Real Freedom vs. Wishful Thinking

Today being Monday, I was at the prison again this afternoon. Once inside at the meeting room, I had to wait a few minutes before the prisoners were brought downstairs, so I stood at a window and looked out through the bars into the court yard. There, on the wall opposite where I was, my attention was again drawn to a mural painted by some of the inmates. I've seen it many times over the past couple of years that it's been there, but today I thought again on what it represents. Other areas of the wall have been decorated with designs of various geometric shapes, but this one section is very artistic. The artist(s) painted a large, gaping "hole" in the wall, complete with broken bars, through which one "looks out" to an open sea that stretches to the horizon in the far distance.

It's all an illusion, of course. Well might they wish there were such a hole in the wall through which they could escape to freedom. It is the scene they imagine they would see, if they weren't imprisoned behind high walls. I've often wondered how many of the prisoners (those not from the island) have actually seen any of Madeira. Whenever they are taken any place (the airport, the courthouse, the hospital), it is always in a prison van with no windows. All the beauty of nature around them, and even this they are kept from seeing. Their only idea of the island must come from what they see on the local TV station.

I think a lot of people in the world believe they are free, when in fact, it's only an illusion of freedom. All the while, they are imprisoned by sin, Satan, and the world around them. Satan does a good job of painting a beautiful mural of freedom on the walls that imprison us. Jesus, on the other hand, said that if the Son makes us free, then we are "free indeed". He doesn't repaint the wall; He demolishes it.

Prison Report: Caught Off Guard

I never know what to expect when I go to the weekly ministry at the prison. I'm never sure how many prisoners will come to the meeting, or even whether the guards at the front gate will remember to relay the message to the guards on the inside to let the prisoners come to the meeting room. There are times I arrive at the meeting to be informed that one of the prisoners has been released and sent home. There's rarely any chance for good-byes. "Until we meet again...next week, or...?" About the time some leave or drop out, I'm informed of others who want to be added to the list I have to keep updated with the prison officials, letting them know who I will let come to my meetings.

This week, the surprise came after the meetings with the ladies and with the men. For years, I was the only one ministering to the men, then changes were made in the way the prisons are run, and now there are at least two other groups going in adjoining rooms at the same time every Monday, one a Pentecostal church group, and in the other a Jehovah's Witness meets with a prisoner. The other pastors left before I did, so after the men were taken out of the meeting area, I waited for the guard to let me out. He didn't let me out. He wanted to talk.

For another 15-20 minutes I answered questions and shared with the guard. I didn't remember seeing him before, but he admitted that his mother had taught catechism in a town west of Funchal, but as he grew up he began to think on his own. At one point I told him that salvation is a gift from God. "How do we get it?" he asked. I asked him what he would do if I offered him a present. "I would just say thank you and take it," he replied. "Exactly! And that's how we receive salvation." "It's that simple?" It's so simple, it becomes difficult for people, I told him.

With the rotating schedules of the guards, I don't when I'll see him again, but it brought home to me the point I have often made to the prisoners in the meetings. I tell them to stop complaining about the guards and the prison officials, and to start praying for them.

One of the memorable incidents over the years was the time I was standing at the front gate with the guards, waiting to be taken in to the meeting. One of the guards who most often was detailed to observe our meetings was in the guard room getting papers together. Suddenly I hear these words being sung (in English!) "This is the day, this is the day that the Lord hath made..." We always sing in English, and he had heard that song sung so often (the prisoners want to sing it every week) that he had learned it in English.

The ministry isn't just for the prisoners, after all.

"Normal" (?) week

Looking at my last posting, I see more than a week has gone by. Nothing spectacular happened; it was life as usual. Monday was the Bible study at the prison, an hour with women prisoners, then an hour with men. (They are not allowed to meet at the same time and place.) The meetings are usually conducted in English to accommodate the various nationalities represented, but the men's meeting has become a bit more complicated with the entry of some who understand Portuguese, but not English, and others who understand Russian/Ukrainian, but not English or Portuguese. One of the newcomers is a Pole, who fortunately understands a little English (but no Portuguese). It will be good news for him tomorrow when I take him the Polish Bible I ordered for him. Bah, one of the prisoners from Africa, called this week to tell me his good news: the judge has ordered his release and deportation, so he should be going home in a couple of weeks. At the moment, he is probably the one who has been attending the meetings for the longest time, perhaps 3 or 4 years.

I had to go to the consulate, of course, to take care of some things, but I spent as much time as possible at home trying to finish the built-in closets in our bedroom. My brother, who's a wallpaper expert, wrote that he was going to see about getting three weeks' work done in two weeks. Well, I can top that: I can take three weeks to get one week's work done! I believe the closet will be finished this week, though.

We did say good-bye to the old wood-frame sliding windows this week. They were supposed to slide, that is, which is why we replaced them. They were loose enough to rattle in the slightest breeze, but actually opening and shutting them on any given day was another matter. Heat and cold, rainy weather or dry weather---the windows managed to swell or warp, as the case might be, and get wedged in the track, or suddenly become unstuck. The new aluminum windows do not seem to pose a threat to our fingers.

Then there was a funeral this week. As far as we know, this man had never accepted the gospel. Some of his family members are believers, but it is difficult to offer comfort when we have no reason to believe the person has departed this life without a saving knowledge of Christ. And just for balance, I was asked to preach at the wedding of a brother who's working on the island at the moment. Blanchard will be getting married in Lisbon on April 16 at the Third Baptist Church where he's a member, but he asked me to bring the message. More about that in coming weeks.

And finally, for those of you following Jackie's health, there have been no further developments. We just ask that you keep praying for her, and for us all.

I'm reminded of our Ukrainian brethren, who, when asked how they are, often respond in Portuguese, "normal". (The word is the same and has the same meaning in Portuguese as in English, but the last syllable is stressed, rather than the first one.) In studying Ukrainian, however, I discovered that the word "normalno" is the Ukrainian equivalent of "OK". So, if next week at this time I say that the week was "normal", it might be in order to ask what brand of normal I mean: English, Portuguese, or Ukrainian Portuguese.

Update on Jackie (2)

Just to let everyone know that the second doctor told Jackie he doesn't believe she has a tumor. All her problems stem from a nervous breakdown a year ago. With one doctor saying she has a tumor(probably) and the other saying she doesn't (he's convinced), that doesn't help Jackie very much. At least she's stronger than last week and she has been at church two nights.

IN THE NEWS

You may have heard of us (as a geographic reference point) earlier in the week. Fossett and his Global Flyer went right over Madeira (not exactly in barnstorming fashion---unless you have a very tall barn) and you guessed it: we didn't see him. Probably wouldn't have seen him at 2,000 feet or 500 feet, either. Although the wind is strong today (gusts up to 50 or 60 mph), we can see the airport runway across the bay from our house. The airport has been closed various times in the last week, due to poor visibility. More snow and sleet were supposed to fall on the mountain peaks today; don't know if it did, and I'm not interested in going up there to find out, but I do know it's cold enough down here at sea level to be below freezing up there. Weather not likely to change until Sunday.

Update on Jackie

I just spoke with Jaime. The doctor prescribed some medication for the intestinal symptoms Jackie has and is waiting on the results of the exams she did last week before deciding which further tests she needs. Those results could be ready by the end of this week, but possibly only next. Jaime says Jackie feels some better today. Your continued prayers are appreciated.