Prison
On Saturday I went to Prison. It was honestly a lot cooler than I was expecting it to be. I had had my heart set on going to the psychiatric clinic every Saturday but I decided to go to the prison at least once. Chelsea, kendall, Michelle and I all went. We unloaded from the cars into the street and waited on the people to come that came every Saturday (prison evangelists?) When they all showed up we filed in through the big metal doors into a room where a man just gave me a list of names and motioned for me to call them out (either he couldn’t read.. or our names were too hard to pronounce I think) Once all the names were called out we went to our different sections (I was in the women’s group). We walked into this big courtyard area (much like the psychiatric hospital) and it was packed with men… all the different prisoners. Now let me clarify something for you about the prisoners here—75% of of them are there without trial. In Benin you are guilty until proven innocent and sometimes it can take up to 2 years for you to have a trial, so many of the people in the prison were in there for crimes they never committed. It’s really sad. We were told that the police are bribed by people sometimes to arrest innocent people. It hurts my heart to see them in there for no reason. Its so unfair. We walked through the courtyard and went through an “alley” and we reached another metal door with a little window with bars over it, it was knocked on and we were allowed in—the women’s prison. Please remove any idea you have in your mind about what a prison should look like over here. There are no cells, it’s a courtyard.. with alley ways and “houses” there are no beds inside—just mats where they sleep. They are all given different jobs to do throughout the day to keep them busy. There are also a lot of children in the women’s prison—there’s no where else for them to stay, so they come to prison with their mom.
As always, when you first arrive at a ministry site it’s slightly awkward. You’re never really sure what to do. I prayed that God would help me, help me to love these people. That he would show me what he wanted me to do. Someone made the suggestion that we divide into groups of two or so and spread out. So I walked into the first “house” and saw two younger women inside with their children. I asked the woman with the older child if I could sit down next to her and she nodded yes. So I sat down on the matt next to her. She had a really cute baby girl who just stared at me and smiled some. There was another lady in the house with a new born baby, o yes, and one younger girl—about my age. I basically just sat and laughed at the children with them. I mimicked the different faces they were making and we just laughed. Michelle came in too, she was being followed around by a little girl who kept jumping on her. We decided to go out into the courtyard and listen to the message, but then the two women went back inside, so I went and sat in the doorway and just watched Kaylee play with this little girl. I love watching my friends play with kids. Michelle (who is my room mate if you didn’t know) was holding this little girl that didn’t like anyone it seemed besides michelle. She has quite a gift with children. I love getting to know all the different people on this ship. I’ve come to realize how many different gifts people have. I just think it’s so cool that we are all so different. I know that sounds really silly, but I am so glad that we aren’t all created the same. Anyways, after watching my friends for a little while I went back inside—and then the fun commenced! Kendall (one of my new room mates) came into the house, and so did Chelsea. They can both speak French (chelsea’s learning!) so I could finally understand what the women were saying. We sat around in a circle and just talked and laughed. There was one prisoner named Priska who was hilarious! She was trying to tell us that the little girl we were playing with had three brothers and sisters but we couldn’t understand her for some reason. So she said “her mother—(insert labor noises) 4 times!” hahaha it was so funny. They were talking about me but I couldn’t understand what they were saying so I just kept making weird facial expressions, which then resulted in laughter again.. then they would say something weird and I would start laughing. If felt like we had all been friends for a really long time. There was a little more confusion because Priska was trying to ask me if we breast fed back home, but I thought she was asking if I breast fed right now. So I said no, because actually I thought she was asking if I’d breast feed her baby for her.. hahaaha o dear, I said “I could try, but I don’t think it would do any good” It was quite a funny confusing situation. Then they said I looked like a singer they knew, and Chelsea decided to tell them I was, so Leah and I sang for them. Then Chelsea, Kendall and I sang and danced for them, Then The ladies joined in. It was so much fun. We were then told we had to leave, but I will definitely be going back. It was such an incredible experience.
