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Haiti's justice system is known for its lack of due process and for a judiciary that is encumbered by corruption. Those in prison struggle with severe overcrowding and based on statistics from 2010 over 90% of the inmates have not had an opportunity to appear before a judge. Most have been imprisoned because of an accusation, not because of a sentence, and violent criminals are mixed in with falsely accused innocents. The lack of funding for basic needs, inadequate pay for the workers and logistical support, make life in prison hard.
At Haiti Teen Challenge, the men and women in the program reach out to those imprisoned. Here is one of our stories:
Arriving at the Women's Prison, we are greeted with shouts, curses, yelling, and the sounds of despair. Hands reach out through the bars but the noise continues. Wondering how to connect, the women of HTC begin to sing and slowly the noise dies down as the women in prison press into the openings. We see them hanging off the bars, and an unbelievable amount of women struggling to see what is happening. As the HTC women finish singing, Suzette Volcy, the HTC Women's Director, speaks to them. She tells them that while we may not be able to do anything to release them from this prison, we can give them the key to freedom through Jesus Christ which changes their eternity.
The women are captivated by her words and they begin to share some of their darkest moments that include being torn from their children. Others express the pain of having never had their chance to go in front of a judge even though they have been in prison for years. There are stories of how their families were never notified about where they had gone. We pray and cry with them. And then many, many little tiny bits of paper start being pushed through the walls with prayer requests on them.
Emmanuel’s presence is so evident, and all who are there outside and within the bars, begin to sing together, "How Great Thou Art" and we raise our arms in praise. There are no prisoners or free women, only sisters falling before the Lord and drinking in God's love.
As we leave, the HTC women gather up the tiny bits of paper and take them. From now on, each day they will pray for these women. On the trip back, they face the reality that without Jesus and their entrance into HTC this could have been their story.
At Haiti Teen Challenge, the men and women in the program reach out to those imprisoned. Here is one of our stories:
Arriving at the Women's Prison, we are greeted with shouts, curses, yelling, and the sounds of despair. Hands reach out through the bars but the noise continues. Wondering how to connect, the women of HTC begin to sing and slowly the noise dies down as the women in prison press into the openings. We see them hanging off the bars, and an unbelievable amount of women struggling to see what is happening. As the HTC women finish singing, Suzette Volcy, the HTC Women's Director, speaks to them. She tells them that while we may not be able to do anything to release them from this prison, we can give them the key to freedom through Jesus Christ which changes their eternity.
The women are captivated by her words and they begin to share some of their darkest moments that include being torn from their children. Others express the pain of having never had their chance to go in front of a judge even though they have been in prison for years. There are stories of how their families were never notified about where they had gone. We pray and cry with them. And then many, many little tiny bits of paper start being pushed through the walls with prayer requests on them.
Emmanuel’s presence is so evident, and all who are there outside and within the bars, begin to sing together, "How Great Thou Art" and we raise our arms in praise. There are no prisoners or free women, only sisters falling before the Lord and drinking in God's love.
As we leave, the HTC women gather up the tiny bits of paper and take them. From now on, each day they will pray for these women. On the trip back, they face the reality that without Jesus and their entrance into HTC this could have been their story.
