I want to greet you in the name of my precious Saviour, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to be able to share this message of hope, the message that God is good and his mercy endures forever. For the people who were injured, who lost their life because of my actions, I have no excuse. I know I've ruined the lives of many people. I have nobody to blame but myself, because I could have got out of what I was in to. I can't undo what was done. I failed my family and I failed society, also my community. I wish in my heart that I could go back and change things, but I know that this can't be so. I will always pray for peace to the family that was hurt.

There was a time back in 1998 when I was in the prison yard, another inmate walked up to me, introducing himself to me. He boldly told me that Jesus loved me and had a plan for my life. After he said these words, I laughed at him and told him I was evil, that he was wasting his time. But this man had such a compassionate attitude and I saw he was really sincere. Although I rejected what he said about Jesus, we became friends, because I knew he meant well. We started to work out, walking the prison yard together. Every day he would quietly and patiently share God's word with me. At first I just listened, but after several weeks my attitude began to change. Then one day it happened - I was alone in my cell, it was at that moment that my heart began to burst, the words began to pierce my soul. Everything hit me at once - my guilt, the anger, the shame at failing my parents; loneliness; past hurts; everything. I began to cry like never before. I shut my light off, got down on my knees in the darkness and began to pour my heart out to the Lord. This was all new to me; feelings of grief and deep remorse welled up inside. I called upon the God of Israel and talked to him as if he were right in the cell with me. I didn't even know if God was listening. I just had to pray, and he heard my prayer.

When it was over I got up off my knees and felt as if a tremendous load were lifted off me. This was the moment that I was born again, and although it would still take a while to see the whole picture, it was the turning point in my life, the start of a new life even whilst still in prison. He lifted such a heavy load from me. I can't begin to tell you how good God is! I love him so much. As I said, this was back in 1998. Right after, I began to fall in love with Jesus. I have made the biggest mess of my life, but you know what? - , today knowing Jesus, serving our Lord is the most exciting thing that can happen to a person. My life is not free of hardship or temptation, but living for Jesus is a challenge. Today I am overshadowed with his neace. I have no doubt whatsoever that I have been completely forgiven, that my sins have been forgotten, not by man - I don't expect man to forgive, or society. I am responsible to live out the consequences of my actions, but God has thrown all of my sins into the sea of forgetfulness. He's had mercy on me, a murderer, and robber and even though there is nothing good that I can deserve from him, he has allowed me to become a Minister of his Grace. Let me tell you that if there is a void in your life and an emptiness in your soul, I don't believe money can fill it. I know alcohol and drugs cannot fill it. Knowledge and education can fill the human mind, but these things won't fill an empty heart. Sex won't do it, neither will religion. All have sinned, all need to repent and believe the Gospel that Jesus, the son of God died for us, shed his atoning blood for us, that he rose and now sits at the right hand of the Father. Please do not neglect this time of opportunity. I have no doubt the Lord will see me through and he will do the same for you.

This is something which we all need from each other, but more importantly we need to know God's forgiveness in our lives. So what is forgiveness? It is a pardon. It is also to cease to bear resentment against. It means to cancel  -  an act of pardoning or state of being pardoned; also it means remission. Sin separates us from God, for there is a gulf fixed between man and God. How do we know God's forgiveness in our lives?

He has made a way for each and every one of us, and that way was through Christ's sacrifice on Calvary. It is through the precious shed blood of Christ that we are cleansed from all of our sin, for Christ is the bridge and the way for men to come to God. When we accept and trust in Christ and ask him into our hearts and lives, he not only forgives but he forgets our sinful past. Even though others will cast up your past, God will never call to remember your past. Praise God also that we have an answer to our present condition, for the blood of Christ continues to cleanse us from our sin. The heart of man's problem is the problem with man's heart. Our hearts are sinful. It is Christ who does indeed cleanse us, for as born again believers we still will struggle with many things, but through Christ we will overcome. For now it is Christ living within us and we no longer live for the things of this world, but we live for the one who has paid the price in full for us. Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ the cure.

I am 28 years old, a Thai citizen from a poor Buddhist family, arrested for being in possession of amphetamine. I am sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Before my arrest time, I was a student of Sukhothai University. It was the money that I required for school fees that pushed me into selling drugs. Although I regretted my deed, I am happy to come inside because I have the opportunity to discover Christ behind bars.

