A Visit to Shek Pik Prison

A Warm Current in Cold Weather

With the help of Minister Cheng Kwan-yip from the Hong Kong Christian Kun Sun Association, the Student Union’s Missions Department organized a team of nine students, who on January 17, paid a visit to Shek Pik Prison for adult offenders. Incidentally on that day a cold air current struck Hong Kong. At Tung Chung in Lantau Island, our students took a bus to Shek Pik and then walked for about 10 minutes up a steep road to the maximum security Shek Pik Prison. The meeting was divided into two sections: The morning and afternoon sections. There were more than 40 prison inmates attending the meetings, most of whom were non-Christian youngsters. The following is one of our students’ sharing.

Ng Chi-lok (2nd year, B.A.P.S. program)

　　I still remembered the time in 2004 when our church visited Lo Wu Correctional Institution, a minimum security institution for short-termed prisoners. But Shek Pik Prison is a maximum security prison requiring us to walk through five doorways from the entrance to get to the place where the meeting was held. There was an ear-splitting sound of heavy metal knocking together when the door was closed. Moreover, our belongings had to be left in the store room and our whole bodies were thoroughly searched by a metal detecting device. What is more, we were total strangers to the prison environment and the prison inmates, merely knowing that they came from complicated backgrounds. All these inevitably made us feel a bit frightened and anxious.

　　We thanked God for his grace allowing the preparation procedure to go smoothly as we arranged fellow-students to lead the singing, give testimonies and share the gospel message. What was more amazing was that although the prison chapel was under renovation that day and we had to meet in the canteen, God graciously prepared some musical instruments (the guitars and an electronic synthesizer) to make the meeting a success. In leading the prison inmates to sing and pray, we witnessed the mighty power of the Holy Spirit: The seemingly hard-hearted men who remained aloof at first gradually made eye contact with us, became more attentive and even sang and prayed with us. They actively raised questions about faith, showed no resistance against the Christian gospel and shared their lives with us without any embarrassment. Even though we were in the prison ward, at that moment no one felt worried or anxious. There was no darkness or feeling of guilt but an atmosphere of being a family.

　　Time passed quickly, and as we were about to leave, we shook hands with the inmates and I even gave each of them a hug. One of them spoke to me, “It has been a long time since I was last embraced. I almost forgot that feeling of warmth!” At that time I saw that sturdy man’s eyes were watered and I remembered the words of Matthew 5:45b: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Each of these prison inmates is created in the image of God, and God loves them, how can we not care for them! Although on the surface they were unwilling to listen to our words, in their hearts they carefully listened. This was what I had not expected. From these responses I came to know that they were in need of care and help from others and longed for people to visit them. Their reception to the gospel gave me encouragement to equip myself better. I think if we are willing to open a small door, they will open a bigger door for us. It all depends on who takes the first step forward. Of course, if you don’t ever open your door, just sit still and talk, that will be meaningless for you practically do not get in touch with their world. I still remember a former prison inmate once said, “This group of people being sentenced to imprisonment will never think of stepping into a church or letting themselves quiet down to listen to the gospel, and yet Jesus does not forsake each one of them!”

　　I hope and pray that we can encourage more people to participate in the prison ministry and bring Christ’s word of life, the light and warmth of love to those in our prisons.

　　“Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6)