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| Remember there is a "no photos allowed" rule. This picture doesn't include prisoners or the prison. |
Smoke filled the air as I neared Bugembe
Prison. Benjamin – the in-house chaplain replacing Geoffrey, and guided by
Carpenter John – waved me down before I passed too far. Without supervision,
Benjamin worked alongside four other men to hone their prison-acquired
brick-making skills. He reported that they’re working to make bricks for the
OCs residence and eventually for sale. Brick-making is just one of many skills
programs available at the prison. Better yet, the program was initiated by the
officer in charge and modeled after the skills programs developed in
partnership with Carpenter John and Surprised by Hope.
Though I arrived on official business on a non-visitation
day, I was blessed with the kind words of a thankful man. What was Benjamin
thankful for? That someone outside the prison, with nothing personal to gain,
would care about them. Moreover, that people who haven’t even been to Uganda
would care about them.
While not every risk can be eliminated when investing in
these (or any) men, we do our best to listen to God before starting, allow him
to work through us as we prepare the men for living for Jesus, and release our
own control over to God as the men are also released. Please pray for each one
of these men as they approach their various release dates. Prison life makes
loving God easy; it’s life after prison that is hard.