Bolivian Mission - Prison Ministry

Our prison ministry began in 2002. Dr. Jesus Plata, a gynecologist with a big heart has been going to the jail in Montero for 17 years every Saturday. He went even the week his father died in 2006. That is a sign of the dedication he shows to theses prisoners. The first time I went to the jail, I have to admit that I was frightened as there were way too many people in this jail than should have been there. Every cell was filled with at least 20 people. In retrospect, it was only half as crowded as it is now. Having seen the videos of jails in the US where there are too many inmates and what problems they have here, I think I was right to be concerned. However, after a few minutes, I felt very safe. These people were just like the other Bolivians I had met. They were calm, kind and peaceful. It was amazing! We examined the sick ones in a small multipurpose room. The doctor had to bring the medicines in a box as there was no place to keep medicines at the jail. Joanna and I went out the next week and had a medicine cabinet made to hold the medicines and I donated my glucose meter and stethoscope to the jail, along with a blood pressure gauge. I received these things for free doing one hour teleconferences back home in Highlands. All this equipment is better than any one can purchase in Bolivia and it is all there to this day. Eventually we provided medicine for the whole year for the jail. This costs about $500 a year. We also supply Alcoholics Anonymous books and Bibles to the jail. Many people have been saved in the years since we began this mission. My most memorable event was three years ago. Dr. Plata was treating the most serious cases of scabies, a highly contagious mite that burrows into the skin, every week. I told him that he needed to treat the whole jail population at the same time to eradicate the malady, but he told me it would be too expensive. I asked him how much it would cost to treat the guards and the inmates and he said, “About $25.” I gladly gave him the money. I missed going to the jail for several weeks and when I returned, one of the trustees asked if I had the time to talk to him for a few minutes. I had other plans with the foster home boys and I said I would speak to him the next Saturday. When I tried to leave, one of the guards came and asked me the same question, so I decided to stay. I was in the middle of the courtyard when all the prisoners and guards came out of their cells and surrounded me. Once again I have a twinge of fear, but the guards were there, weren’t they? Suddenly they all, guards and inmates, gave me an ovation. I had cured the whole place of this very irritating infestation. I have never had so much gratification from only $25. In 2007 there was so much rain that the roof of the jail failed. The Catholic Church donated $100 for repairs, but the other churches and the government gave nothing. Our mission donated $1000 to repair the roof and put in ventilation to give the cells some fresh air. The population has doubled to 120 men and women from the 60 that were there in 2002. In the cell they call the Real Bote, the royal room there are no beds or chairs. Half of the prisoners need to stand so the other half can lie down to sleep. One must learn to cooperate with the other inmates in order to survive. Here, only one prisoner would still be alive at the end of the week. All male prisoners spend their first week in this cell.

Hopefully there will be a new jail built in the coming years. In the meantime, we will continue to visit the site and help in whatever way we can. I thank Dr. Plata for his dedication and those who have donated to this amazing mission.