| "Can I speak to the woman in the cage?"
Crystal L. - Fresno 2010
I went to Madera County Detention Center Friday and Saturday. While one of the speakers was speaking in the morning, I found myself looking behind me at the cage area. Behind a cage was a group of about 6 cells. I was drawn to it, but I didn't know at the time that God was doing the drawing. When we were leaving for a break in the morning, I asked my coordinator if I could go and speak with the ladies in those cells and she told me to ask a guard when we got back in the room.
When we came back in, another speaker came with us, and I glanced over at the cages while he was speaking and saw a woman sitting outside of the cells right at the edge of the cages listening to the speaker. When he was finished, I heard the lady yell at one of the guards, "Can you get one of those ladies to come and talk with me?" I jumped out of my chair and went to the guard. "Could I go?" I asked. She gave me permission, and I went to find a chair to sit outside of the cage to speak with her. She told me her name - Josie. She said she was behind there for her own protection against one of the other inmates, but it was difficult for her because she was in her cell for 23 hours a day and only got to come out into the cage area for 1 hour. This happened to be Josie's allotted time to come out. She told me her story, and I knew God had sent me over there to listen. At the end, I prayed with her. As I was moving my chair back in place, another inmate behind the cage, who was still locked in her cell, asked to speak with me. Her name was Melanie. I tried to do so but couldn't understand what she was saying to me, so I asked her when her allotted time to come into the cage area happened to be and was excited to hear her say 9:30 am until 10:30 am, because I knew we would be back the next day. God had set up another divine appointment.
When I came back the next day, I sat down with Melanie and listened to her story. At one point, Josie called her over and handed her a letter. Josie had written me on Friday night. She wrote that she was okay being a prisoner because she was free in her soul and spirit. She wrote that the enemy attacked her right after I left but she cried out to God and He protected her and is shaping and molding her into a strong woman of Christ. She wrote that she knew God had sent me with a divine appointment and she felt the Holy Spirit with her while she was speaking with me.
Melanie read the letter aloud to me. Then she finished telling me her story, and we prayed together. She asked me to hold her hands while we prayed and so we weaved our fingers through the bars.
It always amazes me how God sets up the divine appointments and knows exactly who He wants us to speak with before we even get there. Often He even gives us something precious in return, such as a heartfelt letter from one of the ladies or the memory of a prayer said between bars with your fingers woven through them. Thank you, Champions for Life, for what you do. Your ministry changes lives, and I am honored to be a part of it.
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