“It was not an ordinary cell” said the President
responding to our description of the horrendous, agonizing, filthy,
overcrowded prison that we had just visited.
“You see, I was once a prisoner,
but I was not kept in any of the cells you saw
I was in the dungeon – underground.
There were no windows, and there was no light.
Just total darkness,
and in my solitary terror I knew that I would die.
After three days, maybe more and maybe less –
I had no way of knowing because my mind was becoming ‘unglued’ –
the big door squeaked open and I knew they were coming to get me
I would be shot – it was the end.
So I crouched in the darkness mortally afraid of what would happen next.
Then to my shock and great relief
the door creaked shut and was locked again.
Suddenly there was what seemed like an explosion of light
and I realized that someone had only come to bring me light. –
to reconnect the electricity to a bare little light bulb in my dungeon.
From that moment on I knew that I would live,
I had hope because I knew that someone cared and had brought me light.”
The President’s story did not end in that dungeon’s darkness and despair
and now he held the highest office of the land,
President of his country.
“And if I understand what you are telling me,” he continued,
“this is what you are proposing for our prisons –
to bring ‘light’ to poor, forgotten, suffering prisoners.—
and if that is so, the doors of our prisons will be open to you.”
The President was right,
for we were not there to criticize or condemn the prisons
but to bring help and hope
through friendship, compassion, and support that poor, neglected, helpless prisoners
thought would never come.
And so began the story of Prison Fellowship in Ecuador –
a struggling and painful story but one of light penetrating the darkness
of inhumanity, injustice, and human failing – giving hope and life to prisoners.
There is a lot of darkness in the prisons of the world – but when the light comes
it cuts through the darkness with hope.
Prisons and prison dungeons are a particular kind of human darkness,
but there is a lot more other darkness;
the darkness of losing everything by devastation of war
the darkness of political infighting and impotence to change
the darkness of lost love and unrequited friendship
the darkness of gossamer economics and financial disaster
the darkness of hatred and injustice
the darkness of poverty, hunger, and disease
the darkness of souls in dread
the darkness of forces beyond human control
the darkness of stifling addictions
and the darkness of inevitable death
Despairing, dreadful, deepening, darkness
As much in the dungeons as on the dance floors of the world.
It was just like this when great Isaiah prophesied that hope --
light would dawn in the deepest darkness of the world –
that the Lord of all Creation would send a Saviour –
salvation for all people … and that every darkness would be vanquished forever!
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned…
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:2,6,7 NIV)
The darkness was dreadful
when Armando Valladares was imprisoned during the Cuban revolution.
Imprisoned with his comrades in a dehumanizing wretched prison
he watched and waited for the inevitable wrench of death
as night after night, men were taken from their cells
and marched to the wall in order to be shot.
Many men see no hope in the clutches of such horror.
They can only close their eyes to the darkness
and find a different darkness of their own.
But night after night as the horror took them one by one
Armando and his remaining friends raised a mighty shout
“Cristo es El Rey!”
“Cristo es El Rey!”
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”
For they believed and knew beyond all measure of darkness
that Jesus Christ, Savior of humanity was greater than the powers of darkness
and their hope in Jesus was the Light that sustained them
through the dread and threat of death.
Neither darkness nor death itself would have the final say …
Cristo es El Rey! -- Jesus Christ is Lord!
And so in the uncertainty and darkness of the world today
we are eager to approach the season of as Advent with confidence
knowing that the Light of the world has come – and will come again.
after having led served as the Chief Executive for 32 years. Ron has traveled extensively meeting with political leaders, criminal justice officials as well church and community leaders in more than 140 countries. He holds the distinction of having been in more prisons in more countries than any other person. Considered a leading voice for Justice that leads to restoration and reconciliation, Ron is in demand as a speaker on issues of justice and faith, justice and society.
