Prison Visit

Note: no photos were taken at the prison due to their privacy regulations.

By Genesis Garner

When we first pulled up to our mystery destination and my eyes read the entrance sign to the chain-linked fenced-in buildings my whole world slowed down. Nakasongola prison. Prison.

My first few thoughts that rushed in:
I have always wanted to visit prisoners. When I was in 8th grade the Lord moved in me during a class about African American prisoners in America.

What will we do in there?
Maybe we’ll sing for them?
Oh Lord.
Please redeem my own experience with jail and living under the government of a justice system that does not know the justice of God.

We entered the men’s jail and immediately we were met with a sea of dark faces. Faces that hold my mind captive in compassion and love as I call them to mind. My nerves about being adequate enough for a prison visit vanished as I settled into my role: be observant, be genuine, be present, humanize them with what limited resource I had: eye contact and a smile.

As the visit progressed we got to perform our special number, we performed our skit, and Mr. Garner gave both a sermon and a testimony about God’s justice in his life. This moment changed me. Forever.

The scene is permanently burnt into my mind. My dad, paying respect to these men by humbly and confidently sharing his story and how waiting on the justice of God is worth the reward of the freedom that he gives.