Last week (November 7-11, 2016) 5,000 copies of the UK Edition of our prison devotional were being distributed into every one of the 126 prisons in England and Wales!
How the Holy Spirit made this happen is exciting. I was having lunch in the Virgin Atlantic Airline Lounge at London’s Heathrow airport in early December 2015. While there, an article in The Daily Mail newspaper mentioned Justice Minister, Andres Selous, MP. I knew when I read his name that something was brewing. It was as if the Holy Spirit shoved me to get my attention that this man would be the person to contact about getting the prison devotional printed and distributed into the prisons of the US.
So I dropped everything and went online and found his phone number in Parliament. After speaking with his personal assistant, an email was sent to Mr. Selous, outlining our proposal for placing 5,000 copies, at DHT expense, into the prisons of the UK. More research encouraged me when I found out that Justice Minister Selous led the Bible study for MP’s in Parliament.
A few days later a reply waited for me that indicated his interest. Five copies were sent to him with an understanding that we would speak again in eight weeks after he and others digested the devotional. After eight weeks we spoke and the devotional was enthusiastically endorsed.
We then set out to edit the book into a UK Editions with British slang and references to UK prisons. In October 2016 the final, UK Edition was ready for print. Today, it is ready, printed, and being distributed to the 126 male and female facilities around England.
This might sound routine, but it is not! During the past 6 years we have tried repeatedly to interest the Justice Ministry in the UK in this devotional, without success. So we have been praying for an inroad, and God provided. Interestingly enough, Justice Minister Selous was replaced in his post in July after the new Prime Minister took over. We can only praise God for His timing and for our Holy Spirit led obedience that allowed the devotional to slip through this window of opportunity.
No we await to learn how the Word of God, as presented in this devotional will change the hearts and minds of prisoners and their families in England.