You don’t hear too many people saying, “I want to go back to . . . prison.”
For the staff of Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLMHC), who have been waiting for over three years to return to the US Immigration and Customs El Paso Processing Center, it was a comment made often. Within a week of the required training done the first Saturday of June, one of the YLMHC staff members, along with Alex Escarciga, Vicar of San Pablo Lutheran Church, and Rev. Stephen Heimer from Zion Lutheran Church, led the first worship service in over three years on Saturday, June 17th.
This was the first time since COVID, missions and churches were able to return to share the Gospel with men and women detained by immigration. June 24th had Rev. Stephen Heimer, along with two YLMHC staff members, bringing the Good News through Scripture, music, and prayer. These two first Saturdays combined had a total of 170 men and 226 women who eagerly listened to the message of salvation and participated with exuberant joy.
The Detention Center is where undocumented men and women are detained until arrangements are made for them, to either remain in the United States, or to be deported to their country of origin. For YLMHC’s Lutheran Prison Ministry, it became a natural spillover of God’s love to take the invitation of the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) located within the Detention Center in 2014. The three years of lock-down resulting from COVID in 2020, limited the participation of YLMHC but through constant communication with the chaplain overseeing the JRS, Bibles and Christian literature were regularly provided for them to distribute.
With the ability to return in person, YLMHC and partnering churches within El Paso, will experience the joy of sharing the Good News with people who are living day to day with uncertainty over their future. The uplifting, Mariachi-led, Christian songs help bring some joy and levity to an otherwise difficult situation, and the Word spoken and taught by those leading the service is listened to attentively. This church behind bars is one where the encouraging atmosphere can be surprising to many.
Thanks to YLM supporters, the distribution of Bibles, daily devotionals, and songbooks in multiple languages are provided every week for these men and women who are hungry for God’s Word. With their lives being placed on hold until a decision is made concerning their future, they are discovering a great need for the certainty and consistent love of God.
For one of the staff members, whose first time to the Detention Center was June 24th, it was a surprise to see the positive atmosphere and eager reception to hear Jesus preached and praised in word and song.
Like Jesus said, “I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”
This is one more way YLMHC, YOUR MISSION, works on the border of El Paso and Juarez to share God’s love and serve His people. What a blessing! What a joy to get to “go back to prison,” where Jesus can be found. He is seen in the faces, eyes, and voices singing.
Your support of YLMHC’s Lutheran Prison Ministry helps provide Bibles, devotions, and songbooks to these hungry souls who need your encouragement, and God’s love, to help give them the most important direction in their lives. Donate today to help YLMHC continue the work taking place through the Lutheran Prison Ministry. God bless you!
