Christ’s Witness to the Ends of the Jail Cell

GFA Radio lettersAs Lakshin spoke, his ragged audience hung on each word, and they felt the Lord speaking to their hearts. This was why they kept coming back for his messages. They weren’t a pious crowd—everyone had a criminal record—but the speaker said God would forgive their sins. And, after all, it had to be true; their crimes had landed them in jail, but then, so had Lakshin’s.

Lakshin had arrived in jail with a two-year sentence and the guilt of a crime he still doesn’t talk about. His family and friends wanted nothing to do with him. Frustrated and miserable, he found solace through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) Radio program.

In the midst of the inmate’s despair, the radio speaker gave messages of hope, and Lakshin began to change as he listened. One day, the speaker shared Psalm 27:10, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me.” Hearing these words, Lakshin asked God to make the verse a reality.

A Labor Not in Vain

An address was played at the end of the program, so Lakshin started writing letters to the radio station. In return, the radio correspondents sent him letters of encouragement, booklets, magazines and CDs about the Bible.

“[It] became my daily spiritual food,” Lakshin said. “I also shared with my other jailbird friends. Their thirst was quenched like mine.”

In his letters, Lakshin shared how he had spoken with other inmates one on one, sharing the love of Jesus with them and giving them literature from Gospel for Asia (GFA) Radio. Gradually, the inmates started gathering in groups to hear him speak God’s Word, and a small fellowship began to grow.

“Your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58), the radio workers told Lakshin when they read about his ministry.

Set Free to Work for Christ

After two years, Lakshin was released from jail as a brand-new man.

“By the grace of the Lord Almighty and GFA Radio family’s regular prayer, my life [in jail] . . . really remained blissful. …,” he said. “Now, I am enjoying freedom.”

However, Lakshin isn’t enjoying freedom by returning to his former life.

“Since the month of March 2009, I have been serving the Lord Jesus Christ through a local church as a full-time missionary,” Lakshin said.

Even though his ministry keeps him busy, he still stops by the GFA Radio office from time to time, updating the workers on his life and thanking them for leading him to God.

Learn more about how GFA Radio reaches thousands in hard-to-reach parts of Asia, from jails to mountain villages.

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