February 1 - Visit to a boy's prison

February 1st marked second visit to a boy's prison since I've been coming on these trips. The contrast between this prison in Ukraine and the prison in Russia was incredible. The boys prison in Russia was like going to a prison camp, complete with exposed, leaking pipes, dark, dank rooms and little sunlight. It was the most depressing place I've ever been in. Our whole team cried, (including the men) when we left that boy's prison in Russia. The hopelessness of the children in that place was overwhelming.

Fast forward six years to Ukraine. Our group was ushered into a set of four locked grid type doors as we made our way into the prison complex in groups of Seven. After the final door, we stepped into a courtyard that was beautiful. It hardly looked like a prison with brightly painted murals on the walls of the prison and buildings that were in good repair.

We entered the main building and went up stairs to the living quarters where the boys who are going to be released in six months are housed. The walls were painted white and above each doorway were hand painted flowers just like what you would see in a country house. There were nice curtains on the windows and the rooms were bright and cheerful. Each bedroom had rows of neatly made beds with teddy bears or other stuffed animals on them! It was so refreshing. These boys were kept separate from the other boys who were still serving time. The commander of the prison told us they try to prepare the boys for life outside the prison sixmonths before they are released.

This was an Austrian prison built over one hundred years ago. The commander of the prison told us the boys go to school, learn a trade and work while they are there. There is a metal factory where the older boys work during the day. We saw the classrooms and the computer lab which were both well equipped. The boys in this prison range from fourteen to twenty years old.

In the other part of the prison were the rooms where the boys slept, the school rooms and computer lab. We climbed up to the third floor and noticed metal grids covering the space between each floor and the stairway so no one could jump down and commit suicide. That was kind of creepy but good to know they were protecting the lives of the boys.
The rooms where the boys slept in this part of the prison were small, only four to a room (no stuffed animals on the beds). Even this side of the prison was well kept and had nice curtains on the windows. In the hallway were huge boards with information on them. One was full of Bible stories, one with poetry and one with patriotic information about Ukraine. There was nothing depressing about this prison. It was obvious someone cared a lot about treating these kids as human beings.

We gathered in the auditorium which was beautifully painted and stenciled. The boys sat in the back of the auditorium with guards in the rows in front of them. They wore green uniforms, not the traditional black which is very shameful for them. Each one was clean and well groomed. Quite a contrast to what we saw in Russia.

Our team stood on the stage and the commander of the prison announced we would be bringing the "Word of God"to them! We were very surprised to hear such words coming from his mouth. There was a musical group with us who do ministry at this prison regularly. They sang some songs and then we sang a few in English. Suzanne gave her testimony and Dave (our leader) asked me to do the Gospel message. I agreed to do it but then he came back a few minutes later and said they needed a guy to do it. So my friend, Gary gave the Gospel message and did a fabulous job relating his own story in with the Gospel.

I watched the faces of the young men as Gary spoke about God's love and how he changes lives for the better. There were three reactions. Some listened intently and nodded their heads, some got bored after only a couple of minutes and one was sound asleep! After Gary spoke a young man named Uri gave his testimony. Uri had been in prison there for a number of years and then in an adult prison for a total of eight years. He decided that was not the direction he wanted his life to go in so he invited Jesus into his life and made and about face turn. He has been out of prison for three years now and offered to help any one in that prison after they got out. He is active in a church, has a job and has made all new friends.
After the program was finished, the regional director of all prisons in Ukraine came on the stage and thanked us for coming and bringing aid to the prisoners. We brought food, carepacks and Bibles to the boys. He acknowledged that the prisons which had strong Christian influences in them were much more successful than those that didn't. He said fewer people return to prison if they have been in a prison that had a strong Christian ministry.

Wow, those were refreshing words to hear and so unexpected. The USA could learn a lot from these people! At the end, they gave us some gifts which had been hand made by the boys. Some were embroidered pictures, some painted and some carved.

It was a rewarding and positive experience. The boys in the auditorium participated in all of the songs and seemed to have a great time. We were not allowed to mingle with them or talk to them but they could see our faces and I'm sure the could feel the love we each carried in our hearts for them.

Please pray that the seeds which were planted there will be nurtured and the ones who committed their lives to Christ will grow in their faith.

That's it for now, I'm pretty tired. We had a full day and went out for our cultural event tonight.

Still snowing in L'viv,
Dasha