Yuh never visited me

IN SVG WE can look forward every morning foh Breaking News from any and sometimes every Radio Stay-shun; not to leave out FaceBook.

Tuesday’s Searchlight Midweek newspaper reported ah hot story of ah live VDO staring Prisoners posing wid Cell Phones at de Be-Lie- Penitentiary. According to de report these are inmates doing time foh some hard crimes, including murder, kidnapping and so on.

Dat of course was enough to set ah nay-shun in panic.

Grampa, was my Sunday School Teacher. He uses to explain de Bible to us in his Nansi Story Language. Was Grampa who told me dat many years ago, Christians were hunted like Gang-stars, law-breakers, dey were tortured and killed, De lucky ones went to Prison. But when Jesus came, He looked out foh everybody: de Sick, de Poor and Hungry, as well as de Rich; de Good and Bad, Man, Jesus even big-up de Prisoners. He left instructions wid His disciples to get ah Prison Ministries going. De name Paul came up and Grampa described Paul as ah bounty killer who hunted down Christians, but his Faith turned around, he became ah Christian and his Fate turned completely upside-down. He maintained his lead role, except he turned from de Leader of de Hunter, to leader of de Hunted Christian.

At dat point in Grampa’s Story, he took time out to tell us dat in life we must try and Do Good, because dey’ ah thing called Wretch-yu-bruteshun waiting foh all a we. It is worse dan de sin of Witch-craft. Paul de Ring-leader spreading dis new Dispense-say-shun was den on de run; and whenever de catch-up wid him, is so he uses to get beat-up; arrested, sent to Prison. He was bent on spreading de Gospel of Christ, and had to reach his Followers; de Ephesians, Phillipians and so on. In dem days dey was no Cell-phone, no Whats-App, no Raid-yuh. But Paul was ah scholar, he turned to his Pen and he wrote lots ah letters from his Prison Cell. Today we can read what is referred to as de Epistles of Paul.

Out ah Evil cometh Good! So Commune-he-careshun between Prisoners and de outside world is not new. It was intended foh good purposes, dat’s why up to today, edited letters are permitted from Prisoners to family and friends outside. Visits to de Prisons are also allowed way relatives and friends can visit. In obedience to Christ’s command some faithful individuals visit regularly, these people prefer to be ah-manyu- must (anonymous).

But ah have to call-out my friend Jonathan Pitt who foh years has been quietly and regularly (twice weekly) visiting de male Prisoners.

Ah take leave to share my lickle and short lived experience with de Salvation Army visiting de Male Prisoners. Dey welcome de Service, dey know every chorus and if allowed dey will take over de Praise and Worship Session. Dey will give strong testimonies of God’s Goodness. Interstingly, dey would all promise to attend de Salvation Army as soon as dey are released, but don’t raise yuh hope, only ah small few ever turn up.

One fellar came when he was released and asked foh clothing to come to church. He actually came de very next Sunday and never returned; when we went looking foh him, he said: “Ah came to yuh church and really enjoyed de Service, but ah felt rejected, not ah single person in Church greeted me dat morning.” And dat is ah problem, we care bout dem in Prison, but when dey try to return to society we doh really care about dem!

Another chap came and wanted ah Cart to mek ah living, and help him stay out ah trouble.

We arranged with ah Cart-builder to credit him ah cart. We never saw him back in church, ah guess he got de rejected grin too. De Cart-builder never saw him either, de Army paid foh his Cart.

And dey’s ah third candidate who became quite active, got himself ah job and even became ah part ah de Prison Ministry.

“Dey is no turning back” in dis gentleman’s life.

Amen!

Visitations to de Prisons and Hospital is not ah easy exercise, is like ah Wuk!” Maybe instead ah condemning and crucifying de fellars wid dey Cell Phones at Be-Lie Prisons, we should go tell dem dat Jesus loves dem, even behind Bars.

Is ah lot ah people who perform with Distinction from de Pulpit, de Radio, de TV. Before we say Prayers at mornings, we login to Facebook and Instagram. We quote from Genesis to Rev-allyu- shun, but yuh could never hear us say to Believers: “Brothers and Sisters, do as I say, and do as I do as well!” And wid dat is gone ah gone again!

One Love Bassy

● Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.