From the pages of Diane's travel journal.......

Sometime during their last trip to Honduras, Diane writes.....

Today we got up early and the four of us went to the National Prison of Tamara. We were meeting Pastor Miguel who came on his motor cycle and one other pastor there who facilitated our entering the prison. They said they might not let me in being the only woman, as Nora did not go because of her knee. There was  a lot of walking to get to the chapel. 

The weather was dry, pleasant and sunny  but a little cool first thing in the morning. But at the prison, unlike most times when we visit, there was a nice breeze and very pleasant. We were in an open air room surrounded by much activity. Lots of laundry being hung out, people wandering about, roosters crowing and other noises from other parts of the prison. But in spite of all of these distractions the 10 men who were the volunteers participating were  very attentive and participated very well. Herasmo did the first half of the lesson(24), while Miguel did the second half. The men did an excellent job of reading the scripture passages and most stood when they read, showing respect. There were others who stopped by or sat down  but did not stay and they did not receive booklets. But they may be interested enough to participate in the next session of T&M. The potential is great in this prisoners because of the high number of inmates 2,000-2,500. Divided into 4 or 5 sections, we were only seeing one section today. It was wonderful to be present in the early stages, so we can see the growth when we return next time. All of the volunteers came and shook our hands and hugged us. Saying blessings to us. And we in turn blessed them. 

One inmate who was not part of the volunteers to be trained came and spoke to us in English. He had a sad story. He lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota and married an American girl - he also had a daughter. Then something happened, he didn't tell us what, that they made home come back to Tegucigalpa to jail and he has been there ever since. It seems so sad. But we do not know the whole story.

We decided to give Pastor Miguel one of our Spanish Streams in the Desert books. Gary signed it and everything but we did not get to give it to him. We got there first, he was on his motorcycle and when he got there we had forgotten about the book. We had to leave before he did so we did not see him after at all.  Things get complicated sometimes.

After we left the prison, we went to a mall for lunch. We had Subway and they let Gary pay. With only a little grumbling. 

This is just a sample of one of our days when we are in country in Honduras. We love going and are blessed to be a part of this prison ministry. This was an account from our last trip in January of 2016.

Train & Multiply - Gary Tells Us How This is Just the Beginning

As I have explained to some of you, in addition to the work we are helping with in Latin American prisons, God has laid it on our hearts to take the same Train & Multiply material to the local prison in Leavittsburg, OH at Trumbull Correctional Institution.

I had explained last year that a class of 10-15 disciples were regularly meeting where they were provided instruction, materials and encouragement to go out in the prison compound among their fellow inmates and begin talking about Jesus and inviting them to begin participating in small Bible studies.

That Train & Multiply class finished up and we held a graduation ceremony in December of 2015.  These inmates had become brothers in Christ over the period of 4 months when we were studying together.  These gentlemen have been meeting together now for about eight months and asked to keep the group together discussing Biblical issues, life problems and how to walk a Godly life in the prison. 

We recently started another class.  This time around, the members of that first class are teaching the material to a second generation of “church planters” for the prison.  Eleven men are now being taught the same principles by the men they responded to when asked if they would like to learn about Jesus. 

Each graduate was asked to submit 1-2 names of individuals that they thought were good candidates for the leadership training and those gentlemen were issued invitations.  Thirty one men were invited and at the first meeting 15 responded.  The attendance has leveled off at 12-13 and the enthusiasm and interest of these men is even greater than that of the first class.  I believe they are responding so positively because they are being  taught by a fellow inmate - someone who has walked in their shoes and has the same life experience as they have.

It is a slow start, but we were talking on Tuesday evening about saturation ministry  - where you contact every single person and offer them the opportunity to come to know Jesus Christ.  With a population in that facility of approximately 1500 inmates, one of them quickly calculated that between the present class and those from the previous class that if each one talked to one new person every day and they talked to a new person every day and so on, they wouldn’t have anyone new or unreached to talk to by the second week.  He has grasped the concept of multiplication and how that is the only way to reach the world for Jesus Christ.

It makes me ask, what if each of us did that ev

ery day, what would the world look like.