Driven by the Pursuit of the Way of the Truth: 2023 Mission Trip Testimony #1 | 真理之道的嚮往：2023短宣見證#1

We set off on the bus at seven o'clock. Today's destination was Choluteca Prison in the provincial capital. This is the largest prison in the province and one of the 27 prisons in Honduras, housing nearly a thousand inmates.

After the security check, we entered the prison’s courtyard, where over a hundred chairs were arranged in front of a stage. Pastor Fang led us to meet and shake hands with the inmates in the courtyard before moving into the inmates’ daily activity area. This area was like a bustling market, crowded and messy, with a faint odor in the air. In what served as a cafeteria, there was a small pool of over one meter square in size at the door. Here, a sturdy middle-aged man conducted two baptisms for two prisoners. The ceremony was conducted with solemnity and dignity despite the simple and filthy surroundings.

After the baptisms, we returned to the prison courtyard for an evangelistic meeting. More than 100 out of the 700 inmates of lower security level attended the meeting, with an additional hundred or so watching outside from the sidelines. The atmosphere was charged with Pastor Fang's blessings, Jose Luis's passionate call, and the inmate pastor's heartfelt message, moving the emotions of those in attendance The climax of the event came when more than 70 inmates responded to Pastor Jose Luis’ fervent call and walked onto the stage. In the sound of hymns and raised arms, the love of Christ and expectations for God were declared.  After the meeting, the mission team distributed food, drinks, toothpaste, soap, and Spanish versions of the Book of Romans to each inmate. I marveled at God’s works recorded in the Bible and was deeply touched by Christians’ selfless love and the power of the team.

        七點坐著大巴出發。今天的目標是省會Choluteca監獄，這是省裡最大的監獄，也是洪都拉斯二十七座監獄之一，有近千名囚犯。

經過安全檢查，我們進入了監獄內的廣場，廣場裡面向舞台擺好了百餘張椅子。方牧師帶著我們與廣場上的輕刑犯見面、握手，然後進入犯人們日常的活動區域。這個區域如同一個熱鬧的集市，擁擠而凌亂，散髮著淡淡的臭味。在相當於食堂的地方，門口有個一米余見方的水池。一位壯碩的中年男士在這裡為兩位囚徒施行了洗禮，在這簡陋的穢垢之地進行的儀式場面卻是嚴肅而莊嚴。

       洗禮結束後回到監獄的廣場舉行佈道會，該監獄輕刑犯人七百餘人中有一百餘人參加了佈道會，還有百餘人在周圍旁觀。會議現場有方牧師的祝福、Jose Luis激情的宣召、囚犯牧師真情的講解，感動著現場的情緒。會場的高潮在Jose Luis的大聲呼召中七十餘名囚犯走上舞台時蒞臨，在音樂聲中、在高舉的揮舞的手臂里，宣示著基督的愛與人們對神的期盼。會後短宣隊給每位囚犯發放了食物、飲料、牙膏和肥皂，還有西班牙語版的羅馬書。感概著聖經記錄的神的蹤跡，感動著基督徒們無私的愛和團隊的力量。