La Mesa Prison Report- Women

Submitted by Laurie Williams (April 25, 2008)

Hi Team,

It was a glorious day for the women inmates and team today as we got right in with Lisa's stuff and lots of books both non-fiction and fiction all Christian authors of course.  Cathy, Louise, and Laurie went down today...thanks for driving Cathy, it's always an experience.  (-:

I opened in prayer and Cathy asked for praise reports.  We had several reports of God's goodness including a moving tearful testimony from Donna who had never shared like that before.  It was such a blessing and encouragement to us all.

We had lost some of Maria's stuff from her family a couple of weeks ago and it came to our attention last week.  She was quite disappointed in us and we were absolutely mind boggled ourselves.  Especially because Cathy had labled every piece with the recipients name.  PRAISE THE LORD,  Sandra had received it and noticed it back in her cell.  She was absent last week but brought it to us to give to Maria this week!!  I can't tell you how I had prayed about that because I was the one who had handed out the stuff and was just going crazy trying to figure out what happened.  Thank you LORD and thank you Sandra for solving this problem.  Anyway,  as a result Cathy decided to explain the system to the ladies this week.  Telling them how many times we haul this stuff to and from the prison waiting for the day the guards just let the stuff in...we explained how we try to keep things straight but when the guards are inspecting the packages they just pull and pull stuff out and don't always put things back in the bags we had them sorted in.  We try to watch but so much is going on in the inspection station, including us going into a room to be frisked, that we can't always stay on top of things.  In this case, the only thing we can figure out is that Sandra's small bag must have been put into Maria's large bag and the name I saw was only Sandra's so she is who I gave it all to...what a bummer, but now a blessing!  Cathy always does such a wonderful job of expaining things to the ladies and she is so well loved by all that they accepted her words with grace.

Louise led us in the singing part of worship with expertise and whole-hearted participation from all.  The three of us sang He Knows My Name and then we taught it to the ladies.  They love new songs and many were quite touched by the message of this song, praise the LORD.  We sang this song at the Women's Tea last Saturday and immediately thought our precious ladies at LMP needed to learn it.

Louise had prepared a great message about the time Peter had escaped prison, her presentation was complete with dramatization...the ladies were captivated and engaged.  She also had an alter call where several had rededicated their lives. Great work, Louise.  We were all fed.

We broke into 3 discussion groups where we talked about the spiritual prisons we are or can be in.  Erika shared how she wants to live for the LORD now and that means not only reading God's Word but being an example in her behavior...it was only a few weeks ago that she had served solitary confinement for taking on some of the guards...she asked to be put in another cell where she is with believers...she calls them "old people" but she is happy to be in a cell where her roommates do Bible study and pray.

Cathy gave her ladies defined work to do this week in their homework.  She feels some of the ladies in her group will need some wise words from Dee (our disciplinarian) next time we meet.

Nayelli shared so much of what the LORD has been doing in her life.  She is very intimate with Him in her relationship and really works on listening to Him.  She loves to share what He is doing in her life.  Another lady in my group is new, Alma.  She is a Buddist but that isn't offered in the prison so she came to our church.  We talked for a solid 10-15 minutes about her experiences with the Christian church and why she eventuallly came to be a Buddist.  I shared with her the truth of God's Word.  She is VERY open to it and wants to meet with us again...unfortunately we don't get to go in next week due a Mexican Holiday...darn...PLEASE  pray for her, pray for all of them as they sort through life issues in a difficult environment.  I asked her not to take my word for it but to ask God and search the scriptures...I asked her to call on the name of the LORD and ask Him to reveal Himself to her.  Louise gave her a Bible and she said she would do it.  Our God doesn't need us to go in next week to help her, He can do it all Himself...I will just miss the blessing of participation but will be very content to hear her testimony when we return because I know our God is faithful.