You Never Know

It was early September.  The 48 men in North Pod were having a difficult time making their long 24 hour days go by peaceably.   The constant blare of the television,  the card games, the sound of the Hispanic men talking to each other in Spanish, the gray brick environment -- all were taking their toll.  The Christian presence in this particular pod was too small to be felt against the flaring tempers, boredom, and general insecurity.   Yes, North pod had problems. 

One man, a tattoo artist who advertised his trade on perhaps 80% of his own body, drummed up a little excitement among eight of the men there.  They decided that they would become Muslims.  The man talked to Susan, "Yup, we want a holy man and Koran books.  We need to know what we are all doing."   Another man queried,  "Can I change my religion in the computer?  I said I was Christian, but I've changed my mind!"   Susan dejectedly returned to her office to figure out what to do. 

World events intervened on September 11th.  An officer informed these Muslim wanna-be's that they had better "chill" for a while before starting the whole religion thing.   The men were agreeable and cast about for other diversions.  The tattoo artist just "happened" to end up as a cell mate of the strongest Christian there in North.  He was encouraged to pray to God about the problems he and his wife were having being incarcerated for very unusual circumstances. 

The night before his wife was to appear in court, he stopped praying for himself long enough to pray that she would get out of jail and find a way back to their home in West Virginia.   Was he talking to the ceiling?   Was God really listening and if He was, did He even care?  Time would tell.

Pamela went to court and was released that afternoon. The offices were closed for the weekend, so she had no way to get the money held in her property.   Pamela was free to go.   But go where?    And with what?  She couldn't get a hold of her family in W. Va. and she couldn't sit in the jail lobby all night either.  The reception desk officer called Larry and Susan to inform them that there was a female inmate sitting in the lobby crying, because she had nowhere to turn.

Larry and Susan drove Pamela to the Medina Municipal Police Department which in turn got a voucher from the Salvation Army for her to spend the night at the Towne Motel.  After being supplied with a phone card and some money for the next morning's breakfast, Pam sat in comfortable silence with Susan waiting for the police to bring the voucher up to the lobby.  She turned to Susan and said, "What can I do to thank you for taking care of me like this?"   

"Don't worry about it.  We're just glad we can help," replied Susan. 

"No.  I mean it.   How can I repay y'all?"  she asked.

"Well, you could tell your husband not to become a Muslim,"  Susan ventured.  "It hurts me to see people turning away from Jesus."

Pam lit up.  "Oh, he won't.  I'm a Christian and I've been praying for a long time that he would get himself  right with God.  I'll talk to him!"  Larry and Susan then dropped Pam off at the motel with waves and cheery goodbyes.  That was Friday night.

Sunday, as Larry greeted the men from North and South pods for his first church  sermon of the day,  who should come striding joyfully into the room but Pam's husband.   His thanks for our care of his wife was effusive......but something even better was said.  It seems that our tattoo artist realized that the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus, had specifically answered his prayers for his wife.  And, He had answered them using the Christian chaplains at the jail.   When he talked to his wife, now safely home in W. Va. and she told him how she had been helped and that Susan was concerned about him converting to Islam, he had broken down completely and rededicated himself to the Lord. 

About a month has gone by.   This man has been faithfully attending all the Bible studies, reading his Bible daily, encouraging other men to come to the Lord.  Larry has been spending alot of time with him trying to pour wisdom into him as he is due out in early December.  He has even been making plans to turn his tattoo parlor/bar into a Christian coffeehouse.   Praise the Lord!!

Realistically speaking, this couple needs our serious prayers.  The devil doesn't like it when people turn their backs on his plans for them.  We can't imagine that our man will just waltz out of jail and make these sweeping changes in his lifestyle without SERIOUS OPPOSITION from the evil one.  Please pray for Darrell and Pam whenever you see a tattoo.  Pray that they would keep the commitments they have made before God.  Pray that the church Pam is attending would catch the vision of this couple and help them to witness in their community.  Pray that Joseph would continue his Bible studies when he gets out.  Pray that he would continue to see the need to reach out to young people about to get themselves tattooed with horrible demonic drawings.  Pray that the old friends from their former lifestyle would not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.    This couple could have a huge impact for the Lord!   Oh, may it be so!!