Bringing Uganda to Angola

As discussed in the prior post about how a delegation of Ugandans ended up coming to Louisiana to visit what used to be America’s bloodiest prison, the idea for this prison visit was inspired by Bob Goff’s book, but the plan was executed by Judge Bob Downing.  The original plan was to bring five prison officials to Angola State Penitentiary for two days to study how it went from so bad to so good.

But as the project took shape, the list of Ugandan participants expanded.  The original group consisted of one prison commissioner and four prison wardens, including Wilson, the warden of Uganda’s maximum security prison called Luzira, who also features prominently in the documentary film we are in the process of making right now.  The group subsequently swelled to include the Solicitor General of Uganda, a senior advisor in the Ministry of Justice, the lead legislation drafter for the country, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution (#2 in command at the prosecution authority), and the lead mover and shaker on the Plea Bargaining Task Force.

At some point, I realized the group was too large for me to handle in one 12-passenger van, so I conscripted my research assistant, Luke Landers, to come with me to drive a second car and help with logistics.  He has been fabulous.

All were set to arrive on Sunday on two flights, thirty minutes apart.  And then they weren’t.  Due to some bureaucratic snafu, the US Embassy failed to issue visas for three of them on Friday, so they couldn’t leave the country on Saturday.  Fortunately, none of those left behind were prison officials.  And then there were seven.

And then one flight was delayed, so they landed at the same time.  In different terminals.  Fortunately, Luke was with me, so he greeted one set, and I greeted the other.  They were tired, but excited to be in the US.  For the prison officials, this was their first visit.

On Monday, we saw the “sights” of New Orleans – Mississippi River was hit; the French Quarter a bit less so, though we did enjoy some beignets.

At the Might Mississippi

From New Orleans, we drove north through Baton Rouge up to Angola (almost three hours away), where the five prison officials are staying in the guest quarters.  We hit Chick-Fil-A, McDonalds, and Best Buy on the way.  All went over well.

Luke with the Ugandans for their first Chick-Fil-A Experience

We were welcomed warmly on Monday evening at Angola and got everyone situated.  The others of us are staying at bed and breakfast about 45 minutes away.

Tuesday was quite eye-opening.  The prison complex itself is the size of Manhattan.  Literally – same number of square miles.  It is surrounded on three sides by the mighty Mississippi and the virtually impenetrable Tunica Hills on the fourth side.  And there is lots of razor wire.  Lots.

Warden Burl Cain does things the right way – he set us up with some great and knowledgeable hosts who gave us tours of death row (sobering), the current and former executions (a bit spooky), and virtually the entire complex.  We met dozens of prisoners who had earned the right through good behavior to interact with visitors.  The highlight of the tour was a visit to two churches, which had been built by prisoners, for prisoners.  One was built in the shape of the Alamo.  But the highlight of the day was a two-hour conversation with about eight lifers.  Each of them had completed a four-year seminary program through the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and each of them led an inmate church or program.

Most had been in for more than 20 years, and all of them seemed completely normal – like someone I would expect to encounter in daily life on the outside.

Their stories of transformation and acceptance of both God’s love and their own circumstances shredded me.  At the end, I asked one of them aptly named Paul to pray for our group.  Tears streamed down my face as he blessed and encouraged our Ugandan friends with his whole heart.  Our hope is to replicate in Uganda to some degree the theological training happening at Angola.  Warden Cain (and others) attribute the huge turnaround at Angola to the fact that the dozens and dozens of lifers who are theological trained and equipped become the leaders and mentors of the other prisoners.  There is nothing more effective than prisoners leading other prisoners toward a better life of better choices and spiritual wholeness.  They live in and among the other prisoners, and the results are staggering.

I left today with a better understanding of just how much of my faith and security I take for granted.  The Ugandans left today with firm resolve to set up a similar program at the maximum security prison in Uganda.  Please pray for their success.

We will spend Wednesday back at Angola delving deeper into the re-entry programs that have been so successful, which are primarily led by the lifers-turned-pastors.