As always, when you first arrive at a ministry site it’s slightly awkward. You’re never really sure what to do. I prayed that God would help me, help me to love these people. That he would show me what he wanted me to do. Someone made the suggestion that we divide into groups of two or so and spread out. So I walked into the first “house” and saw two younger women inside with their children. I asked the woman with the older child if I could sit down next to her and she nodded yes. So I sat down on the matt next to her. She had a really cute baby girl who just stared at me and smiled some. There was another lady in the house with a new born baby, o yes, and one younger girl—about my age. I basically just sat and laughed at the children with them. I mimicked the different faces they were making and we just laughed. Michelle came in too, she was being followed around by a little girl who kept jumping on her. We decided to go out into the courtyard and listen to the message, but then the two women went back inside, so I went and sat in the doorway and just watched Kaylee play with this little girl. I love watching my friends play with kids. Michelle (who is my room mate if you didn’t know) was holding this little girl that didn’t like anyone it seemed besides michelle. She has quite a gift with children. I love getting to know all the different people on this ship. I’ve come to realize how many different gifts people have. I just think it’s so cool that we are all so different. I know that sounds really silly, but I am so glad that we aren’t all created the same. Anyways, after watching my friends for a little while I went back inside—and then the fun commenced! Kendall (one of my new room mates) came into the house, and so did Chelsea. They can both speak French (chelsea’s learning!) so I could finally understand what the women were saying. We sat around in a circle and just talked and laughed. There was one prisoner named Priska who was hilarious! She was trying to tell us that the little girl we were playing with had three brothers and sisters but we couldn’t understand her for some reason. So she said “her mother—(insert labor noises) 4 times!” hahaha it was so funny. They were talking about me but I couldn’t understand what they were saying so I just kept making weird facial expressions, which then resulted in laughter again.. then they would say something weird and I would start laughing. If felt like we had all been friends for a really long time. There was a little more confusion because Priska was trying to ask me if we breast fed back home, but I thought she was asking if I breast fed right now. So I said no, because actually I thought she was asking if I’d breast feed her baby for her.. hahaaha o dear, I said “I could try, but I don’t think it would do any good” It was quite a funny confusing situation. Then they said I looked like a singer they knew, and Chelsea decided to tell them I was, so Leah and I sang for them. Then Chelsea, Kendall and I sang and danced for them, Then The ladies joined in. It was so much fun. We were then told we had to leave, but I will definitely be going back. It was such an incredible experience.
Stepping out of the boat
As I told you last week my small group and I have decided to “step out of the boat” into the city of Benin to pray for the different people. We went in for the first time on Saturday. Priska, Dina, Chelsea, Dorothea and I all met on the dock and prayed that God would show us what exactly he wanted us to do today and who he wanted us to pray for. We walked down the street—just praying for the city of Benin and for the different people we saw. It was strange because usually there are a whole lot of beggars and crippled people on the streets, but that particular day we didn’t see any—the one day we were actually looking for them. We walked all the way down to the market and still.. no sign of anyone. Then we all started singing. Yes, I realize we probably looked like a cult, but we were singing “open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you” It was so cool because then we saw a crippled man in the middle of the street. We all walked up to him and sat on the ground with him and asked his name and some other random questions, then a little crowd of curious men gathered around us and we asked if they wanted us to pray for them. We talked to them all for a little while and then prayed for each of them. Then we sang, I feel like I sing a whole lot more here, but that could be debatable. We then walked down the street on our way back to the street and prayed for the people we were passing when we saw another man who we went up and talked to—he looked to be crippled, but I’m not really sure if he was. We talked to a woman beside him and another boy, we just got to know the people and then asked if they wanted us to pray for them which we did. On our way back to the ship we lost Chelsea and Dorothea, they went off and played with some kids on the side of the street (they were walking behind us) we got back to the port and prayed again for the city and for the people. It was really cool to start building relationships with the people of cotonou and to actually pray with them. We’re going back out tomorrow and Tuesday.
