Anthony got the news today that his "Auntie" went home to be with the Lord...
It was only a little more than twenty-four hours ago that he and I prayed together in the recreation yard. He knew his aunt only had a little time left. Therefore, her death didn't take him by surprise. A family member, who was with her in South Carolina when she died, called a family member in New York. She in turn contacted the prison's chaplain, who then gave the news to Anthony.
I didn't find out about it until Anthony showed up at this evening's Bible study class. So, before the class began, the men who were present, including myself, prayed for Anthony. We asked the Holy Spirit to comfort him. Anthony of course knows that he has friends in the fellowship whom he could talk to should he become sad and downcast. We're all doing prison time together. We also felt his loss.
I'm sure, however, that Anthony understands how much his Auntie wanted to leave her pain-filled body. She was a devout Christian who'd been ill for a long time. Diabetes and the resultant episodes of gangrene infections caused her to lose one piece of her body at a time. Now, thankfully, her struggle has ended; her spirit is free.
And the passing of Anthony's Aunt reminds me of something inmates secretly fear, especially with those who are doing long stretches in prison. It is the worry that at some point his loved ones will begin to die off, and over the process of time he fears he will be forgotten.
I know men who are all alone now except for their faith in God. And if a man has no relationship with the Lord, then he's left to go it alone. There's no one out there for him, and no one who cares. It's a scary feeling. I think about this too.
D.B.
I didn't find out about it until Anthony showed up at this evening's Bible study class. So, before the class began, the men who were present, including myself, prayed for Anthony. We asked the Holy Spirit to comfort him. Anthony of course knows that he has friends in the fellowship whom he could talk to should he become sad and downcast. We're all doing prison time together. We also felt his loss.
I'm sure, however, that Anthony understands how much his Auntie wanted to leave her pain-filled body. She was a devout Christian who'd been ill for a long time. Diabetes and the resultant episodes of gangrene infections caused her to lose one piece of her body at a time. Now, thankfully, her struggle has ended; her spirit is free.
And the passing of Anthony's Aunt reminds me of something inmates secretly fear, especially with those who are doing long stretches in prison. It is the worry that at some point his loved ones will begin to die off, and over the process of time he fears he will be forgotten.
I know men who are all alone now except for their faith in God. And if a man has no relationship with the Lord, then he's left to go it alone. There's no one out there for him, and no one who cares. It's a scary feeling. I think about this too.
D.B.
