This is just one of the amazing stories of Lives changed forever through HEA’s evangelistic outreaches in the prison…
One night Greg was in a taxi on his way back to the Missions Center when the driver said, “I know you.” Greg asked him, “From where?” The man said, “From the prison.” Greg asked him, “What were you doing there?” He said, “Oh, just visiting a friend.” … They visited a little as they traveled when all of the sudden the taxi driver pulled over to the side of the road and stopped. He started crying and said, “I have to be honest with you … I was there because I was a prisoner.” He said, “You all came and you were preaching and I went to the front when you asked for people to surrender their lives to Jesus.”
Greg asked him how things were going since he got out of prison and he began to smile and said, “Things are going great! My wife was saved also and now we are working in the ministries of the church that we attending!”
Finding New Life On The Inside
For 15 years HEA has had an ongoing ministry in the main prison near our World Missions Operations Center in Chiapas Mexico. We have worked with16 different prison Directors over the years and every one of them has welcomed us with open arms.
We worked hard over the years growing this relationship and the opportunities it has given us to share the gospel with thousands of prisoners. One of the ways we bless the Prison Directors is to take some of our summer mission’s teams (from churches in the USA) in to paint the prison. We have provided equipment and supplies that they need for their medical and dental clinics over the years as well as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap for all of the prisoners.
The favor that the Lord has given us there over the years has been unbelievable. They even call us from the prison from time to time and ask us to come and help them with special projects. We have been able to hold evangelistic campaigns there in the prison whenever we want over the years.
One night, in the heart of the prison, the evangelistic campaign was going very late and the counselors were still finishing up with the people who had surrendered their lives to Jesus. The Prison Director came and Greg apologized to him for the counseling taking so long … He said, “Greg, there is no hour that you can’t be in my prison!” Wow! Praise the Lord for his favor!!
Amazing Moments
We made a 3 hour trip through the mountains for one of our conference speakers to preach in Ocosingo. On our trip back we stopped at a little store to visit a family that we had shared the gospel with in the past … As we visited with the family a man & his wife walked into the store. The man became very excited and said, “Don’t you remember me?” … I said, “I’m sorry but where do I know you from?” He said that we were preaching the gospel in the prison and that he surrendered his life to Jesus … He has since been released and he & his wife are now walking with God! Thank you Jesus!