Speaking of our small group: it’s been incredible. The girls that are in it—
Chelsea: she’s probably my best friend here, she’s my bunk mate, and we have the same working schedule, needless to say we spend a whole lot of time together. She’s our dining room team leader and she’s really great. She loves Jesus a whole whole lot. You can see it in everything that she does. She’s been an incredible encouragement to me in my walk with the Lord
Kelsey: She’s the newest arrival in our group, she’s really encouraging. I feel like God speaks to me through her in every small group we have. She always has a scripture or a quote or some amazing truth God has shown her that she can share. Tonight she talked about having a heavenly focus, I don’t know how to explain it really. I just feel like everything she says comes straight from the heart of God. She is such a blessing. She’s from The states as well, although I can’t remember which one :/
Dinante: She’s from the Netherlands, and her life is a really incredible testimony as well. I feel like she’s so full of wisdom. She passionately seeks the Lord in all she does. She’s really funny too, she and Chelsea were my first two friends on the ship really. Sadly she’s on the other dining team now so we don’t get to work together as much L
Dorothea: She’s our small group leader. She is also my room mate. J She is such an encouragement as well, I know I keep saying that. But it’s true about every single one of these girls. She’s so honest about what’s going on in her heart.. that even through her struggles she is a light to people. She is so loving, so compassionate. She made me cry tonight. She told me I was encouragement to her and I haven’t heard that in so long. I know that sounds silly, But I realized I have been so selfish lately that I couldn’t have been an encouragement to anyone. I was always bringing people down.. God’s been changing my heart though, and It was just really encouraging to hear from someone that they see a change. I want to be different. I want to be completely his. Tonight was a hard night for dorothea, one of the translators in the ward (shes an admissions nurse) was killed in an accident last night, so it was a hard day for her.. for everyone really. If you could be in prayer for daniel’s family, he has two children and a wife. O yes. Dorothea is from Switzerland. She blesses everyone around her with her contagious joy. She leaves on the thirtieth, which I don’t want to think about.
Priska: She is from Switzerland as well. She prays all day long which I think is really cool. She’s very honest about her struggles.. and what I love about her is the fact that she’s not afraid to yell at you if you’re being stupid. I was talking about my struggle with unbelief, and it was so so refreshing to just have someone tell me that I have a problem rather than sugar coat it. I said that when I pray for healing for someone I think I doubt in my heart, because if I fully believed God would and could heal this man and he wasn’t healed it would prove God wasn’t real to me. So she said “that’s your problem! You don’t believe! How can you pray like this and expect something to happen if you don’t believe?” Except in a swiss accent.. She’s really great. I am so thankful she’s in our group.
Irina: Irina is gone. Which hurts my heart. I miss her. She’s from Russia, except she lives in Poland. She was a new Christian, which was really cool to have in our group. She was always very honest about her struggles, and we had a lot in common which was nice. She really and truly desires to live her life for the Lord.
As I told you last week my small group and I have decided to “step out of the boat” into the city of Benin to pray for the different people. We went in for the first time on Saturday. Priska, Dina, Chelsea, Dorothea and I all met on the dock and prayed that God would show us what exactly he wanted us to do today and who he wanted us to pray for. We walked down the street—just praying for the city of Benin and for the different people we saw. It was strange because usually there are a whole lot of beggars and crippled people on the streets, but that particular day we didn’t see any—the one day we were actually looking for them. We walked all the way down to the market and still.. no sign of anyone. Then we all started singing. Yes, I realize we probably looked like a cult, but we were singing “open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you” It was so cool because then we saw a crippled man in the middle of the street. We all walked up to him and sat on the ground with him and asked his name and some other random questions, then a little crowd of curious men gathered around us and we asked if they wanted us to pray for them. We talked to them all for a little while and then prayed for each of them. Then we sang, I feel like I sing a whole lot more here, but that could be debatable. We then walked down the street on our way back to the street and prayed for the people we were passing when we saw another man who we went up and talked to—he looked to be crippled, but I’m not really sure if he was. We talked to a woman beside him and another boy, we just got to know the people and then asked if they wanted us to pray for them which we did. On our way back to the ship we lost Chelsea and Dorothea, they went off and played with some kids on the side of the street (they were walking behind us) we got back to the port and prayed again for the city and for the people. It was really cool to start building relationships with the people of cotonou and to actually pray with them. We’re going back out tomorrow and Tuesday.
