When less is more... (The prison ministry)

I think it's going on 9 years that I've gone to the local prison to hold Bible studies on a regular basis. What began as bi-weekly studies, in time became weekly meetings; they started with two men and peaked at 15 or so from almost as many countries; the first year or so the meetings were in English as a lingua franca, then bi-lingual (Portuguese and English), at times tri-lingual (add a pinch of French, or later, a heavy dose of Russian-Ukrainian). But as with all that pertains to this life, there is nothing permanent. At the last meeting, only one man showed up: Oleksiy (let's call him Alex).
What's more, he said he would be the only one coming from now on.

Carlos, the Portuguese from the Azores, is to be released this month; Oleg, a Ukrainian, had asked for transfer to the mainland and would be transferred soon; Nikolay, another Ukrainian, had been released, either early parole, or awaiting trial. Only Alex was left. He said he was worried, and had mentioned it to Nikolay when he left. His question to me was:

"Will you continue to come just for me?"

His greatest fear was that I would feel it was not worth taking the time each week for just one person. But in a way, I rejoiced at the news. Why?

1) Because now the element of confusion of languages is reduced. We can speak in Portuguese or Russian as we like, that is, there is no one else for whom we must speak Portuguese.

2) I had arranged a Bible study course specifically written for prisoners, in Russian. I asked him if he had started doing the course. "It's too hard to do without guidance," he said. "I have trouble finding the verses in the Bible." When I next go to the prison, we will be able to go through the course in Russian, as he has expressed a real desire to know more about God.

He was baptized when he was in his 20's in the Orthodox Church. Although raised in an atheist family (his father was in the Soviet Army), he came to believe that there is a Higher Power, and he has been searching for Him. When he was recently sentenced to solitary confinement for a minor infraction of the rules, he welcomed it. It gave him time to be alone to read and meditate, far from the general confusion of the prison environment that surrounds his cell: loud radios, arguments, filthy talk.

This was part of the reason he rejoiced to hear I would continue coming: "These 45 minutes are the one ray of light in my existence; you represent the only light that gets me through the otherwise miserable existence here." (Loose translation, but that's what he was saying.)

He had a second reason to be glad: as the lone remaining Russian speaker in the prison (there is still another one who has never come to our meetings, but he, too, is leaving), he would have no one to speak Russian to...except me. It will be good for him, so he doesn't lose his ability to express himself in his own language---it can happen, in case you've never experienced living in a foreign culture for an extended time---and it will be good for me, so I can improve my Russian. But it also means that those 45 minutes will be "quality time", concentrated on one soul with a thirst for God. Jesus taught that losing can actually be winning, and I agree that in this case, less is more.