Stephanie
Stephanie has been on the list to come to the Bible study at the prison for several weeks, but today was the first time she came. I think I had heard she got caught carrying drugs; that's what most of the prisoners I work with are there for. (A couple of the men are in for manslaughter or assault with a deadly weapon, but they're nice, calm guys. They're also sober, since they have no access to alcohol in the prison, and their crimes were committed when they had been drinking.)
Back to Stephanie. I had also heard she's Belgian, and when we met at the Bible study today, I told her I didn't feel right saying, "Welcome to this prison!" She thanked me for that thought. I did tell her that while she is in the prison, though, she's welcome to come to the studies. She thanked me again.
As usual, when people join the group, I ask if they have a Bible, and those that don't, I ask what language they prefer. One of the men is from Curacao, and his Bible is in Papiamentu; he brought that one himself, but over the years I have arranged Dutch, Ukrainian, French, Portuguese, Polish and English Bibles. One of the latest arrivals in the men's meeting is from Senegal or some other Central African country. He brought his own Bible: an English Gideon Bible that looks to be 40 or 50 years old.
Stephanie said she didn't have a Bible. In fact, she said she's never read the Bible, and never been to church. She did recall a story from the Bible about a boy thrown in a pit by 9 brothers. She remembers hearing it when she was 6 years old in the first grade. I got the impression that her basic Bible knowledge begins and ends right about there. We read a passage from the gospels, and she asked what the word "disciple" means, and it's not because she's not bright. She has a degree in Portuguese; this is simply her first direct contact with the Bible and its language.
Stephanie asked for a Bible in English. I will see that she gets one. Would you pray that she reads it, and that God would use me to encourage her to take a new direction in life, guided by that Word? Prison is not the kind of place one feels "welcome" in; the Bible, however, tells us of a heavenly Father who welcomes all who come to Him in faith. May Stephanie encounter that glorious welcome.
UPDATE: I took a Bible to Stephanie this week (Sept. 19), and I asked her if she hadn't ever been to church. She said, in fact, she had been: she was baptized as a baby, took first communion at 6, was confirmed at 12, and got married in the church. I'm curious to see how much of the Bible she will read this week.
Back to Stephanie. I had also heard she's Belgian, and when we met at the Bible study today, I told her I didn't feel right saying, "Welcome to this prison!" She thanked me for that thought. I did tell her that while she is in the prison, though, she's welcome to come to the studies. She thanked me again.
As usual, when people join the group, I ask if they have a Bible, and those that don't, I ask what language they prefer. One of the men is from Curacao, and his Bible is in Papiamentu; he brought that one himself, but over the years I have arranged Dutch, Ukrainian, French, Portuguese, Polish and English Bibles. One of the latest arrivals in the men's meeting is from Senegal or some other Central African country. He brought his own Bible: an English Gideon Bible that looks to be 40 or 50 years old.
Stephanie said she didn't have a Bible. In fact, she said she's never read the Bible, and never been to church. She did recall a story from the Bible about a boy thrown in a pit by 9 brothers. She remembers hearing it when she was 6 years old in the first grade. I got the impression that her basic Bible knowledge begins and ends right about there. We read a passage from the gospels, and she asked what the word "disciple" means, and it's not because she's not bright. She has a degree in Portuguese; this is simply her first direct contact with the Bible and its language.
Stephanie asked for a Bible in English. I will see that she gets one. Would you pray that she reads it, and that God would use me to encourage her to take a new direction in life, guided by that Word? Prison is not the kind of place one feels "welcome" in; the Bible, however, tells us of a heavenly Father who welcomes all who come to Him in faith. May Stephanie encounter that glorious welcome.
UPDATE: I took a Bible to Stephanie this week (Sept. 19), and I asked her if she hadn't ever been to church. She said, in fact, she had been: she was baptized as a baby, took first communion at 6, was confirmed at 12, and got married in the church. I'm curious to see how much of the Bible she will read this week.
posted by EP | 10:33 PM | Permalink
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