Maula Prison

Here are a few pictures from Jay Stoms' site . These are pictures of the Soccer Tournament that ABC holds for the inmates of Maula Prison. I couldn't find any of the pictures from the NY Times article, though I do have the text. I won't be publishing the text since I think it is illegal, but if you would like a copy let me know.
This is one of the main ministries that I am most excited to be part of. After all:
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (I Cor 1:26-31)Here is what Jay says about the ministry on his site:

Demonstrating Mercy Through Prison Ministry

Maula prison is a maximum prison facilities located only a few miles from the ABC campus. Every Thursday we take students from the Bible College to minister the gospel to hundreds of prisoners. We visit three different sections of the prison. The female students go to the women's section and the male students go to the men's section. The men's portion is divided into one area for convicted criminals and another for those waiting for trial. Some of these men may wait in prison for several years before they go to trial. Inside we gather, sing praise songs, share testimonies and preach the good news. You can’t really imagine the living conditions in the prison but we are always so encouraged by how favorably the prisoners respond to the gospel. Last year the New York Times ran a story on prisons in Africa that featured Malawi's Maula Prison. The Malawian prisoner who had led our worship for five years, Lackson was interviewed in this article. This is a must read article for those interested in Prison Ministry in Africa. You can click this link to see the NY Times story. Also know that recently we were able to with the authorities to release Lackson after waiting seven years in prison for his trial.

At the end of each ABC school semester we distribute sugar, soap and various hygienic products to those who attend our meetings at the prison. The joy in which they receive these items testifies to the difficulties they face and the gratitude they have for this ministry. We also hold a soccer tournament each semester and the top teams receive clothing, sugar and other essential items. At half time of the final match an ABC student will preach the gospel to the 1800 prisoners that gather. You get a feel for how important this tournament is to them when you see first hand how excited the winning team gets when we give them their awards. Please pray for us as we seek to find God's guidance in building the Maula Prison outreach.