Speaking of our small group: it’s been incredible. The girls that are in it—
Chelsea: she’s probably my best friend here, she’s my bunk mate, and we have the same working schedule, needless to say we spend a whole lot of time together. She’s our dining room team leader and she’s really great. She loves Jesus a whole whole lot. You can see it in everything that she does. She’s been an incredible encouragement to me in my walk with the Lord
Kelsey: She’s the newest arrival in our group, she’s really encouraging. I feel like God speaks to me through her in every small group we have. She always has a scripture or a quote or some amazing truth God has shown her that she can share. Tonight she talked about having a heavenly focus, I don’t know how to explain it really. I just feel like everything she says comes straight from the heart of God. She is such a blessing. She’s from The states as well, although I can’t remember which one :/
Dinante: She’s from the Netherlands, and her life is a really incredible testimony as well. I feel like she’s so full of wisdom. She passionately seeks the Lord in all she does. She’s really funny too, she and Chelsea were my first two friends on the ship really. Sadly she’s on the other dining team now so we don’t get to work together as much L
Dorothea: She’s our small group leader. She is also my room mate. J She is such an encouragement as well, I know I keep saying that. But it’s true about every single one of these girls. She’s so honest about what’s going on in her heart.. that even through her struggles she is a light to people. She is so loving, so compassionate. She made me cry tonight. She told me I was encouragement to her and I haven’t heard that in so long. I know that sounds silly, But I realized I have been so selfish lately that I couldn’t have been an encouragement to anyone. I was always bringing people down.. God’s been changing my heart though, and It was just really encouraging to hear from someone that they see a change. I want to be different. I want to be completely his. Tonight was a hard night for dorothea, one of the translators in the ward (shes an admissions nurse) was killed in an accident last night, so it was a hard day for her.. for everyone really. If you could be in prayer for daniel’s family, he has two children and a wife. O yes. Dorothea is from Switzerland. She blesses everyone around her with her contagious joy. She leaves on the thirtieth, which I don’t want to think about.
Priska: She is from Switzerland as well. She prays all day long which I think is really cool. She’s very honest about her struggles.. and what I love about her is the fact that she’s not afraid to yell at you if you’re being stupid. I was talking about my struggle with unbelief, and it was so so refreshing to just have someone tell me that I have a problem rather than sugar coat it. I said that when I pray for healing for someone I think I doubt in my heart, because if I fully believed God would and could heal this man and he wasn’t healed it would prove God wasn’t real to me. So she said “that’s your problem! You don’t believe! How can you pray like this and expect something to happen if you don’t believe?” Except in a swiss accent.. She’s really great. I am so thankful she’s in our group.
Irina: Irina is gone. Which hurts my heart. I miss her. She’s from Russia, except she lives in Poland. She was a new Christian, which was really cool to have in our group. She was always very honest about her struggles, and we had a lot in common which was nice. She really and truly desires to live her life for the Lord.
All these girls are such a blessing in my life—I put up a piture of us, this was before irina left.. our last small group all together L well I hope you all have a blessed day!
O and PS—we have three new room mates: Kendall: from St. Louis, Mel from the UK and Melanie from the UK. Melanie is only here a month, and I don’t quite remember how long Mel is here for.. but they are all quite nice. Our room mates all get along fine. That’s been a blessing.
O and PS—we have three new room mates: Kendall: from St. Louis, Mel from the UK and Melanie from the UK. Melanie is only here a month, and I don’t quite remember how long Mel is here for.. but they are all quite nice. Our room mates all get along fine. That’s been a blessing.
It is a blessing to read about your adventures! It is exciting to see how how God is using the people of Benin to draw your heart to His.
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful you decided to take this GAP year and spend part of it on the Mercy Ships.
May God continue to bless you and your friends.
Bonny Jean!
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful the Lord put you and Chelsea in each others' lives! What a blessing you have been to her in so many ways ~ I'm sure you are an answer to my prayers for a good friend on the ship!! I will be praying for you as well as my daughter and anticipate God will continue to grow you both closer to each other and to Himself!! And ... I hope to meet you once you & Chels are back in the States :o)