From:
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 6:23 AM
To:
Subject: Prayer Update 5/18/05 Free inside
Wednesday, May 18th, 2005
Dear Family
and Friends,
Greetings
from
Quite a lot
of things have transpired since my last update, as I am sure you can well
imagine. I will just try to share a few highlights from the past three weeks.
The
Also
attending the OBCL graduation was Dr. Bill Gothard, and since no one was flying
with him from headquarters, Mr. Jantz asked if I could assist him for the
weekend. This was a very good experience for me, although humbling at times.
(Like when I forgot to bring the two boxes of books on our visit to the
Diamondback Correctional Facility.)
Looking
back, I am so grateful for how the Lord loved me so much that he wanted to
teach me a very important, although difficult lesson. Having the spiritual gift
of serving, I really enjoy working to meet the needs of others. However, there
is a subtle danger in seeking approval from those that I am serving, rather
than from the Lord.
I can not
think of a set of circumstances where the Lord could have more clearly showed
me this difference, and while I greatly enjoyed this opportunity to serve Dr.
Gothard, there were a couple situations where my inexperience allowed me to
fall short of doing what was expected.
The Lord so
gently reminded me that whether I am serving Dr. Gothard, or "the least of
these," my focus needs to be on serving as unto the Lord. If I do my very
best, the Lord knows my heart, and while I may not always meet every man's
expectation, it is of the Lord that I receive the reward of my labor.
Misunderstandings will happen with men, but God will never misunderstand our
heart. (See Ephesians 6:5-8, and Colossians 3:22-24)
Visiting
the Diamondback Correctional Facility was a most memorable experience! Driving
over an hour West of Oklahoma City, we finally caught sight of the prison, far
off the road, and just barely peeking over the grassy rise before it. Rows of
fencing and razor wire glittered in the sun, securely enclosing the privately
owned compound.
Meeting us
outside, the chaplain led us through several gates until we reached the office
where we presented our photo ID and passed through the metal detector. Stopping
to share a brief word of encouragement with some of the staff at the prison,
Dr. Gothard inquired a little more about the inmates.
The pod
that we were scheduled to meet was comprised of 120 men, all from
So deeply
impacted were these men that every single one wrote a letter to Dr. Gothard,
thanking him for sharing these truths from God's Word. They and the chaplains
told Dr. Gothard that if he was ever in the area, he had a standing invitation
to visit their pod, known at the prison as "The Faith Pod."
Clearing
more security doors, the chaplains paused outside the door to the pod.
"You are going to have goose bumps when you come in here." the told
us, and opened the door. Even with this warning, never could I have imagined
what we were about to see...
Joyful,
radiant faces beamed as shouts, cheers and applause filled the air. Brightly
colored streamers and decorations hung from the railing above, and a huge
banner proclaimed the seminar motto: "Giving
the World a New Approach to Life!" Like a returning
hero, Dr. Gothard was ushered to the front of the central area where chairs had
been arranged for Dr. Gothard's address.
The air was
electric with enthusiasm and joy as the ovation continued for several minutes.
As the men regained their seats, one of the prisoners came to the podium and
read a very formal welcome in English, pausing at each paragraph to translate
it into his native Hawaiian language. He then presented Dr. Gothard with a Hawaiian lei, intricately crafted from white paper
napkins.
The
tastefully designed program continued with some songs by a group of the men,
sung in English and Hawaiian, and one of men quoted the entire chapter of
Romans 6. My eyes traveled across the group, seeing on many faces the visible
scars of the past, yet beaming with a joy that only God can give! These men may
be behind bars, but they have found freedom inside!
One after
another, men came to the podium to share testimonies of God's work in their
life. Often choked by emotion, but strengthened by shouts of "Amen!"
"That's right!" "It's okay, man!" coming
with tender love from their fellows. Tears running down his cheeks, one
man shared how he finally sees light at the end of the way.
Others
shared of how they have been sharing these truths with their families and loved
ones. One man told how his Mother had stopped reading her Bible and almost
given up all hope, when he had the opportunity to tell her how his life
had been changed -for the better! Another shared how for the first time he saw
God's love in allowing him to go to prison where he learned truths that he
might never have heard outside.
Looking
around the room, I could see the same cells, doors and gates that were in the
other pods, but here something was drastically different. Brightly colored
posters with Scripture verses adorned some of the cell doors, character
qualities written out on poster board surrounded the room, and a large sign in
the center displayed a resolution that the prisoners had written for their
pod.
The time
went all too quickly. After Dr. Gothard's
address, the men presented him with an honorary "scrub," a blue shirt
like what each of them wear, but signed by all the members of the pod. Crowding
around Dr. Gothard, the men personally thanked Dr. Gothard for all that they
had learned in the Basic Seminar, and held out Bibles for him to sign.
Many of the
prisoners also greeted Isaac and I, and shared how their lives have been
changed. One man asked me how his family back home could hear the seminar. We
were past our allotted time, and the men reluctantly gathered near the door for
some final photographs before we were obliged to leave.
It would be
impossible to adequately describe the two hours we spent at the Faith Pod, but
it was an experience not to be forgotten. The same power, I had told them, that has transformed their lives, is what enables us
to live the Christian life outside.
"You
won't find that in a thousand prisons," Dr. Gothard commented to us
afterwards. Reflecting on the Christian love and joy that we had so clearly
sensed there, I wondered if you would find that type of atmosphere in a
thousand churches in America today. Sadly, so many churches have left the
life-changing power of applying the principles of God's Word to our lives, and
instead have turned to empty activities and worldly entertainment.
Here in
There are
so many other things that I could write about, but I must bring this update to
a close. Many needs all around us beckon for our time. Pray that the Lord will
give us wisdom as we reach out in His love to those around us.
Praise
Points:
- Praise
the Lord for working out the details of my return to
- I am
grateful for the opportunity to spend a couple weeks in
- The Lord
worked out the opportunity for me to attend the university graduation of Nyambayar,
-
Prayer
Requests:
- We were
able to order some (legally licensed) software from a distributor in
-
After a meeting yesterday, we have scheduled a character
training in cooperation with Word Vision, a Christian based organization in
- In recent
days I have been spending some focused time working on a database project for
IBLP Australia. I started this project when I was in
Pictures:
Seeing the
array of razor wire and fences, it is little wonder that not a single prisoner
has ever escaped from the Diamondback Correctional Facility.
A jubilant
greeting from the men of the "Faith Pod" as the Chaplain and Dr.
Gothard enter the room.
One of the
prisoners shares how God has changed his life through the message of the Basic
Seminar.
All the men
gathered at the end of our visit for a group photo with Mr. Gothard. I was able
to drive to the prison the next week, bringing for each of the 120 men two of
Dr. Gothard's recent books.
I found it
quite amazing how much clothing you can fit inside a computer. :-)
Careful packing allowed me to carry three badly needed desktop computers to
Arriving at
CTI on the week of a Basic Seminar in English and Russian, an Advanced Seminar
and a Children's Institute, I had the opportunity to help out in some skits for
the Children's Institute. Here a "French Waiter" tries to explain to
his friend why we must test what kind of water we drink in the desert.
Nyambayar's Graduation from the
I am so
grateful for all that God is doing here! - And to hear the exciting reports
from back home! Please continue to pray for us as we serve together in this
ministry.
In Christ,
- Adam
"And
let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not." - Galatians 6:9