ gave up everything He had for you, so that you can be FREE.

Galatians 5:1

 1IN [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated
us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and
submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].
Amplified Bible