I finally was able to meet S face-to-face at Kaki Bukit Prison Centre, after writing to him all these months. It's good to see him again - it's been more than a year since we last saw each other at his sentencing. But it was a good and fruitful 20 minutes of catchup (I embarrassingly hogged the visitation time, while his father and brother sat aside in amusement). Really thank God that I was able to make it for this face-to-face visit before I start work next week (cos visitation is only allowed on Monday mornings).
S looks rosy and healthy. He says that he has been working out, aside from his studying. Am so glad he's being fruitful with his time, and even more thankful that he's part of a strong Christian fellowship inside. They're doing the Alpha course, and they're going to have their very own Holy Spirit weekend this coming weekend! (S tells me excitedly that he's going to pray for the Holy Spirit this Sat). He's growing strong both physically and spiritually, and I tell him to keep on keeping on, and prepare himself for the day he comes back into society, cos that's where the real challenge is. My other friends who reenter society stay 'clean' for a while, but fall back when back in the old surroundings again. But I believe that it will be different for S.
Meanwhile I'm reaching out to his dad and his brother, A, the latter having come to church over the weekend. A just fell out of ITE for poor attendance, and is now working in Macs, while planning to retake his 'N' levels next year. Of course his dad was angry with him. But I'm thankful that A is enjoying coming to church (and asks if he can come to church to play during the week - of course can!). Environment does play such an important part. My prayer now is that his dad will also be open to A becoming a Christian (now he allows his son to come to church to play, but not to fully 'participate' yet, because they are Buddhists). But step by step, and meanwhile, prayer. After all, we plant the seeds and water them, but it is the Holy Spirit who makes them grow.
Holy Spirit, open up their spiritual eyes and take away the blindness caused by the god of this world to reveal the Person and reality of Jesus Christ to them both, I pray, that truly, the entire household will be saved!
Btw, I'm wondering about something. At Kaki Bukit, friends and family are allowed to pass the inmates appropriate reading material e.g. magazines and books, but the list of NOT approved magazines includes, along with FHM and Maxim, TIME and Newsweek! Wonder why the latter is disallowed...part of the Nanny, authoritarian system that does not allow for independent thinking?
