Ed. note: Gerrit sent the following report on January 8, 2011
I have survived my first 13+ hour work day here and what a ride! It felt like I had never left in August as the Lord continues to astound me with his planning of our meetings, the right people to meet and the right prison to visit.
After some special meetings to prepare for visitors from South Africa, we drove to the Nsinda Prison in Rwamagana District where more than 8000 prisoners are incarcerated. As it was Friday, there were thousands of visitors bringing food to their friends & family, so the deputy Commissioner said we could only talk to the leaders of the various Christian denominations, which did. (Pastor Deo had not ministered in this prison before). We entered the prison and I was amazed to see the prisoners actually live in large, roomy tents inside the walls! There are no guards with guns and everyone seems at ease and relaxed.
There was no power, so we had to speak very loudly to the 30 or so Christian leaders who showed up in a corner of the covered court yard. My interpreter spoke too softly so they replaced him with a prisoner in his pink uniform. He introduced himself as Augustine and we continued. I noticed the crowd steadily increasing all the time. Many who were watching from a distance came closer By the time more than 1000 were gathered around us, I was told the power had returned and handed me a microphone so I continued teaching and watched in astonishment as the crowd continued to grow to more than 3000!!
They eagerly received the message of reconciliation between man & God and person to person. They responded enthusiastically, like the prisoners in Cyangugu in August, when I urged them to proclaim that they have value before God and also to tell their neigbors they have value before God. People were hugging and smiling from ear to ear. Pastor Deo continued with a powerful follow-up and eventually more than 1000 people indicate that they were ready to receive Christ and/or ready to be ministers of reconciliation. This number included Christians who committed to spreading reconciliation and unity in prison. We preached a message of hope for the prisoners and the deputy commissioner of the prison later said it was powerful and amazing. He asked us to return for a Sunday service and promised all 8000+ prisoners will attend! The prisoners all raised their hands when he asked them if we should return – a very humbling experience for us.
We then visited the deputy Commissioner of Prisons in Kigali and he said the prisons are open for the Gospel and especially for the message that we are preaching – a message of reconciliation, restoration, and hope. He told us their aim is restorative, not punitive. They treat the prisoners with dignity and instill in them hope that they can return to a fruitful life after prison. Here the incarcerated are assessed and then taught skills and prepared for reintegration in society. I was told that the return rate of released prisoners is negligible. This could make an amazing documentary…
So, I praise God for affirming the calling to return to Rwanda and look forward to how the Holy Spirit will move and guide us in the next few weeks.
Pray for us as we continue the work God has prepared in advance for us to do here in Rwanda.
(Eph.2:10 – “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”)
