This morning, I had to go to the Infirmary...
...as the man whom I escort in a wheelchair had to pick up some medications and get some treatments. When I first entered the building, I was disappointed to find the waiting area so crowded. There were at least 30 to 35 inmates waiting to see either the nurses for "sick call" or to see the doctor.
The waiting area is like a big fish tank. The front wall and entry door, and one long side are walled with Plexiglass. This way everyone can be watched at all times. And in some ways, it resembles a bus station with rows of backless wooden benches. There's a large clock on the wall over the exit which many of the men stare at, as if trying to intimidate the clock's hands to move faster.
When an inmate arrives at the entrance to the hospital, he has to first report to the Officer's Station, and then he is let into the waiting area through an electronically controlled door. At this point an inmate must take a seat until he is called to talk with someone on the medical staff.
Being that the waiting room was so crowded today, I thought for sure I would be stuck in this poorly ventilated and noisy room for most of the morning.
Well, I pushed my friend's wheelchair to an open spot alongside the wall, and then I managed to find a seat on one of the benches. And yes, I did get stuck in the waiting area for a long time. Yet I knew as soon as I sat down that God had me here for a purpose.
For I got to see two of my recent prayers answered! First, I had been praying for a particular Christian brother who has not been to the Chapel services in quite some time. He's been going through some personal struggles, and he had been showing some signs of losing his faith.
During the past week or so, he had been on my heart, and I was specifically lifting him up in my prayers. Now low and behold, I ended up sitting right next to him. So this became a great opportunity to encourage him and to remind this struggling brother about God's precious promises, and God's love and faithfulness to His children.
We had a good time fellowshipping, and I definitely saw the Holy Spirit beginning to stir his heart. I promised to keep him in my prayers. I also urged him in a loving way to "keep on with the Lord," to pray, and to read his Bible.
Then as he left to see one of the nurses, another inmate came and sat down. This time it was "Stewart." I shared about "Stu" in my February 16th Journal entry. Back in February when I got to speak briefly with Stu, he was presently under "disciplinary status" for a violation of some rules. He was being escorted by a guard at the time, and so our conversation was very limited. But the Lord had me to pray for him.
However, once again, the Holy Spirit orchestrated another meeting. Stu, who has AIDS, sat next to me. So we got to talk. I told him how much I had been praying for him, that I wanted to see him get touched by the Savior.
He began to confess his struggles and temptations. Stu told me of his weaknesses with the flesh. I told him that the temptations and struggles he's going through, that they're very common. But mainly we just rapped. I don't go around preaching at people. I simply talk with them one-on-one, sharing God's love and sometimes, in a straightforward way, I must warn them of the consequences of rejecting such an awesome salvation.
Stu listened politely. Another seed was sown. Most assuredly the Lord ordered my steps today. He had answered my prayers.
D.B.
The waiting area is like a big fish tank. The front wall and entry door, and one long side are walled with Plexiglass. This way everyone can be watched at all times. And in some ways, it resembles a bus station with rows of backless wooden benches. There's a large clock on the wall over the exit which many of the men stare at, as if trying to intimidate the clock's hands to move faster.
When an inmate arrives at the entrance to the hospital, he has to first report to the Officer's Station, and then he is let into the waiting area through an electronically controlled door. At this point an inmate must take a seat until he is called to talk with someone on the medical staff.
Being that the waiting room was so crowded today, I thought for sure I would be stuck in this poorly ventilated and noisy room for most of the morning.
Well, I pushed my friend's wheelchair to an open spot alongside the wall, and then I managed to find a seat on one of the benches. And yes, I did get stuck in the waiting area for a long time. Yet I knew as soon as I sat down that God had me here for a purpose.
For I got to see two of my recent prayers answered! First, I had been praying for a particular Christian brother who has not been to the Chapel services in quite some time. He's been going through some personal struggles, and he had been showing some signs of losing his faith.
During the past week or so, he had been on my heart, and I was specifically lifting him up in my prayers. Now low and behold, I ended up sitting right next to him. So this became a great opportunity to encourage him and to remind this struggling brother about God's precious promises, and God's love and faithfulness to His children.
We had a good time fellowshipping, and I definitely saw the Holy Spirit beginning to stir his heart. I promised to keep him in my prayers. I also urged him in a loving way to "keep on with the Lord," to pray, and to read his Bible.
Then as he left to see one of the nurses, another inmate came and sat down. This time it was "Stewart." I shared about "Stu" in my February 16th Journal entry. Back in February when I got to speak briefly with Stu, he was presently under "disciplinary status" for a violation of some rules. He was being escorted by a guard at the time, and so our conversation was very limited. But the Lord had me to pray for him.
However, once again, the Holy Spirit orchestrated another meeting. Stu, who has AIDS, sat next to me. So we got to talk. I told him how much I had been praying for him, that I wanted to see him get touched by the Savior.
He began to confess his struggles and temptations. Stu told me of his weaknesses with the flesh. I told him that the temptations and struggles he's going through, that they're very common. But mainly we just rapped. I don't go around preaching at people. I simply talk with them one-on-one, sharing God's love and sometimes, in a straightforward way, I must warn them of the consequences of rejecting such an awesome salvation.
Stu listened politely. Another seed was sown. Most assuredly the Lord ordered my steps today. He had answered my prayers.
D.B.