Potato chips, Bibles and Mexican Prisons....
Tuesday march 24, 2009
Pastor Schwer and I headed down to Rocky point to see why Samuel the pastor of "Betel Iglesia Baptista (Bethel Baptist Church) in Rocky Point was not allowed to hold preaching services at the prison anymore. Pastor Schwer had been doing it for years so he felt the need to down and See if he could straighten things out. We stopped in Why Arizona http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wlto pick up Brother Rocky, a church member who actually winters in Why and drives to Mesa to go to church @ Gospel Light. So we make it easily through the border to Mexico, the Mexican Border Patrol asks where and what we are doing, Pastor says "We are missionaries going to the prison" the officers look through the suburban, shake the 3 boxes of chips and let us continue. So we arrive at Rocky Point at the church. Samuel and Maribel come out to meet us. We open the 3 boxes of chips and put them into suitcases to take into the prison. the prison is about 5 minutes away. We get to the prison and Pastor tells me to take only my ID. No wallet no phone etc. We walk up to the main gate and the gate guard meets us with his black rifle strapped to his side. Earlier Pastor told me, John follow my lead and don't say anything I'm gonna act real dumb and get us in here again". Now get this, only Maribel, Pastor Samuel's wife is bilingual. So she interprets for Pastor. He tells the guard who we are and "we are here for the church service..we have bibles and chips" There is some confusion and they say we are not on the list. Pastor says "what do you mean we are always on the list we've been on it for years. Let me talk to the commandante" So the commandante comes out with 3 guards. the commandante recoognizes Pastor and they shake hands they are happy to see each other like old friends. Pastor is apparently a really good friend since he gave El Commandante $300. for an A/C unit for his office last year..anyways the problem was that the lady who types the list that gets taped to the guard's door in the front gate forgot to put Pastor Samuel on the list ! Just a big happy mistake...so they let us in and take our ID's. Earlier Pastor said "when we get in hand out 2 bags of chips to every guard and gospel tracts to everything that moves" And we did. The guards were all smiling and joking with us and we got an armed escort into the main prision building !! Oh yeah the guards on the towers have M-16's I think. The other guards that walk around have these really cool looking black rifles. I am just thinking man this is surreal. The prison is made of bricks, cement (like everything in Rocky Point) Steel bars and barbed wire. So we meet more guards at the main building give them chips and Biblias. They take our ID's..that was real scary... and stamp a purple rubber stamp on our arm "You can't get out without that stamp" Pastor says. Serious as a heart attack. Thinking back I should have had them stamp me like 50 times. I was hoping I wouldn't sweat it off or something. They take us by pairs into a room and ask if we have, get this "any drugs or weapons" Seriously ! Yeah I'm gonna bring drugs and weapons into a Mexican Prison. "nope just chips and bibles!" Pastor says. So we go from that area to the main yard. Maribel goes to the ladies side. So we get to the yard and the first thing I notice is the prisoners are all wearing street clothes. Rocky told me the only clothes they have is what they get arrested in or what their family brings in. Which I am sure the guards get first choice. SO we meet the guards in charge of the yard and give them chips.There are 2 cement pavilion's and some of the inmates remember Pastor and Rocky they shake hands. Pastor gives us more warnings; "stay as far away from the ones wearing the green masks, they have TB..and they will ask you for everything..money..phone cards..food..shoes whatever and don't give them anything or you will be arrested." Now I need to explain how bizarre this is. I have clearance from the State of Arizona to go into the Florence Prison to hold bible studies or church services. That process took like 2 months with all the paperwork, background checks and oh yeah the TB test I had to take...plus the class you have to take where they explain the rules like "don't give the prisoners anything..how to talk to prisoners etc.." This prison in Mexico we walked right in with 3 cases of cheetos and bibles ! This prison gives the prisoners just what they barely need to survive. Basically a roof and food. Really. No blankets, shoes or clothes. One guy actually asked me for money I said "no dinero poquito espanol" then he pointed to my shoes and said in broken English " I need shoes..can I have your shoes?" I look at his feet and lets just say he needs shoes real bad. He had on a real old pair of foam flip flops. Maybe he was arrested on the beach? Anyways. Remember Paul wrote the book of Philippians while he was in prison. So we greet the inmates and hand out the Biblias. They all sit under a gazebo. There is laundry hanging everywhere. Most of the guys are happy that we are there. I think. Samuel starts playing his guitar. Same old hyms we sing in church and some bus songs ! Glory to God Woo-hoo gotta love the bus ministry AMEN !! I knew the tunes but not the words exactly. So the guys start singing. More of them come over and we hand out about 40 or so Biblias. Bro. Samuel preaches out of Luke the story of Zacheus who climbed up in a tree to see Jesus. A few of the guys raise their hands at the invitation acknowledging they want to receive Jesus as their savior. Samuel prays we sing some more song and hand out the chips. We shake hands, they thank us some ask for more chips..we walk out hand out more biblias..get our ID's and get outta there.