Thailand is ninety percent Buddhist, Islam nine percent, with one percent being Christian. The possibility of knowing Christ outside this prison is one percent, but I am lucky to meet good Christians who explain clearly the work of Christ to me. I couldn't believe the first time, but later from their Christian living, encouragement and help, I started reading the Bible, which they gave me. From there I was so happy that Christ came into my heart. Now I believe my sin is forgiven and that I am a new creature. In prison I am still studying with my University on a correspondence basis. I want to keep in contact with other Christians around the world, read my Bible and pray, and grow in my faith.

My name is Chit Win Sein. I was born on the 15th of May 1978. I am in prison for a drug-related offence; my sentence is for 25 years. I have been in prison now for 5 years. Before I came to prison I did not know anything about Jesus Christ. From a young age I had not experienced anything to do with Christianity. I am very sorry for my past life; the most important thing for me now is to believe Jesus Christ. Nobody else can really help me accept the Lord. In God's word it says in l Cor 13:13 "And now abide faith, hope, love and the greatest of these is love." I thank God very much for having brought me back to my senses that I could understand and be converted. I do regret very much my sinful old self. I found peace and love that I did not know existed. All I want is to learn and know all I can, and to keep on growing spiritually. I am now a newborn-again person and I would like all those remaining in darkness and entangled in a web of the evil one, to repent.

I cannot picture my life without God; I never knew love until I gave my life to Christ. All my life, I felt like I was alone in this world. My Mum and Dad beat me. I was never told that I was loved. At the age of 11 I started looking for love. I found comfort with a 29-year-old man, father, and addict. I started smoking and drinking, PCP, LSD then using heroin. I was selling drugs and I never finished school. I was always with this man. I thought him beating, stabbing, and shooting me was love. I never knew love, not real love.

In 1990 after having my son, I wanted out of this relationship. I did not want my son to end up like me and to turn out like his father. So I left him and I started a new life with a man who worked and never used drugs. My previous partner found me; he kicked my door in and shot my house up with my son in the playpen. I tried to run but he shot me in the leg. For the next 16 hours he beat me and stabbed me in the head. I knew I was going to die, but he got tired and gave up. I spent 6 days in hospital and returned home to my son. I moved in with my Mum and Dad and I found someone else, another addict. I was back on drugs and started selling in 1991. I was locked up for drug trafficking. I received 20 years no parole. In 1995 I gave my life to Christ and I am filled with love and happiness, and I am so blessed. I have been helping out in the dance Ministry here. It's beautiful. I still reach out and help those lost souls and I've seen a lot of scared females turn their lives around and become someone. I am happy and proud to work for my Father.

If there is a God, why doesn't he come and tell us?

Would we believe him if he did?

Do you wonder if there is a God? Who He is? Where he is? What He wants? Wonder no more!

The great all-powerful creator has spoken in the clearest possible way. God says if you want to know me you must get to know Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God's living word to us.

"God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life."

"For God did not send his son into the world to be its judge, but to be its Saviour."

"Whoever believes in the son is not judged; but whoever does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in God's only Son."

Read 1 KINGS Ch.18 vs. 19-46

1) How many prophets did Baal have?

2) Who mocked the prophet's of Baal, and in what way?

3) What did the twelve stones that Elijah take, represent?

4) What took place when Elijah called out to God?

Read MARK Ch. 15 and 16

5) Who was released from prison?

6) Who bore Christ's cross?

7) What did the Roman soldiers do with Jesus garments?

8) Who did Jesus first appears to when he rose from the dead?

As Christians, what impression do we leave on others? Do we watch what we say and how we conduct ourselves in front of UN-believers? Can others truly say that he or she is a man or woman of God? One of the things that I am always faced with in and outside of prison is "If that's Christianity, then I want nothing to do with it." I know as a Christian I want others to see Jesus in me. We must be careful the way we live our lives, for others are watching, and no one wants to be called a hypocrite, do they? More people will read you than a Bible, so let's live 100% for Christ, and let others see Christ living through us.

Do you ever get time when you're just plodding along nicely? You pray for guidance, you're aware of your conviction, and for those moments you feel you're doing just fine in your Christian walk. One day leads to the next, and apart from the usual day to day downfalls that we all have in our life, we've not doing too bad. Isn't it a treat to walk like this in the Lord?

