As a part of Bright Hope World's support in both Busia and further north in Kween we have provided some funds which have been utilised to commence and run a very simple prison ministry in Ngenge Farm Prison. This prison is on the main road from Mbale to Moroti in the north and is directly opposite the road to our partnership in Pangani Village Kween District.
Thanks to Bright Hope a church has been started in the Ngenge Farm Prison. Servants from Pangani Church and I on occasional Sunday visits have had fellowship with the inmates. Even when we have not visited, there are leaders among them who conduct a service on Sundays. The inmates join in prayers daily at 9:00pm, midnight, 3:00am and at 6:00am. It is incredible!
Early this year we had water baptism for 23 inmates. The officer in charge of the prison was in the lead. We gave out Bibles in English, Kiswahili and Luganda. Twice this year we have provided some supplies of razor blades, footwear, sugar (50kg), bars of soap (6 boxes of 24 tablets) to over 120 inmates. It is a great joy to share the word of God and supplies with the inmates. It is so lovely.
The prison has now offered a piece of land for construction of a church. The plan was to begin with a temporary structure. However, they now plan to use inmates to make bricks to raise a permanent structure. (Any temporary structure in Northern Uganda will be attacked by termites and destroyed in a very short space of time). The prison superintendent has asked me for my particulars and that of our ministry to formalise this with the Prison Service's Chief Officer and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
There are other implications in this ministry. Many of the men in this prison have committed offences such that they will not be able to return or reintegrate with their communities on their release. This will raise other issues into the future which may also involve Bright Hope.
Last year Bright Hope World assisted James and Gorret in distribution of Bibles and other supplies to inmates in Ngenge Prison in Kween District and tree planting within this Pangani School project (with some of the trees going to the prison). Both of these have significant implications for the local populations.
In addition, the church planting part of this partnership and church leadership training are bearing fruit. James and Gorret have planted a church in Amudat in North Eastern Uganda which is a difficult and wild area. We also cannot stress too highly the effect of planting churches in these communities. It often helps bring peace and settles a community. The same would seem to be true of the Ngenge Prison ministry. We are planning to visit the prison this year when we visit in late July and August.