Our friends, the prisoners of Kalungu

Mary Kajubi rscj (second from left, second row) and rscj from the Kalungu community, with the prisoners who performed the play “The birth of Jesus”

How did our friendship begin?  It is very interesting.  My first contact was through the prison warden.  I went to ask her if the prisoners could come toassist us in the school garden, because I wanted to plant some sweet potatoes.  It was still raining in September and I wanted to plant beforethe rains ended.  There were 25 who came.  They really dug well and did the planting.  One of them said, 'When we come to work for you we are notabused.  We are not called thieves or murderers.  Often people run away as we pass by.  They don't want to associate with us.  But you are different.You seem to love us.'

The first time I met them I was shocked by their appearance - tattered clothes, dirty bodies.  One could tell they had spent days without washingthemselves or their clothing.  Afterwards I learned that when a person is arrested he comes as he is - no going back or getting something from home tochange into.  As they go through their severe punishment their clothing turns to rags.The worst thing is the way they are treated.  If anyone is slow and can't work as the others do, that person is beaten very hard.  I watched one thinman who really looked sick and weak.  He could not work hard and was even vomiting, but all the same he was not spared the stick.  That beating went to my heart and I remembered Psalm 118 where it says 'Their attacks were so fierce that I nearly fell, but the Lord helped me' (v 13).  I became very emotional.  I prayed to find the best way to intervene without losing my temper, to find a way to help the situation.  From that time I tried to see if I could go and pray with them.  I asked if on Sunday I might be allowed to come at a time when they would be free.  I learned that on Sunday morning they do their personal cleaning - cut their nails and hair and do their washing.  Then they are free from 2 p.m. until 5.

The next Sunday I went to pray with them.  I had asked the Holy Spirit to give me the right word to speak to them.  I did not know where to begin but when I opened my mouth whatever I said touched them.  It was the first week of Advent and the Muslims had just finished their month of fasting.  I saidit was time for us Christians to prepare the way of the Lord, using Isaiah "Make straight in the wasteland a highway for the Lord'.  I added that theMuslims had just finished fasting for their sins and we Christians in Advent have to prepare our souls to welcome Jesus without sin.  We Catholics go toconfession to the priest and other religions do it in their own way.  I asked them if they would like a priest to come.  If you could have seen thejoy!  I emphasized that they are here in prison because they were caught, but most of us who have done worse sins are not here because we were notfound out.  I used the Luganda proverb that says, 'If you are not caught in the act you are not considered a thief, but the one caught in the act is thethief.'  You should have seen their eyes light up! They were very happy. They felt accepted and loved by God and also felt they were normal people.

The prison staff  have really appreciated the changes which have takenplace.  They say that now the prisoners are no longer wanting to escape andthe aggression among them has stopped.  They are no longer attacking each other but have become more friendly, peaceful and cooperative.  The prison wardens are also more relaxed and happy.  They want us to continue because they say our prisoners will go back changed people and will be able tosettle back well.

The following Sunday I went at around 2 p.m.  That day it had rained andtheir clothes were not dry yet.  Do you know that they had to go back to thecell because they had no other clothing to change into.  They were naked.  I had to go home and come back at 5.00 p.m. when they were very happy to seeme, though even then they were only in their pants.  I really felt pity for them and when I went back to the community I told my sisters what I hadseen.  We decided to do something.  I suggested that anyone who had a Tshirt should give it to me so that these people would have something tochange into when they do their washing.  Noellina also told the students about the situation and they were very touched.  Since the prisoners wereall men the best we could offer would be T shirts.  This was done during school Mass as offering their gift to Jesus.  The staff members alsocontributed generously.  When I counted the T shirts there were still not enough, so as a community we looked at our budget for charity and I went to make up the number needed.

The next Sunday I asked Fr.Martin, the school chaplain, to hear theirconfessions. Two  rscj from the community joined me to help teach themthe prayers for the next Sunday Mass.  Resty and Nakato taught them the songs.  During confessions the non-Catholics also went to get a blessing from the priest.

The following Sunday the Mass at the prison was wonderful.  One of the prisoners did the conducting and all participated very well.  They prayed for achange of heart for themselves.Here in the parish our priest announced that the prisoners would be singing the second Mass on Christmas Day!  The parishioners could not believe that they would be allowed to come out and mingle with other people.  It would enable them to escape.  They were very skeptical!

The 4th Sunday of Advent came and that week the Prison Warden gave us two days to  practice the songs and the Christmas play.  In the evening the parish offerings for their Christmas meal were brought to our house - matookebananas, sweet potatoes, beans, sugar cane, sweet bananas.

On Christmas Day, for the Offertory procession these men danced, and peoplecould not believe what they were seeing!  After Communion the play began, miming the Birth of Jesus.  The best players were those who were Joseph, Mary, King Herod and the three Kings.  People were fascinated and excited and the prisoners were delighted with themselves

The day ended well for everyone.  Somebody offered them sodas and that daythey ate rice and meat.  Not one tried to run away!

We have been trying to live education that transforms.  I have seen it, experienced it in the community of the prisoners and their prison staff.When we took the clothes to the prison and asked if they could be used on Sundays, that very week the prison warden went and got them uniforms!  So now they no longer wear rags and they are no longer beaten.  The transformation is noticed by everybody!

Mary Kajubi rscj
Province of Uganda – Kenya