Stories

BCC Lessons give hope to prisoner in distress

He was raised as a Christian. Now he is registered as student No. 26627 in Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) - Kenya Bible Correspondence Course (BCC) within Nairobi's Kamiti Prison.

Erastus Muema is 36 yesrs old and sits on death row for armed robbery - a crime he denies till this day.

More than 7,500 inmates in 33 of Kenya's 92 prisons participate in LHM's lessons. The BCC is a self study guide to Bible Reading. Erastus wrote to LHM in June.

"Am an ambassador of Jesus Christ," he said, "I am grateful for this opportunity to share the spiritual experience I received as a result of your lessons. I was brought up in a protestant Christian Family, the son of a farmer and mothered by a lwa abiding lady. So I was a very well disciplined boy, loved by villagers and everyone in general."

It was a land dispute with a wealthy relative that changed the direction of his life. According to Erustus, in July 2003, the relative paid strangers to lie about an armed robbery that Erastus was later convicted of committing. On June 18, 2003, he was sentensed to death, all the while declaring his innocence.

What has helped Erastus through this period in his life and to cope with the sentence that was laid upon him, has been his relationship with Jesus and LHM. "The impact of this BCC has changed my life. Through LHM's prison ministry, God's guiding hand liberated me from sin and death to receive etrenal life, " he said. "A prisoner condemned to death dies many times every day. The opening of a door, a noise, or comments from anyone can trigger thoughts such as, 'are they entering with an announcement of my execution?' This results in constant stress and daily anxiety.

Despite his anxiety, there is a greater purpose in all this, he says. "I thank God for my being in prison because I came to meet a man of peace and life -- Jesus Christ, whom I lay all my heavy burdens upon. He has delivered me from the powers of darkness, and I have received Him as my personal Saviour."

Now Erastus, who has requested for a Bible from LHM, rejoices in the Lord and less fearful of the future. Through the BCC, he said he has learned that the love of God can reach him even if he rejects himself. "He will truly recieve me into His eternal kingdom. God bless you and your daily undertaking worlwide," he told the LHM staff. "God gives you more power, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, to overcome the power of the devil and bring hope to prisoners during their bitter moments."

The staff and volunteers in Kenya thank everyone who sends their prayers and gifts of support to this and other LHM ministry centers. They ask for your prayers, as do the recipients of LHM activities in Bringing Christ to the Nations - and the Nations to the Church.