Girl's Prison - Wednesday, March 30

On Wednesday we went to the girl's prison.  All of the girls there were between 13 and 19 years old.  When we arrived, guards let us in, took all our bags, and patted us down.  We are not allowed to post any photos or disclose any of the girls' names.  We were then allowed to enter the courtyard where most of the girls were hanging around.  It didn't seem like a prison - it was sunny and all of the walls were bright green.  Alvin donated an above ground pool for when the girls behave well.  They showed us around, and brought us to a room with sewing machines, nail polish, and hair styling tools.  The girls took turns painting our nails and doing our hair.  

The girls were all really nice, and two of them spoke English, so it was easy to have conversations with them.  After awhile, the girls were required to go up to their cells.  We were allowed to go up with them, and this is when it started to seem like an actual prison.  On either side of the large room we were in, there were jail cells.  It seemed so weird that they were locked behind bars, when just a minute ago they had been painting our nails, doing our hair, and making bracelets.  Once we were all together, we shared our testimonies with the girls.  We were told that we needed to encourage them and give them aspirations for their life other than just surviving.  We shared our hopes and dreams with them, and how we deal with stressful situations.  We sang songs for them, and they sang one for us.  When we had to leave, they waved to us through the bars.

Anna told us later that the girls do devotionals every day, and have Bible verses painted all over the walls of their cells.  It is good to know that God is so prevalent in their lives even though they are in prison.  A lot of the girls have children, and their only dream is to one day be with their child.  Please pray for the girls, especially those who are in gangs, that they would not end up back on the streets after their release.  Also pray that they would have more hope for the future and that they would stay safe.

Katrina, Kayla, and Anika