Dios te bendiga!
Wednesday. With all the impressions and the full programme, you almost lose track of what day it is.
Our second visit to a prison. You could tell we were not in the capital's prison this time. The atmosphere is not as intimidating as it was there. The search was much friendlier this time too, and we (Yvonne and Annelies) found more favour with the women. At the check you get a stamp on your arm, and when you hand in your passport you get a card with a number, which is exchanged again when you leave. Those two things are important to get in, but even more important to be allowed out ;-)
Once again we brought bags of soap and washing powder for the prisoners. This prison is guarded by soldiers, not by the police as in Santo Domingo. In the middle of the prison is a large basketball court surrounded by little shops of sorts, with hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of men hanging around.
Once again, neatly in single file and fairly close behind one another, we walked to the small church hall. No more than a room with a small raised platform at the front and lots of plastic chairs (not very sturdy ones), as became clear during the service when Malte suddenly went straight through a chair. A leg had broken off, or was he slain in the Spirit after all.... 😉
After a few songs accompanied by maracas, djembes and more of that kind of instrument, a pastor called out Quien es Señor? To which the hall shouted: 'Cristo!' More call and response followed, then another song. What stands out is that a song is sung again and again and again.
Various pastors were also given a moment to say something, and almost all of them repeated: 'Who is Lord?' Answer: 'Jesus!' 'Who rose from the dead?' Answer: 'Jesus!'
Pedro briefly told his testimony, and then Annelies and Yvonne performed the short drama piece about the chair again. Yvonne then explained that the chair represents sin and that many things can pull at us; that we all want to belong somewhere, and that this can make us slaves and bind us; but that in Jesus you can find true freedom, and that He has a wonderful plan for each one of them, and of us.
Marien then built on that and gave an invitation. 28 men came forward.
We went round in pairs (Annelies with Wout, and Malte with Yvonne), and Marien with Pedro, to bless the people with the laying on of hands.
There was a wonderful presence of God.
After this visit we went back to where we were staying for a short while, had a quick bite to eat and got ready for the next service: the second children's service.
This was outside the town, and we could tell these children were less used to something like this. We started by blowing bubbles, which the children... and even some adults loved. We did it simply to wait until the little hall (read: a concrete floor with a small roof) filled up with children. There was also a little granny who joined in wholeheartedly; so lovely to see.
Annelies started a movement game with the kids and welcomed them with our hand puppet Esperanza (which means hope).
The children joined in brilliantly and were very enthusiastic. They were freer, and even Esperansa got kisses.
We did the wordless book again, and this time we performed the mirror drama with the puppets.
Something else nice to tell: the youngest children were given a bracelet with the colours black, red, white, yellow and green, so they will remember the message and can pass it on. The older children were given a New Testament. The children at the first children's church received these too. The older children would also have loved a bracelet each, and we handed out as many as we could.
The children sang for us themselves as well, and they love jokes and games. At the end we prayed for the sick. A woman came with back problems, and it soon became clear that one of her legs was shorter than the other. After prayer her leg had grown out and the pain was gone. A man with pain in his back and hips also found the pain largely or completely gone. Gloria Dios. We were still savouring this wonderful, blessed day.
