8/ Long Bay Gaol
Our gaols are bursting at the seams, with people who have committed a crime. Sadly there are many more people walking the streets imprisoned by circumstances beyond their control, or of their making. Jesus set Sandra free from suicide, he can also set people free from alcoholism, rejection, homosexuality, lust, hatred, insanity, fear, compulsive habits etc.
Paul had been out on probation from Boga Road Gaol, when the police arrested him for robbing a chemist. God, in his mysterious ways allowed me to meet Paul and his girlfriend Julie, through an acquaintance. The two offered to help me with the church youth group I was running. Three months, later Paul told me why they had been so obliging. He needed a character reference from a person with a good job and good standing in society. According to him I seemed to fit the bill. The longer however, that he had associated with me, the more he began to realise that there was something different - the difference being Jesus.
His words to me had been, "I want what you've got." Joyfully I told Paul and Julie that it was easy to get what I had, all you had to do was ask Jesus into your life. The world we live in today is very technical, complicated and confusing. There is nothing difficult about admitting that we in ourselves, are inadequate, have problems and basically make a mess of our life. Only Jesus, if we allow him, can make right the wrongs we have done.
After prayer God literally changed Paul's physical appearance. Before Paul had asked Jesus into his heart his facial expression had been hard and mean. He couldn't bear for anybody to comment on his balding head, or red hair. The red freckles didn't vanish, but they now added a soft touch to his face. The ugly tattoo of a Buddha, on his stomach, unfortunately didn't disappear, but the anger, violence and hatred melted as quickly as snow in a furnace. I guess in Paul's case, the cleansing furnace was God's love. Before asking Jesus into his heart Paul had often bragged how he had taken great delight in running over cats, or dogs on the road, if they hadn't been quick enough to get out of the way. What a change to see him rolling around the floor, playing with the children. He didn't even mind having the few tufts of hair pulled. The love Jesus had poured into his heart also helped him cope with life inside, once he was sentenced again.
Twelve months after Paul's confession the matter finally came before the court. I offered to go, as did the minister and half the church. Paul was still sentenced, because God is just and we need to pay for our crimes. Nonetheless, the sentence was only three years, compared to the five he should have received.
Just as Jesus had changed Paul's appearance, so he also changed his attitude. He became compassionate towards other inmates and shared with them how his life had changed. Programmes cannot change the heart and character of a person, only Jesus can wash us clean from our filthy life-styles and give us a new outlook on God and humanity.
The extracts from letters, I received from Paul, while in gaol, show just how much God had changed him.
Extract 1
Long Bay Gaol
To my dear friends and sister in the Lord. The Lord truly blessed me when we became friends. My heart goes out to you and all Christian friends. I look around me in these walls and I can see the hurt, the anger, the waste of life. I can see the emptiness of these poor souls. They hunger, but they do not know what they hunger for. Yet, if I were to try and show them I would be despised. I pray that God will give me a way. By His, and most of all Jesus' strength, I can do all things. The Holy Spirit comes, although it never leaves, sometimes I feel so high, higher than any drug I've ever been on in the past.
I feel a love for these people when I listen to their laughter. Yet, I know there is a great difference between us. Not that I am any better - just that my sins are forgiven. The Devil is all around me here and he has been testing me in many ways.
I remember that the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword. I have not got enough of the Word in me yet. But with the Holy Spirit and Jesus I shall. I look at it this way: that a two-edged sword can be broken if not handled right. I listen to the Lord at night, after reading his Word. I pray for everyone and close my eyes. Then the Lord takes me away in his hands broken and bruised, yet so soft and warm and full of love.
He is truly a wonderful God, our God, whose depths are beyond us all. I saw the love of God in the court, in all my Christian friends. I will never forget the love and fellowship we had in Christ Jesus.
I stopped writing this letter for two hours while Joe read to me about Job. I found the word and insight beyond me. Yet it was in a way as if a child could have understood it. I pray to fear him, to trust him, no matter what the outcome. I want to be as gentle as a dove and as brave as a lion. If I keep my eyes on Jesus, all things will come to me. Praise God for the cell I'm in, with a window I cannot see out of.
Extract 2
Long Bay Gaol
I would like to give my love to your Bible study. I suppose I do not know a lot of them, but they are still my brothers and sisters in Christ. So I pray they will grow and grow through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Tell the group that Jesus has made me feel so high sometimes, that it makes LSD and all other drugs feel like Disprins. But at other times I have fallen to the deck. It can only be me who leaves this high. For Jesus will not leave me. I pray that the person who this message is for will understand and trust in Jesus' love. It is hard sometimes as I have cried and broken down, which is something I would not have done in my past because of my hard heart back then. I have found in here my heart was hard, but some of the hearts in here are like steel. Yet the ones that are like this make the time in here worth it.
Extract 3
Long Bay Gaol
I hope you will bear with me a bit. Last night or early morning, 3 o'clock, I felt that I should pray for someone, as well as others I hold dear to my heart.
Last night, in my cell, Graham accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. I have been witnessing in here and with the Spirit of Christ, I received a great blessing as Graham told me today. I was witnessing to another man called Fred and I feel in my spirit that he too will accept the gift of life. Praise be to Jesus for letting me be a tool in my Master's hands.
I long for Julie each day, but I know you give her my love. To all I hold dear give my love as a brother, sometimes not a very good one. Jesus will teach me many new and wonderful things. He has given me peace and love and above all he has given me salvation.
As both Paul and Julie made a commitment to Jesus, they also
decided to make a more lasting commitment to each other. Within a few weeks
they were married and baptised.
1/ Fiji
2/ Egypt
3/ Israel
4/ Papua New Guinea
5/ Forgive or I cannot forgive you
6/ Jesus still heals today
7/ Suicide
8/ Long Bay Gaol
9/ Attempted murder
10/ Bathurst Gaol
11/ Angels
12/ How to pray
13/ Cords
14/ Counting the cost
15/ The heart condition
16/ Lorraine
17/ Dracula - fact or fiction
18/ If you love me
19/ Being gay
20/ Faith
21/ Roots
22/ Malaysia
23/ Fiji revisited - 1997
24/ What Jesus means to me
25/ My diary entries
26/ Conclusion