“Graduation Day for our LaPaz Prison Bible Study” December 2013

“Graduation Day for our LaPaz Prison Bible Study”

By Michael J. Miller, Jr.

Lapaz 1

Our last day to give a Bible study was Friday the 13th of December. As a long tradition of Border Buddies it is to give Naca Tamales to all the prisoners, those who are incarcerated in isolation (gang members), the women who are incarcerated and to all the Police that work. As you can see in this photo this is a lot of tamales. We served over 300 tamales this day. We had the brothers of the church that are inside, (a community that we built back in 2004 and is still going strong) call all the men forward to receive their tamale.

 

 

Lapaz 2

As you can see in the second photo, the long line of men waiting for this very special plate of food. Here in Honduras during Christmas, most families celebrate Christmas by eating tamales so we thought we could bring some of these traditions  to their temporary home in what we like to call the “Hotel”.

 

 

 

Lapaz 3Lapaz 4As I handed out each plate and wished each man Merry Christmas. Glenda was with the women in handing out tamales and giving a devotional to them and finishing up in teaching how to crochet knit hats and gloves. Most of the men would grab my hand as I handed them the plate and smile and say thank you poppa for this blessing. Poppa is a sign of affection and gratitude. The brothers inside the church worked on filling the plates and making sure they got some hot sauce.

 

 

Lapaz 7 This photo is the brothers working on filling the plates. Carlos, our youth who has been with us for 9 years, is taking the photos for us and is becoming more and more active in serving with us in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has been trained since he used to work with us on Kairos weekends. Remember most of these men only receive 1 cup of beans and 1 cup of rice per meal with 3 tortillas.

 

 
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Lapaz 6Some men like the top photo who used to be active in the gangs walked away with a big smile as this man did. After everyone ate, we gathered the brothers for the last talk on Mirrors and the hold of sex and pornography has on men. This was a sensitive subject for these guys but as I talked more men were coming in to sit on the floor to listen.

 

 

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We had a full house. In the church where we served the food is where we preach from each Friday. I don’t take the pulpit but sit with the men in a chair so they don’t feel they are being preached down to but showing them humility in that we are sinners as they are.

 

 

 

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Lapaz 9 All 31 men graduated from an eight week study and received a signed and sealed Diploma from the ministry so they can hand this in to their lawyers to be presented to the Judge. Diplomas like these are very important and do have some influence on the Judge’s decision. Especially if the men take a course for a long period of time and if the ministry is from the States as well. We said good bye with hugs and with the love of Jesus Christ. We promised to be back the first week of February to offer another Bible Study. The men said we will be here waiting in our “Hotel”. Most of these graduates don’t attend this church but will be attending from here on in. They are confronting issues of past hurts and addictions that they never wanted to confront before. Thank you for allowing us to be the hands and feet for Jesus Christ by supporting this ministry.