I was privileged to travel once again to Nairobi, Kenya with World Hope. A new blessing for me was to be able to speak to 1,200 prisoners. This opportunity was opened to us primarily because of Hope Church’s great Christian Reggae band, Tunedem. The band is allowed to perform in the prison which has made a way for us at World Hope to come and give the Gospel and minister too. Pastor Brian of Hope Church and myself were both impressed with the spirit and nature of the Warden and the guards. They openly expressed care and concern for the men and their spiritual state. The men packed shoulder to shoulder and filled the courtyard to hear this concert. I was given the opportunity to speak to these prisoners, and I was amazed at how well they all listened and remained quietly seated. I said to the men, “you can’t walk out of prison a free man today, but you can walk in this prison a free man today.” I shared how that can happen through a relationship with Jesus. More than 50 men publicly raised their hands indicating that they had just prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. Praise the King!
Afterward, we gave out a few hundred packets of toiletries and basic necessities. Thank you to those of you who donated these items! The packets were given to the older men, who probably were the neediest. These men were deeply grateful and I was humbled to stand there and place these gifts in their hands with a warm greeting and some hugs too.
For me personally, this trip always touches a place deep in me, a place of my own pride. Pride that I cannot seem to see until I am confronted with my brothers and sisters who live in a slum. Pride that is hidden until I come face to face with those who live in a third world prison. I am reminded that the slum of pride and entitlement in me, is far worse than the slum in which they physically live in. Often it is our own pride that is in fact a prison itself. I am glad for the spiritual reset button these trips are for me. I encourage you who are reading this to prayerfully consider how God could use you; to pray for World Hope. To give to support the on-going ministry of World Hope. Or, to gowith us, allowing God to use you as His hands and feet to minister for Him.
Matthew 25:35-39 “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
