Having problems with message search?
Dear friends
Betty raised her arms high in the air and waved them about grinning widely. Some of the other girls noticed her, faced my direction and did the same.
I could see through the fence that the girls had been let out for a walk on the oval for the first time this week. I missed out, but was relieved to see they finally got to walk further than the few metres of space they had
available to them in the contained courtyard of cell block J.
I yelled out from the car as it drove away “bye everyone!”
The girls kept waving their arms, ‘bye Donna” they yelled at the top of their voice, waving hard and strong until I was out of sight.
I drove away from Berrima prison, grateful that my final image was of the humour,
generosity and friendship of the women I stayed with.
I’m out. I’m happy and I’m sad.
I’m happy at the prospect of a good night sleep tonight, without being interrupted by a torchlight shining in my face every couple of hours to check I’m still in my bed.
I’m happy that I will not spend 18 of the next 24 hours locked in a cell
the size of my bathroom.
I’m happy that I will not have to wear short, frayed king-gee workshorts and a faded, torn green t-shirt; address the people in perfectly pressed uniforms as ‘miss’ and ‘sir’ and stand up when they walk in my cell.
But I’m sad to leave the women that I got to know.
I’m sad that most people believe these women must be ‘bad’ because they are in prison.
Cell Block J was not full of bad women. It was made up of poor women, abused women, sick women, women who had made poor choices, who broke the law.
I’m sad that there is nothing in prison to reform, rehabilitate or help them - that when they are released, the cycle is likely to continue.
I have so many thoughts to share, stories and experiences, some heart-warming, some tragic. I received the retreat that I hoped: I prayed, meditated, received communion, listened, learnt a lot, was challenged and inspired.
I’m at a loss as to where to start to unpack all this.
So for now I’ll just share what is at the forefront of my mind tonight:
I encourage you all to visit a prison or detention centre – it will save you.
You might recall, a great and compassionate teacher a very long time ago gave out this advice. I want to emphasis Jesus’ words.
He said that in order to be invited into the kingdom we must feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, let in the stranger, clothe the naked, look after the sick and VISIT THOSE IN PRISON.
That’s where we will find salvation – not in repeating a prayer, following rules or excellent church attendance.
I say “here, here!” to Jesus.
These actions will save you, not only because they’re God’s criteria, but also because these acts of service make us human again. They connect us to other human beings and bring healing to everyone.
So my message is: Visit prisoners and detainees, or write, call, be-friend them – it will give you a direct connection with the divine and a path to salvation!
Contrary to what Governments and media might have us believe, jail is not full of bad, scary people. Nor is it a place of rehabilitation.
It is more a minding centre, the lives of the prisoners will be much the same when they are released, except perhaps they will
be angrier at society and the cycle will continue.
Taxpayers should be furious that so much money is being wasted babysitting and de-humanising people who have broken the law, rather than offer some sort of restorative justice and positive transformation for the offender.
I’ll answer more of your questions later but for now, that’s all I can feel to say.
Find a prisoner, support them.
Challenge a system that fails us all.
Save yourself.
Your pilgrim
Donna
PS: Adele is fine; she will be released on Monday morning. Bryan and Jim are fine (we heard this through the grapevine: that is the chaplains, our visitors and some prison officers). Bryan will be released on Thursday, and Jim on Monday (I think).
PPS: If you send mail express post on Monday Bryan may still receive it, Jim likely will. Address is Darwin Correctional Centre, PO Box 1407 Darwin NT 0801
PPPS: Cell Block J has its own cat,
as do the other blocks at Berrima Prison. I thought that was funny. I am a cat lover, so get excited about these things!
PPPPS: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world - for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me….whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:34-36, 40.
Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address.
Offline 
Send Email