A Phone Call from England: A Voice from the Past

They go away and are very rarely heard from again. Over the past 7 years there must have been close to 200 prisoners that have attended the weekly Bible studies. Some, of course, only come a time or two; others come faithfully for a year, two years, or in a few cases even longer, until they've served their time. As they are foreigners, in 99% of the cases, their release is accompanied by immediate deportation, so when they do go, there are no good-byes...they are simply gone. Only two or three have ever gotten back in touch with me, and this week was one of those exceptions.

Usher, a native Jamaican living in England, was released last fall. I mentioned him in a previous post. He was the first Rastafari I ever talked to, and I even tried drawing him. Cameras are not allowed in the prison, of course, and I couldn't take the time to have him "pose" during the limited time at the meeting, so I would come home and try to draw him from memory...This is one of my later attempts, and because of that, perhaps the closest to Usher's real appearance.

Why did he call? He called to say that he had gotten settled back into his apartment he had had to give up when he was arrested. He thanked God for that. He said he had gotten back into his former trade as a plumber, and he thanked God for that, too.

He called to say he would never forget the Bible studies in the prison, and that he reads his Bible every day. He said he prayed for me and would never forget me. (But then I will never forget him, either!)

And he called to send greetings to those who are still coming to the Bible studies. And the last thing he called to tell me, "Pastor, when you sing at the meeting, sing Amazing Grace for me."