Sept.15, 2009

Dear brothers and sisters,

What most impressed me at yesterday's jail visit was something a
Nigerian prisoner told Luigi. This prisoner,his name is Tom Smith, told the other inmates that
although it had been raining for days, it will not be raining on Thursday when we come back! True enough, it wasn't raining!

But the devil worked overtime- we were not able to use the chapel as there was another group
teaching rug making. We had to make do with a little room that held about 30 people.
So very few inmates got to join in and listen.

After Bong Mallari of Familia led the singing and prayers, Joe Dean gave his testimony.
Even if the room was too overcrowded and hot, we still had small groups after Joe Dean's sharing. Praise the Lord for the 4 Familia brothers who came to serve, for
Charlie and Roy who celebrated their birthdays there. Thank you to Ian (Central
singles) who helped distribute the 100 hotdogs and juice that Roy and Ross prepared.

While Lalay and Ellen talked to Jopet, Ross and Tina (North B) got an eye opening tour from Tita Betty. Please pray for next Thursday's meeting that God will bless the inmates and show His love and mercy through those who will come and serve. Most of all pray for volunteers to come, and also that we will be able to use the chapel!

I have realized the most important gift for these inmates is really showing that God cares about them. Just talking to one inmate gives that one person hope. Like when Luigi talked to Tom Smith- He was caught by the police in T. Morato and accused of drug dealing when all he had on him was one pill of ecstacy. The police asked him for P250,000 to set him free but he doesn't have friends, and no money.

But what he said, that it won't rain when we come, tells me he had faith and hope. Perhaps in some way we can be rainbows to these men who are hungry for any sign that they are
not forgotten.

God is so good to us!!

Hebrews 13:3
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners...
:^) patsy