在監獄裏得到了自由
作者：盧國禮
近日閱讀到每日靈糧新聞報的一則文章，標題 Freedom Found in Prison (在監獄裏得到了自由)。這題目吸引我繼續讀下去。我想這是十分矛盾 (paradoxical) 的言語。常識告訴我們，服刑於獄中，犯人都失去了人身的自由，應有的自由和權利統統失去了。怎可說："犯人囚在監獄裏可得到了自由？"
事實上，身體是物質的，有型量的限制，犯了罪的人被判入獄，在服刑期，沒有自由；但是，人的心靈不能被限制。心靈狀態的表現，乃是人的生命 (道德和品格)。惟有自己，他人不能照管或控制或把你改變。就算重罪的犯人，皆有機會自願悔改，回轉到不一樣的生命，主動服務社群，使很多人得幫助。
在亞省 (Alberta) 有一懲教所 (Boden Institute)，那裏宿住了600犯人，有多人因信了耶穌基督，得著不一樣的恩典自由和愛。蒙救屬的人，生命得著改變，行為和思想都漸改善，渴求參與獄中有意義的活動，比方：步行籌款，幫助了斯里蘭卡 (Sri Lanka)、菲律賓 (Philippines) 及尼泊爾 (Nepal) 各地的風災後學校重建、鑿水井等。
看到夏建國弟兄的見證 (中信 651 第 55 卷，第 7 期)，弟兄在浙江省溫州市出生，祖父和父母都是信佛教。年少時，生活物質豐富，認為宗教是精神毒藥，不知信仰有真假。十九歲那年(1991) 弟兄偷渡到了法國。1995 年，在紐約因謀殺罪被捕，判了 20 年至終身監禁。在獄中失落，無助的時候，弟兄遇上一位西裔受刑人 (他是有愛心的基督徒)，又遇上一位巴拿馬受刑人，他也是位真誠的基督徒。他們指導弟兄閱讀聖經，先讀新約，約翰福音。當時，弟兄心中感動，追讀聖經如飢如渴。弟兄感受到主耶穌基督的同在，於監獄裏不再沉悶，不再痛苦，卻開始感受到從天上來的平安與喜樂。
夏建國弟兄成為基督裏新造的人，他在 1995 年被捕，1996 年被判監，可想不到在 1996 年十月接觸到福音，1998 年信主耶穌，生命改變了，監禁生涯也不一樣了。弟兄開始努力學習，選擇了聖經函授課程，並於 2010 年拿到畢業證書 (Associate of Bible Studies)，繼而選修紐約 True Vine Christian 學士聖經課程。
在 2010 年夏建國弟兄獲假釋，被遣返中國，但他立志傳揚福音。他說："我立志靠上帝的恩典，用餘生盡心盡力愛上帝，並愛人如己，領人歸向基督，求上帝的靈與我同在同工，阿們"。(夏建國)
"信子的人有永生；不信子的人得不著永生。神的震怒常在他身上。約翰福音，三：36，(和合本)"。
Freedom Found in Prison
Written by Francis Loo
Recently, I read about an article in the Newsletter of Daily Bread. The title is Freedom Found in Prison. This title gripped my attention to continue to read on. I thought this statement was very paradoxical. Common sense tells us being incarcerated is loss of physical liberty. All liberty and rights ought to have are lost. Freedom Found in Prison." Why?
Actually, human body is material-- handicapped by form and quantity. People committed crime being put in prison have no freedom but the spirit (heart) cannot be restricted. The expression of the condition of heart is life (i.e., morality and characters). Only self but no bodies can provide providence, or control, or alter you. Even convicted felony a prisoner has the opportunity to repentance and returning to a different life—a life to serve the community assisting many people.
In Alberta, there is penal institution Boden Institute housing 600 prisoners. Many people there have believed into Jesus Christ—having a different kind of grace of liberty and love. Having been redeemed their lives alter—behavior and thinking are changed. They are eager to participate in purposeful activities in prison, such as: walk for charity purpose. They raised money to help Sri Lanka, Philippines and Nepal rebuilding a school after the typhoon and constructing wells.
I read about brother Ha Kin Kwok in Christian Chinese Mission (中信 651 第 55 卷，第 7 期); he was born in Wan Chau in the province of Jit Kong. His grand-father and parents believed in Buddhism. When he was young, he was living a luxurious life. For 20 year he thought religion is poisonous to the spirit--not knowing true or false faith. At the age of 19 (1991), brother Kin Kwok stole into France. In 1995, he was in New York having committed murder and put in prison for 20 years and/or for life. When he was lost in prison, in time of helplessness, he met a prisoner of the west (a loving Christian) and encountered a Panama prisoner. He was also a true, honest Christian. They guided brother Kin Kwok to read the Bible--first, the New Testament, the Gospel of John. At that moment brother Kin Kwok was touched in his heart, then chasing after reading the Bible as if he was hungry and thirsty. Brother Kin Kwok had the feeling that Jesus Christ was in him, then the life in prison was not down-cast--no bitterness--beginning to feel the peace and joy from above.
Brother Ha Kin Kwok has become a new born in Christ. He was arrested in 1995, imprisoned in 1996. Unexpectedly, in October, 1996, he received the gospel and in 1998 believed into Lord Jesus. His life has changed. His life in prison was not the same. He started to study diligently. He took up a Bible correspondence course and in 2010 obtained his graduation certificate (Associate of Bible Studies). Continuously, he studied for the True Vine Christian Bible degree course in New York.
In 2010 brother Ha Kin Kwok was on parole and sent back to China. He was decisive to proclaim the gospel. He said, "I will to depend on the grace of God, to use the remaining of my life with all my heart, all my strength to love God, and love others as myself--leading people to Christ. I ask the Holy Spirit to be present in me to jointly work with me. Amen. (Ha Kin Kwok).
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains in him (John 3:36. NIV)"