The most compelling life changing parts of our ministry is being able to go into the walls of the prison and minister to the 54 women. We have also been in and spoke to the men in the prison and know we will be able to reach them as well. There are over 500 men and the sight is beyond anything I have ever seen, but these men are having Bible Studies and Church services every week as the Police department seek to share Jesus with them as well as the community.
I can not fully explain why but the dramatic change we saw in just one year, with just one visit continues to blow my mind. All I can say is that God is so alive in this town, His spirit moves to and fro and they feel it, need it and respond to it, like I've never seen before.
Pictures are obviously not allowed. I so wish I could bring back at least a picture to show you these women's brilliant faces. My heart swells every time I think of them. I am so thankful we get to journey with these women as they face prison and a painful past. I am surprised to learn that a lot of these women are in there for life. We will be there for them, and bring truth and life to the worst situations as only God can.
Below is the stories of our visits:
November 2013
I can not fully explain why but the dramatic change we saw in just one year, with just one visit continues to blow my mind. All I can say is that God is so alive in this town, His spirit moves to and fro and they feel it, need it and respond to it, like I've never seen before.
Pictures are obviously not allowed. I so wish I could bring back at least a picture to show you these women's brilliant faces. My heart swells every time I think of them. I am so thankful we get to journey with these women as they face prison and a painful past. I am surprised to learn that a lot of these women are in there for life. We will be there for them, and bring truth and life to the worst situations as only God can.
Below is the stories of our visits:
November 2013
I wish I could put into words correctly what happened today as 6 of us women went into the women's prison. The other 5 women on our team stayed back to Intercede on our behalf as we did not know what to expect or have anything planned just knew God had opened the door for us to go into the prison once again.
I had been told that there were about 30 women in the prison. We had brought 30 blankets plus many other children's blankets for the children that live with their mothers in prison.
After going through questioning, we were told we could spend about 10-15 minutes with the women and only pass out the blankets if we had enough for all 52 of the women. This was far more women then I thought but we had other small baby blankets, so even though I did not know how many we had I said, "We have enough." I said this not knowing at all how many blankets we really did have, but knowing I only planned on about 30. But the knowledge and confidence I had in knowing God wanted us in that prison was more real to me then the amount of blankets we did not have. At this point I just knew that this was His deal and not mine to question. Therefore I said, "We have enough."
The women and their little ones were all sitting in the small chapel on the floor, waiting for us. We walked in and my heart leaped within me. The Spirit inside of this place was full of anticipation for what the Lord had planned for this very day. The team and I proceeded up front and I introduced myself and the team. I began to explain that they have been deep in my prayers and on my heart knowing Jesus wanted them to hear these very words. "He loves them so dearly, and knows them so intimately and knows their hearts cry. He sees every tear that falls and will never leave them. That we also have come to let them know we care, and we want to bring them life and hope in what seems to be hopeless situations.
I then asked if anyone wanted prayer to come up. 90 % of the women came up for prayer. As we all laid hands on them they all began to weep a cry of deep grief. Talk about heart wrenching. So much pain. There was not a dry eye in the room.
The Pastor of the Hope Chest Care Point Abinet started to sing a worship song. It was the most beautiful song I have every heard. They began to sing their song in their sobs. Crying out to Him, their only hope, the one who loves. I will never forget stopping and looking at them as they deeply sobbed, and thinking, "Wow, that is so beautiful... God you are bringing healing to them." Then just as sweet as their healing cries the same song turned a tune to joy and dancing.
I am sure you can imagine all of this so far took well longer then 10-15 minutes they alloted us. There was a change happening and it is evident that the guards were thankful.
We then had all of the women step out of the room as the guards wanted us to count the blankets to see if we did indeed have enough. We began sorting all the blankets and counted how many we had. SERIOUSLY... we had just enough for all of them, not one less, not one more!!!!! What a confirmation that God orchestrated every detail, showed His love and Faithfulness. We were crazy amazed.
We passed them all out one by one. Embracing each women with hugs and kisses and a whisper... "You are loved."
All but one.
Their was some talk among the guards as we waited patiently to see who the last one was for. They turned to me to say that there is one more women, they had to go get her because she was in solitary confinement. Since she was very dangerous, they dismissed the other women back to their rooms.