There's a glow to our day, a purpose to our thoughts, and we find the time to try to be a better person in Christ. Then out of nowhere, "BOOM" - off we fire into ballistic land where the air is filled with the best swear words that we have, and that seem to identify how we feel better than ordinary words could. We rage, we rant, we fire blame and daggers to those we feel deserve it. We get onto the train, and don't look back. Instead of getting off, we keep on firing the insults and trade hostility with those who want to try to go toe to toe with us. Tempers flare, and the surges to speak wrong, to verbally demoralise, and hurt what we see as our opponent are overwhelmingly apparent. Then it's gone - as quick as it came upon us, it subsides. It leaves us, and in its wake are the feelings of failure, and the pain of having hurt and created an issue with the person we had the BOOM with.

Usually, more often than not, that person is someone we love and care about deeply, and on a normal day we could never dream about hurting them. Then there's the reminder of that someone we used to know, and used to be, before God called us. It's a low point I must admit, a terrible place to re-visit. Yet sometimes that's what we almost volunteer to take ourselves to. To say I hate that place is a lonely, lonely understatement. The look of hurt and distance in the person we just verbally assaulted, is pain in itself. So what do we do? What can we say? Well I'm no expert on these situations by a long way. But I do know if we remain in that downward feeling of failure, it can only lead to that place that only makes us worse, and we've known only too well. How about we take it to God? You know, take it to him in the knowledge that although he probably hated what we done, while we were doing it he loved us unconditionally. Yeah I know, that's a bit hard to take in at times. But I've come to believe in him this way. Maybe because I fail terribly every day I have come to him in belief that he knew me more than I do, and forgives me for my failings. It's what we do next that counts. We are bound to fail - only one man never failed him. When we fail, take it to him. Then it is what we do next that counts.

Oh, and that person that we had a go at? Well, show them that you love them, and ask them to forgive you, and that you never really meant to get so fired up at them. If they matter to you, then life really is too short to make them stay away from you.

After my high school, I was chosen to do Islamic Studies in Damascus, Syria. Well that was the kind of profession and career I had in mind. In Syria I studied and did my best to be top of the class. But the more I studied the more I became hardened in my belief towards the Islamic Religion. Before I realised it I was marked as an atheist, and I was kicked out of the institute. My life was in danger and I had to escape to Lebanon. I ended up in another Institute called Shi'an Institute, an Iranian sponsored school, with hard-line Islamic ideologies. For several months in here it was like a hell to me; it took a lot of effort for the Nigerian Embassy to take me out of there. How lucky I was that the Ambassador was a Christian from Nigeria.

I was sent home to Nigeria where I had to attend tribunals set up by my parents. I was given an ultimatum to teach Islamic studies in a Secondary school. After three more years of study, Damascus began to repeat itself and in my revolt I turned to alcohol and women and cheating, something that no-one else would ever do in my family. I was wrecked by alcoholism. I had a terrible accident with my car in 1985, my best friend died and another friend was injured as well as myself; with fractures etc. I was in pain, physically, mentally and emotionally, and my alcohol habit became worse than ever. I tried to quit but could not. I began to work in discos in 1986. I owned a nightclub (Africana) and began to promote African bands playing in disco's and nightclubs and on beaches at Sinai, Alexandria and on the river Nile.

One evening in 1986 on the way to a club, my friend asked me to stop outside a building in downtown Cairo. He did not come back, so I went to look for him. It was there that I ended up in a church service and heard the Gospel preached. I was deeply touched and compelled to go into the apartment where I found many faces I knew. I could not understand much of the sermon but one song / hymn was remarkable to me, 'What a friend we have in Jesus". I ended up leaving with a bible of my own. This bible became a mark of contention, firstly with my fiancée then my folks - we argued a lot about it. As I started to read the bible, I found the many answers to my questions; many things were brought to light. I started to attend Church. which triggered the anger and jealousy of the students of Mother Cairo in Egypt. My parents were alerted and so was the University. The more they hassled me the more I got interested in my newfound faith. I was boycotted by everyone. As a Christian I had to live by the Bible. I got a job as a translator and as no church would baptise me I ended up in a Mormon Church in 1989. I was ordained a priest and elder in 1990. My life was threatened. Now I can say that God has a purpose for me to be here. It was in here that I was led to realise that I was a member of a CULT and that through the power of the Holy Spirit I was helped by many to come out of it. I started correspondence courses and attended Alpha courses etc. Pastor Prince Uche was a great help to me while he was in here with me. I can truly say that now I am a born-again Spirit filled Christian and an active member of the fellowship here. I am doing a bachelor's in Christian Development with a university in Tennessee, USA. Despite all of the odds the Lord is working miracles in my life.

