My two favorite stories I read out of this book include Katrina, a High-School Senior and Jeannine Brabon, a missionary and a professor at Seminario Biblico De Colombia (The Biblical Seminary of Colombia) who spends much of her time in Bellavista Prison with the inmates there and has launched a Bible training school inside the prison walls.
I really liked Katrina's story because:
1. She dared to live and love like Jesus lived and loved.
2. She didn't give up on reaching out to the one girl who had gained a reputation for being an emotional volcano and who also smacked Katrina unexpectedly and unprovoked.
3. Eventually, her one-time attacker, came to know Christ because of Katrina reaching out to her when everyone else kept their distance.
.....and then there's Jeannine. Wow. When I think of being bold for Jesus, I will think of her. Her story, and only her story, was one that hit me hard and rocked me to the core. I don't think that I can accurately explain why this story moved me so much unless you've actually read it too. Even my little list of reasons why I just love her story, fall so short... but anyways, here's my little list:
1. Prayer played a very important role. --At one crucial point before Jeannine got there, the prison riots threatened to spill out into the city, but the warden honored the request of a small group of Christians who wanted to hold a prayer meeting inside the prison walls. Soon after that, prisoners began handing in their weapons, not to guards, but to a former inmate who is now a volunteer chaplin.--
2. Jeannine lives under the constant threat of death. So much so that she is being tracked by the Medellin's Criminal Element, which forces her to regularly change her daily routines and travel routes.
3. During weekend visitations, the inmates would hold evangelistic services for their friends and families. The imprisoned men proclaim the freedom they have found in Christ.
4. In a recent thirteen-year period, Bellavista saw zero riots.
5. One telling transformation of the prison, was the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01. These inmates (drug lords, terrorists and hit men) committed themselves to praying for the United States. They also eventually carved a pair of praying hands which were sent to the then- President George W. Bush.
I almost feel like I have no words, this book, their stories, are powerful. It made me think that possibly some people might believe that to change the world, you'd have to go across the world to another country. And that couldn't be farther from the truth. My point here is, and I hope it's clear in the other posts as well, that you don't need to go half way across the globe to make an impact. You have the capability to make a powerful (good or bad) impact right where you're at and so do I. I know you've heard it said that you only have one life, so let's live and love like it's true, because it is.
So, my challenge for you and for me as well, is to first off all, spend time in God's word and in prayer. Second, be bold and live THE Cause(Matt. 28:18-20) as a result of being in God's presence!!