She was serving a life sentence for killing a child of her neighbor who she was angry at, disposing of the body in the river. She threatened continully the lives of all the inmates and prison guards.
She walked in. The guards said you need to pray for her. She had a hardness you do not see often. Head down, no eye contact. I grasped her broken, mistreated face into my hands. I looked into her eyes, and asked her to look into mine. Nothing.
As I continued to hold her face, I prayed, and spoke truth over her life speaking against all that was not meant to be her, to be gone. I spoke into her that this is not who she was created to be and that satan had stolen so much from her. I was claiming it all back for her. God was present. It took sometime for her to respond, but you could tell that as the truth was being spoken over her something was happening.
The team behind be softly began to sing the song Hallelujah, which brought such a deeper sense of His spirit in the room. Her glassed over eyes became soft and she began to look into my eyes, understanding and agreeing with everything I said.
Our Ministry Partner who was translating for me, Nebiyu was talking to her and proclaiming again to her what was being spoken. Suddenly she dropped to her knees, and asked to accept Jesus. I think my heart stopped at this point. Oh this is what I feel and know I was created for to hear those words of one who is lost come to the realization of their need for Him. She repeated every sweet word of my prayer as if she believed it with her whole heart, as she wept.
Her cold, hardened, lost face was transformed like no other I have ever seen. NOTHING in this world will EVER compare to moments like these. She stood up and wrapped her arms around me and we were sisters in Christ. It is amazing the love that God can give you for another.. a tiny glimpse of His.
She hugged and embraced our whole team and walked out a changed women. The one she was created to be.
The guards were so excited, amazed and thankful. It had been at least 45 minutes, yet they never questioned us about the time.
As she walked out I took off my bracelet and gave it to her and told her to remember this day. I later went back and bought the very same bracelet and wear it everyday. Yes, to remember and pray for this women I dearly love. But it also represents to me what God can do and will do if you walk in the knowledge that He can and will do the impossible and unthinkable if we do not put ourselves in a box. We are limitless to this world when we walk with God. We can walk with a confidence and a faith that makes time stand still, blankets multiply, the broken heart mended and a lost soul freed.
We literally walked in that place not having a plan, not knowing what to expect, but asked the Lord to have His way... I think He did.
November 2014
Our most amazing moments were again at the women's prison. Oh I wish words would do, or to even have pictures. To have this ministry to the women in this town and the women in this prison... what a divine plan. I love these women with my whole heart. Not a day goes by I do not think of them and the life they've been given, and the life I have been given. For this I press on... their faces... the
pain... the stories. I could say they are so different then I, but that would be far from the truth. They
are just like me, they are alive, they are women, they are funny, crazy, and special, and they are chosen and I love them with all my heart. They keep me real, they keep me connected to remembering who I truly am without all the distractions, the assumptions, the comparisons, just real life... I need Jesus and nothing else. For once I saw in these women's eyes death, loneliness, hopelessness. Then Jesus came in and rocked their world! Now they just are. That's what I desire everyday... to just be.
After speaking to the Chief Prison Guard, Anna and I were anxious to go in to speak to the women after what God did last year, we were anticipating seeing them again. Before going in I asked the Prision Wardin if my friend Cammadoer Adissa was back after his 2 year Police transfer to Sudan... and indeed he was and to my delight met us there just 10 minutes later. You see, this is just not any Police Officer. This man has helped changed this town by the passion and presence of the Lord he carries. He also loves our friends at Hosanna! Church and is committed to helping us in anyway he can.
The first to great us as we stepped into the gates of the prison walls, was the broken soul who God dramatically transformed her life right before our eyes, just one year ago. She was in Priosn for Murdering a baby out of spite for her neighbor. They brought her to me and said she needed prayer as she was demon possessed. There was no life in her eyes, and she looked almost dead. You can read the full story on an earlier blog post. In short she was fully restored that day. I was delighted to see she was not in solitary Confinement anymore and was the most beautiful, alive women I have ever seen. Talk about a Makeover, a Heart Transplant and Personality Change all in one. What a difference Life in the soul... in the bones... and in the heart makes.
Emmebet is her name and she was now leading us in worship!!! I had to take a moment and lift my face to the one who makes Beauty out of ashes, and takes the desolate and makes them breathtakingly beautiful. This is where words cannot explain... the joy! Oh the joy! So different from last year. It amazes me what God can do with a group of women as we brought a message last year of how they are not alone! God she's them, hears them and is walking this with them. They believed it as it was all they had, they owned it, received it and walked in it. It again was the Movement that cause God to be drawn to.
