Sadly, brother Jim will have to cut his trip short and will return home tomorrow as Janet has been taken unwell.
We are so thankful to the Lord that, notwithstanding this unfortunate turn of events, we were able to accomplish a major objective of the trip when we met the management of the Malawi Prison Service at HQ today.
In fact, further to our very fruitful meeting last Friday with the Commissioner responsible for education and rehabilitation, we were hugely honoured today to meet with the entire senior prison management team, including the Chief Commissioner for Prisons, her three Commissioners (Admin, Operations, and Farms & Industry) and the National Chaplain.
During a very cordial meeting, we discussed our aspiration to provide a steady stream of Bible study materials, in tandem with assistance with some of the prisons’ resourcing shortages (particularly in the area of education and prisoner hygiene). The meeting culminated in a presentation to the Chief Commission of an official seal from HM Prison Service, following which we were escorted to meet the Officer in Charge of Zomba Central Prison who led us on a guided tour of their educational and residential facilities.
Budget constraints within the service mean that the conditions are challenging, to say the least. For example, we visited a bare, dimly lit and entirely unfurnished cell shared by 61 men who sleep on a concrete floor with only a single blanket each to protect them from the damp and winter cold. Although, for security reasons, we were unable to take any photographs, we left with a clear picture in our minds of the scale of the huge humanitarian need within the prison, which pales in significance compared to the enormous spiritual needs which exist.
Following our tour we were glad to be able to hand over a sizeable donation of Text books, exercise books, pens and calculators for use within the prison school facility.
We are very conscious of the need to deliver on the commitments we have made to the authorities here. These primarily involve the production and supply of Bible study materials, and the provision, as we are able, of other basic education and hygiene materials. Please join with us in praying for this work, and support us by preparing hygiene packs, or in any other way you are able.