Thank God I am A Prisoner
Testimony from Bun Chor
Kalasin prison
I have been in prison for 6 years and I have 19 years to go.
When I was outside I felt mentally and physically oppressed by my family. I felt like I was walking around carrying bitterness whoever I went. I could not get rid of it.
I would have liked to do something good but I never knew how to or what to do .
I felt like I was in the grip of other people who had power over me.
then I made some wrong decisions and this led to bad actions and I ended up in prison.
I thought that prison was awful and would be bad, the worst place to be.
However it was not as bad as I thought it would be, different.
the guards speak kindly to me especially the one who cares for us women.
I found other women who are kind to me and care for one another.
In here I found God and became a Christian. I might be in prison but I have found freedom.
I think that now my life is easier in here.
When I am released I think life may be more difficult.
Testimony from Simmalai – leader in NongKhai prison
I was living in Laos and was selling vegetables in the market places. I did not make very much money.
All I could think of was money, money money. my whole life was focused on this.
A man came along and told me that I could make so much more money, all I needed was to smuggle one packet of drugs across the border ton Thailand. This was a wrong decision.
As I crossed the bridge I was searched but not stopped so I thought I was OK. However when I stopped in Udon Thani I was arrested. They must have followed me and watched me.
I was sentenced to prison for 50 years.
when I was in prison it was very different. I Wanted to go to one of the religious groups There were many of them, so I decided on a Buddhist meditation group but when I went there was no room for me, it was then that I joined the Christian group.
They were very convincing, and I found hope and salvation there. I found Christ.
Because I had such a long sentence I was sent to Bangkok. There I wanted to join the Christian group. I was told that I could not because I was from Laos and no one there is
A Christian. But I argued back that nevertheless I was a Christian so they let me join.
I was there for 5 years and never had a visitor but I had the company of my Christian sisters who were so kind and shared some of their things because I had no money to buy anything.
I eventually applied for an ironing job in the prison and because I was stormy and able I was able to earn more money than usual $4500 Baht instead of $3000 per month. I eventually earned $40000 Baht.
later I went to court to ask for my sentence to be reduced. I prayed that it would be. 20 others went with me at the same time and thank God it was reduced to 331/2 years. I was the only one out of the twenty that this happened to.
Now I am here in Nong Khai as the leader of the ladies Christian group and sharing my light with others.
Before I came to believe in Jesus Christ I was a selfish man and always had a hot temper, I got angry easily and argued with other people often. When I came to know God, I was very happy and hoped that He will help me out of doing bad things. He changed my bad character and drew me out of death. I still didn’t believe that He could help me to be free from it. I thought I was freed by it through good luck. I even still acted as before. I drank whisky, smoked heroin and ventured along with bad friends untill I was arrrested for robbery.
I went to rob with some of my friends and hurt some innocent people. Before I decided to do it, I seemed to hear the voice of a man speaking to me ” Don’t do it. Stop, Stop, stop” but i didn’t know where this voice was coming from. I also didn’t care about that voice until I was arrested and sent to prison.
After I came to prison, I had the opportunity to come to know Jesus Christ again through some friends in prison and by studying God’s words. Then I accepted Him as my saviour and welcomed Him into my life. I pray to Him. He has showed His mercy and love to me. I”m very ashamed for the wrong I have done against God. When I confessed my sin and prayed to Him, I feel that my life has changed for the better. Especially, my hot temper, my anger and selfishness gradually calmed down.
I thank Him and pray to Him everyday. Apart from these it is still not enough for my life. I want to be born into a new life and wash away my old natural self, therefore, I have dediced to be baptised according to John 3:5. Jesus said” “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ”
Praise the Lord.
AM – Maehongson prison
Dear all in love in Christ. Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Before I didnt know Jesus Christ and I was born into a Buddhist family. After I have been arrested and sentenced to prison I was sent to Chiang Mai. I felt that my life was terrible and I thought of nonsense. At that time my life was full of anxiousness and distress. Not long ago, I was moved to Maehongson prison. Here I have met many Christian friends. They have invited me to go to Sunday church. I thank them that they welcomed me as their brother and that I had the opportunity to join them every Sunday. Since then I have listened and heard the word of God in the church. The teaching of God is very good and interest me so much as I have never heard it before. The most important fact is this, it has changed my life to realize that I need to be born into a new life and control myself from my anger and hot temper. I pray to Him everyday. I feel that my worrying and anxiousness have gone away. I feel happy when I have come to know Him. That is why I have decided to confess my sin and open my heart to accept Him as my saviour. I have proof that He is the only son, the most powerful and almigthty God of all.
I do hope He will lead me into the right way in the future after I have been baptised in His name.
SN
Maehongson prison
I am from Myanmar. Since I have been in prison I didn’t have anybody to come and help and visit me at all. At that time I feel so sad and anxious about many things in my life. It made me feel discouraged, hopeless and I think nonsense and couldn’t sleep.
I suffered a long time thinking about these things and it just got worse and worse. There was no way to exit. I was wondering how I could find an approach to live in peace.
Later I met a member of the Christians. He invited me to come and worship God on Sunday in church. Since then I came to church every week. I pray to God and one day I saw a vision, it was the light of God. It drove away the darkness of my life. After that the life of God made me happy and gave me courage. Now I feel everything is calm and I don’t think of nonsense as before.
Today I do know that God is real in this world. I thank Him for revealing to me and changing my life into happiness. He has forgiven me while I was a sinner. I opened my heart and welcomed Him into my life. I believe in Him alone, therefore I have decided to be baptised in His holy name.
May God bless you all.
HN
Age: 33
Maehongson prison
