Sam Yip
Chaplain at Compulsory Drug Treatment Correctional Centre (CDTCC)
Rain, hail, sunshine, good day, bad day, birthday, whatever day, it doesn’t matter what day it is, the routine never changes in prison.
Unlocking, head check, meals and medications distributed, inmates going to classes or sitting around in boredom, head check, and locked in. Next day, the same.
As a chaplain, much of my work is ministering to inmates in and around these daily routines. Each day, I am called to be present and look for opportunities to share the love of Christ. The inmate routine connects with the chaplain’s routine. Only big difference is I get to go home at the end of the day.
A few weeks ago, to my shock, I realised it was a Friday. I didn’t know where the week had gone. I was feeling rather discouraged that the week seemed so routine and not much had happened. No deep conversations, no real breakthroughs of any kind, just routine.
But as I was sitting around with a group of inmates staring at the floor, out of the blue one of them blurted out ‘hey Chappy, tell us a Bible story, something about Jesus or whatever’. This inmate then enthusiastically gathered other inmates to ‘come and listen to a story about Jesus’.
Totally unprepared and taken by surprise, I said “OK” and started to tell the very first story that came to my head. I have no idea, but somehow, the words of Jesus in John 8:58-59 popped into my head:
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
I shared that Jesus isn’t just a nice guru with inspirational stories, but he makes the biggest claim possible – that he is God. Abraham’s a big deal, but Jesus says he’s even greater. Jesus introduces himself as ‘I AM’, who else could simply declare that of themselves?
This impromptu ‘story time’ with inmates was suddenly interrupted by a loud call from the prison speakerphone calling for some of these inmates to report to another area.
I must admit that it was probably the most clunky bit of Bible teaching I’ve ever done. But I am so thankful that in the mundane routine of prison life, God opened a way for me to declare kingship of Christ – even if it only lasted around 60 seconds.
This experience reminds us that the Lord never sleeps or slumbers. He has called us to:
... always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
Isn’t it wonderful that as disciples of Jesus, every moment is remarkable as we walk with him even in the seemingly mundane routines of life in prison or outside of prison.
What story about Jesus or scripture would you give if someone out of the blue asks you to share?
