Dear Brethren and Friends,
Greetings in the name of our Lord who controls all things. It has been an outside chilly 27°F here at Niagara County Jail; hence I’ve been passing on the one hour outside rec time. Outside recreation occurs in 3 partitioned-off blacktop areas (yards) topped with razor-sharp barbed wire. All the women who choose to take advantage of outside rec go out together but each unit plays in their own yard. I choose to walk round and round the yard with ear buds in listening to sermons or music while others prefer to shoot the hoop or socialize with others through the chain link fence. When I pass on rec I usually can be found writing letters on my bunk. Thank you all who write me. I am blessed beyond measure!
Speaking of your letters, they have created quite a stir here. =) Tonight, I was called out of the dorm to supposedly speak to a C.O. [corrections officer]. Hmm, I thought. Why would a C.O. call me out of the unit to talk? Well, instead of that particular C.O. meeting me, a higher-ranking officer met me. He directed me toward a room to sit down because he wanted to talk with me. Basically, the conversation centered around the amount of mail I receive and the amount of mail I send out coupled with my status of “Flight Risk,” which I had no idea I was classified as such, especially because I am a voluntary surrender returning to the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua not once but twice (because they wouldn’t take me into custody the first day), in addition to staying in a “pinned” location without a guard for 8 days while the U.S. worked on getting me a flight out from Nicaragua to the U.S.
Apparently, the voluminous amount of mail I send out is a red flag to signal a potential self-harming behavior. So, this officer asked me if I wanted to “self-harm.” Imagine my surprise when he asked me that question! Patiently and joyfully I explained that the mail I get is from brothers and sisters in Christ who share my burden of suffering for Christ and that the mail I send out are “thank you” notes to those wonderful people who encourage me with those letters.
In addition, I explained that I am not planning to flee and that I am here to stay because my daughter is 18 years old and is no longer under the mandates of the court orders that forced her to “live” in an abusive environment as well as being prohibited to being taught by God’s Word.
My phone calls were checked and since I only call my attorneys that apparently is also a red flag for potential self-harming behavior.
I am glad that this jail has benchmarks regarding identifying self-harming behaviors, and I am glad that those types of behaviors are the furthest thoughts from my mind. Despite the fact that I am in jail I am free because this is what God promises us — tribulations and persecutions and I am in everything (to) give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (us).”
He continues to show me that He is with me. Just this morning when I was called up to the guard shack to get my mail He had already laid it on a sister’s heart to write me an entire page of what I call “God” verses (the title of her letter was “God cares about every detail of your life…”) When I pulled her letter from the envelope (to top it off it was the first letter I opened =) ), it was dog-eared, a corner of the page was folded back, and here is what I read (without even needing to unfold the letter to read what was inside!):
Yes, God is with me.
Tomorrow, Lord willing, our dorm will have our first Bible study. Several of us ladies will meet to pray and study God’s Word. I am looking forward to this time.
I continue to ask for a head covering to wear. Today the sergeant seemed amenable to my request. The only challenge I see is getting one that I can wear without the use of pins or clips. Florida Detention Center (FDC) had a head scarf listed on commissary [store] but the FDC Chaplain never responded to my two requests so that I could order one. Here, there isn’t a head scarf listed on commissary. Meanwhile I have been putting my small (and I mean small) white bath towel over my head during my morning devotions despite my concern that doing so would peg me as a mental health case. =) Sure enough the other morning I was asked by the C.O. if I was “alright.” I walked up to the shack and whispered back (everyone was asleep =) ) that I was praying. She was extremely apologetic.
In the words of our Lord, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3) I am praying the Lord blesses all those who are faithful to Him in our ever-changing individualistic society.
Thank you for your words of encouragement, your prayers for both my daughter and me, and your gifts. God bless you for “visiting” the prisoners.
Serving Him,
Lisa
[Mark Roth now. I do not have a date for the above letter. I got it from PY less than an hour ago, though. The “postscript” that follows apparently was from a different day.]
Praise the Lord, the lieutenant and Chaplain True were kind and accommodating. We now have the approval for a head covering!