Anna and I spoke to the women of how we get out of step sometime with the Lord, and how we only need to step right back in line with Him. He uses the yuck, and the trials for good. We encouraged them to see this time as a beautiful time with the Lord. That they will look back at it sometime and say, "that what a precious time." Loud shouts of amens and halliujiahs and the native Elillta shouts were evidence they again we're embracing the words The Lord had that day were for them. Then a powerful word came from Commander Addisa! How amazing is that to have Hosanna's Commander speak life into these women. They in return blessed him. That what so sweet and extremely touching. We have a unique relationship with him, and God showed the Commander and I this as we talked and shared together that it was evident that he is key for us in the future plans of Hosanna, Ethiopia!
We were able to pass out clothing for each women this time there were 53 women and we had 54 shirts. One left over for a sweet little boy of one of the moms in prison who seemed to need it very much. God knows and sees you too sweet one.
November 2014
Our most amazing moments were again at the women's prison. Oh I wish words would do, or to even have pictures. To have this ministry to the women in this town and the women in this prison... what a divine plan. I love these women with my whole heart. Not a day goes by I do not think of them and the life they've been given, and the life I have been given. For this I press on... their faces... the
pain... the stories. I could say they are so different then I, but that would be far from the truth. They
are just like me, they are alive, they are women, they are funny, crazy, and special, and they are chosen and I love them with all my heart. They keep me real, they keep me connected to remembering who I truly am without all the distractions, the assumptions, the comparisons, just real life... I need Jesus and nothing else. For once I saw in these women's eyes death, loneliness, hopelessness. Then Jesus came in and rocked their world! Now they just are. That's what I desire everyday... to just be.
After speaking to the Chief Prison Guard, Anna and I were anxious to go in to speak to the women after what God did last year, we were anticipating seeing them again. Before going in I asked the Prision Wardin if my friend Cammadoer Adissa was back after his 2 year Police transfer to Sudan... and indeed he was and to my delight met us there just 10 minutes later. You see, this is just not any Police Officer. This man has helped changed this town by the passion and presence of the Lord he carries. He also loves our friends at Hosanna! Church and is committed to helping us in anyway he can.
The first to great us as we stepped into the gates of the prison walls, was the broken soul who God dramatically transformed her life right before our eyes, just one year ago. She was in Priosn for Murdering a baby out of spite for her neighbor. They brought her to me and said she needed prayer as she was demon possessed. There was no life in her eyes, and she looked almost dead. You can read the full story on an earlier blog post. In short she was fully restored that day. I was delighted to see she was not in solitary Confinement anymore and was the most beautiful, alive women I have ever seen. Talk about a Makeover, a Heart Transplant and Personality Change all in one. What a difference Life in the soul... in the bones... and in the heart makes.
Emmebet is her name and she was now leading us in worship!!! I had to take a moment and lift my face to the one who makes Beauty out of ashes, and takes the desolate and makes them breathtakingly beautiful. This is where words cannot explain... the joy! Oh the joy! So different from last year. It amazes me what God can do with a group of women as we brought a message last year of how they are not alone! God she's them, hears them and is walking this with them. They believed it as it was all they had, they owned it, received it and walked in it. It again was the Movement that cause God to be drawn to.
Anna and I spoke to the women of how we get out of step sometime with the Lord, and how we only need to step right back in line with Him. He uses the yuck, and the trials for good. We encouraged them to see this time as a beautiful time with the Lord. That they will look back at it sometime and say, "that what a precious time." Loud shouts of amens and halliujiahs and the native Elillta shouts were evidence they again we're embracing the words The Lord had that day were for them. Then a powerful word came from Commander Addisa! How amazing is that to have Hosanna's Commander speak life into these women. They in return blessed him. That what so sweet and extremely touching. We have a unique relationship with him, and God showed the Commander and I this as we talked and shared together that it was evident that he is key for us in the future plans of Hosanna, Ethiopia!
We were able to pass out clothing for each women this time there were 53 women and we had 54 shirts. One left over for a sweet little boy of one of the moms in prison who seemed to need it very much. God knows and sees you too sweet one.
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