I was brought up in a very good family. In 1979 my Father passed away. My life has been of the wayward kind. I rebelled at a very young age in my life, especially against my mother who was committed to a Pentecostal Assembly. I encountered a lot of hurt and disappointment that I could not hold on to. I left home. I thank God that I stayed in school. At the age of 14 I started to smoke marijuana and I started to womanise. My family abandoned me. I completed my O-Level Education. I started to help Senegalese from Senegal, who were dealing in the precious stones business (Emeralds).

Later I worked for my brother in law and I was then advised to go to college to do a mechanic's course. I passed my exams and got a job in Meridian Motors as a mechanic. At this stage I was still living a very detestable life to God. After a while I left and started to work from home. I fell in with the wrong crowd and after a few years I found myself being involved in dubious businesses, buying and selling stolen property. At one time in 1989 I ended up in prison for a short time because of these offences. I started to travel and do business between Tanzania and Zambia and sometimes as far as the Congo. I was completely far away from God and I continued to lead a reckless life. One day I was involved in a fatal car accident. I was unconscious for four days and my friend lost his life after three days. The second tragic accident occurred when I ran away from the Anti-Robbery squad, a force very intricate to deal with, and trigger-happy. I jumped out of a vehicle as I was being taken to the police station around 10.45 hours. It was a dramatic escape which was considered not normal, but charms at work. I know now that it was only by the Grace of God that I survived these tragic episodes in my life.

I was inclined into Buddhism, Judaism and Rastafarianism. I considered Christianity as a cheap religion. I was married in 1992 and continued to lead a bad life, until I eventually ended up in prison with the offence of robbery. A very terrible and horrible thing occurred; my life was over. I was going to escape but something within me told me not to attempt this. In prison I met one good Brother in Christ, Evans Swana. Missionaries had brought him up; we had many talks about religion. By this stage I was a Rasta man. Praise God our Brother won the battle and I started to read the Bible almost every day. I was eager to learn all I could about God's word. Praise be to God our Father who caused me to come to my senses and at last I heard his call to me for Salvation. I started praying and asking for forgiveness for all the sins I had committed. My Brother Evans Swana was the first one to be convicted and sentenced to death in the year 2000. I thought I would have been given a light sentence but because I was in possession of a stolen firearm, I was convicted and sentenced to death on the 1st of November 2000. I was then transferred to Max Sec Prison in Kabwe. At this death row section I have experienced a very close and wonderful, relationship with God that I never knew existed before. I have found real happiness, peace and joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have seen God's power in this place. Lives have been changed here; it is so wonderful to see. I have had at times many awesome supernatural experiences right here in Max Sec Prison. God is at work, things are happening. We meet every day for prayer and in the morning for Praise and Worship. Our prayers are for all inmates and non-inmates who are in darkness to be converted, as the time for repentance is now. In Christ Jesus you will find real happiness, peace and joy and a change so wonderful that it is hard to find the right words. I thank God for bringing me here for it is here that I received Eternal life.

ISAIAH 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I will lead them in paths they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not FORSAKE them.

ISAIAH 59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

What love our Lord has for those inside the prison cell. Many lives have been powerfully changed through Christ. I have witnessed the power of God inside prison, for, my friends, no matter what you are going through at present or how you are feeling; there is an answer. No matter how bad and sinful your past, Christ loves and cares for you. Each issue of this magazine has shown many testimonies to the power of God. Do not think there is no hope for you. For in Christ your life will be worth living and as every Testimony has shown in SET FREE there is real peace, rest and joy in Christ. You are all in our prayers daily and I pray that our Lord will speak to you through this Issue. If you want to accept Christ into your life then this prayer will help you, God Bless.

If you have prayed this prayer and have accepted Christ into your heart and life, please let us know, so we can pray and help you in your new life with Christ.

NAME______________________  DATE____________

Contributions are welcome, and should be sent to the editor,
Mr. Martin R. Tuson,
"Set Free Prison Ministries",
75 Towerview Avenue,
Bangor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, BT19 6BT.

Articles and contributions are published solely at the discretion of the editor, and his decision is final. However, such contributions are accepted on the understanding that they may not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the editor.