One young man, Amos, was a dejected and lonely inmate in Lira Main Prison. He had committed a crime, and was convicted to several years in prison. He admits to having done many wrong things and deserved prison. We met him several years ago as he was trained to be one of our initial Literacy Teachers in Lira Main Prison. At that time, it was a way to have something positive to do. Through teaching the other inmates in our “Learning to Read to Read the Bible” classes, he was introduced to Jesus in the lessons and came to know that he is a unique creation by God, made for a special purpose. He also recognized that everyone is created by God for a unique purpose. Not only did he discover that He is loved by God, but that he could be forgiven for all that he had done that was wrong, and begin again. Amos eagerly dedicated himself to living the rest of his life in service to God and those around him.
After teaching prison literacy classes, Amos volunteered to become a teacher of English as a second language as he was fluent in English. Jean Homer, formerly Jenkins Middle School Principal, Chewelah, WA, and Nancy Burke from Pagosa Springs, CO, taught nine men how to help their fellow inmates to speak, read and write in English, Uganda’s national language. For 6 months Amos and the other teachers diligently worked 2-3 hours a day, 5 days a week to teach over 50 men. With several other literacy and English teachers he was suddenly transferred to Erute prison, a small cotton farming prison on the outskirts of Lira. They had no literacy program but the Officer in Command and the Welfare Officer were open to starting classes. The transferred inmates were the core of the Teacher Training Workshop HAN held at Erute prison, in which 18 new teachers were trained. Seventy eight inmates signed up for classes. There were only 128 total prisoners, so more than 75% of them became part of the new literacy program!
Amos was a model prisoner, making a significant difference in the future of so many men at Lira Main Prison and Erute Prison. He and several other literacy teachers also held Bible Studies, prayer meetings and church services, introducing other inmates to Jesus.
Amos was released from Erute prison 2 weeks ago. HAN provided him with a new set of clothing after his long prison stay, and the cost of his transportation home. However, before heading home to his family and community, his first request was to be baptized. Our head teacher trainer, Peter, HAN co-director, Keith Jones and a pastor, accompanied Amos to the one local pool to complete his dedication to Christ with his baptism.
In less than 2 weeks, Amos has organized the leaders of churches in his home community to start a literacy program. In several weeks HAN will hold a Teacher Training Workshop, and his community will be launched into their “Learning to Read to Read the Bible” program! The community members have called him “Saul renamed Paul” remembering Saul of Tarsus in the Bible who was killing new Christians in the name of God. He became a Christian himself, was renamed Paul, and wrote much of the New Testament in the Bible!
Today, Amos is just one example of the redeeming power of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross. All of us can be forgiven and become a “new person” in Christ. The old, messed up life can be wiped away, and a new life started. In the Living Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!” During this Christmas time, may we have new life in the Jesus whose birth we celebrate!
