open hearts

I am continuing to regain my strength. My heart is fixed upon God, and I am filled with anticipation for the future, both in the coming months, and in the year ahead.

During yesterday’s worship service I was able to speak for about twenty minutes, before the main preacher came forward, on the subject of trusting in the Lord.

I read Proverbs 3:5,6 to the congregation. I then began to tell them what I believed the Lord wanted me to say.

I know from the responses I received afterwards that most of the men were encouraged. Others, frankly, are never helped or encouraged no matter what may be said from beind the pulpit, or who may be speaking. Nevertheless, at the close of our service the altar was crowded with men. My chaplain was able to pray for each of them.

But what has especially filled my heart with joy this past week is the good and open responses I’ve been getting from two young men who live in my cell block.

One is a black man from Buffalo, New York. The other is a Hispanic man from Brooklyn. Both are involved in gangs. And both want to disassociate themselves from these gangs. Sadly, to me they already look like burned out soldiers who somehow managed to survive to many wars.

The black fellow lost one of his eyes in a fight while he was in another prison. His right eye was gouged out by another inmate who jumped him. Now he’s been learning to survive with one good eye, and an unsightly black patch that hides the hole where his other eye had been.

He also told me that six members of his family have been lost to violence, in and around the city of Buffalo, all within the past several years.

He has a wife who’s doing time in a county jail. His five children are currently being raised by various relatives. But the nice part for him is that he is doing a prison sentence of only several years. And because his time is almost up, he’s hoping for a January release. As for the Hispanic man, he’s been involved with “the Bloods” gang since he was a teenager. He’s been going to our Sunday morning chapel services, however, as well as reading the Bible. So, very soon, I pray, he will make that step of faith and surrender to Jesus Christ.

God’s light, I believe, does indeed shine the brightest in these dark places of the world. He is opening hearts even behind prison walls.

David Berkowitz

November 15, 2004