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I saw my older boys, Jonny and JJ after almost 5 years!!! Praise the LORD!!!

What can I say? Such joy to be with my loved ones and them with me.  I want to thank everyone for the prayers and of course the support.  Those who have been donating to us made this happen.  I thank God for touching your hearts and that you all adhered to the leading of the Holy Spirit and gave to make this happen. I am forever grateful.  My boys, my wife’s and my eyes lit up with joy.  It was an emotional 2 days, but we needed it so very much.

So as I walked through the door I looked around scanning the visitation room, and my mind was looking for 2 young boys. But when my eyes fell upon these 2 young men and my mind recognized them to be my sons.  I quickly went to the CO and gave her my ID card and went to my boys.  And with tears, Jonny and I fell into each others arms.  I kissed and hugged him and then kissed and hugged JJ and then we 3 hugged each other and just stood together for a brief moment as I told them I love them.  Then I kissed and hugged my wife, as we cried releasing some of the pain we all have held onto so long.  This suffering is not over, but what a breather this visitation has been.  

We talked about everything and shared moments in each others lives that we have missed.  Like my journey in prison and what it is like.  Mostly what God is doing and has done through out this mission trip.  Also my boys shared and asked many questions and I answered everything to the best of my knowledge.  I apologized to my boys that I have missed so much of their lives. And they said no dad, we know that you went on serving God and we are proud of you. 

Everyone must understand that when you are punished for doing wrong, it is more likely that you will naturally accept the punishment in a way.  But when you are punished for doing what is right, your mind knows that it isn’t right and you don’t accept it. The only way to accept it, is to surrender to God, knowing that He has allowed it to complete His plan in your life.  

I have struggled these past years very much, one of the hardest things is with anger.  Do you like to see your children cry in pain?  Would you just let someone do them wrong and not do anything about it?  Well, that has been my situation.  I see my children hurt and I cant defend them, just because some evil system decides to do us wrong.  But like I told them in the courts, God will have the vengeance.  He will repay. 

So I must continue to humble myself before my King, the LORD Jesus Christ and trust Him to rectify everything. 

 My boys heard the stories I told them about the Cuban Jonny, who was dying on his bed in FDC Miami and how he was healed and witnessed to all his Cuban buddies, who never went to church.  Hard men in tears as Jonny said “this man Jonathan was sent here by God to help me and I was healed.” He even fed me with a spoon daily until I could eat on my own”.  (There was no MMS for this healing)  And what about Otis?  A stroke victim in a wheel chair where no one talked to him in over 2 years, and God said ” Go talk to him and help him Jonathan”.  I was having a hard time in my own life, but the LORD said” Move son”  Otis couldn’t even go to the toilet alone, so I would carry him to the toilet and help him back to his chair when he was done.  No nurse cared for him, no CO cared for him, No inmate cared for him, not even of his own color, a black man.  But God brought His son, this white multi-cultured man, to prison to help those who people ignore. Because God cares!!!  Then everyone started to help Otis and show him love and he didn’t want to leave there.  He stopped taking his pills and when his mind cleared, we would speak of the wonderful love of God.  Otis was a believer needing love and God sent Jonathan David, which in the Hebrew means: Jehovah-given, loving. So we can basically say my name means “a loving gift of God”.    That love is contagious and because of that great love of God, many more began to help out. One day Otis said, you don’t know the power you, your brothers and dad have, but you will see it in due time.

 I also spoke to my boys about how many people have come to Jesus because He led me to preach to so many people. Many have also returned to Jesus, who knew Him but were living the Prodigal sons life.  I understand and have compassion for them for once this man was a Prodigal son.  But those who have sinned much and have received the mercy of God, will love so much more and give their lives a living sacrifice for others because they are moved because of the Grace of God. 

Also I spoke about how everywhere that God leads me, people come together.  Now all colored men, all different cultures and more, sit together and get along in the unit.  Why is that?  Because when you are led by the Spirit of the living God, nothing can stop that power.  To God be the glory, because if it was by my strength no good would have happened.  My strength ran out years ago, but the Power of God continues on forever.  Praise the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.

There is so much more that I could write about this visit, but at this time it is a blur.  As if I lived in a dream for just a moment in time and time froze.  We took some pics as if to hold onto this memory and never let it go.  Yes, it might have been in prison this reunion with my boys and wife, not exactly what I had planned.  But O how wonderful it was.  We must get to a point where we are grateful to God for what others deem as nothing or just not enough.   He gives and He takes away, praise the name of the LORD. 

My wife also said some very encouraging words and how Jesus has allowed this for me to lead people to Him.  And we must accept that.  Look at the people in Israel and Iran, people are scared and don’t know what will happen in the next moment, but we are safe in the hands of God.  Maybe not together as a family yet, but we have food, a place to live and we are healthy and blessed.  Look at all the people who pray for us and help us financially.  God is so good to us.  I said yes honey, and now you and the boys can see more now that I did this to serve the LORD. But like I said in the past, if I love my family.  The safest place for them is when I, the head of the family, am in the will of God.  And I am.   So I cannot not leave here until the LORD decides it is time.  Not yet… It isn’t my time yet.

Also my counselor met my boys and my wife for the 2nd time. She said to her: “Jonathan is such a blessing here.  He prays for me she said, and she said something like it is good he is here.”  I cant phrase it right, as I wasn’t there.  But my wife said she thought, “but what about us”?  We need him too.  But she told me, that God must be using you here.  I told her, more than you think.  I might be a simple servant of the LORD, but I am also a son of the Almighty God.  And that aint no little thing, as we have the power of His Holy Spirit within us.

If this letter sounds like I am boasting or glorying.  Yes I am, but not in myself,  but in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.  Because why would I want to boast in myself?  Why would I want to boast in myself while being in prison, in suffering, in persecution, in torture, in mistreatment, in the hurts of not being with my family, in seeing the pain in the eyes my children, wife, mother and dad and so many loved ones, and so much more?  So if it does sound like I am boasting and glorying in myself, I would say come and lets trade places. (I speak as a fool for a moment, I dont want anyone going through this) “You do the time and suffering and I will go home to be with my family.”  I think about how the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians was in a way trying to defend who he was in the LORD and trying not to sound boastful.  When a servant of the LORD is going through persecution for the name of Jesus Christ, it is not something anyone would boast or glory in of themselves. That makes no sense. Why glory in pain and suffering, unless it is for the LORD?     But and if we do, we will glory in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, who died, was buried and resurrected to give us eternal life.   God uses the base things of this world and the things that are despised, He hath chosen, so that no flesh should glory in His presence.  So that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  Read 1 Corinthians 1:25-31. 

I like how Paul has put it in Galatians 6:14-“But God forbid that I should glory. Save in the cross of our LORD Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

All that has and is being done in my life for the Kingdom of God is by Him and for Him.  Yes, all the glory to our King, LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

I must thank everyone from the bottom of my heart. Most of all for the prayers over the years that have held me and my family up to the LORD and also I want to thank everyone who has donated to help my family and I in so many ways.  May God bless you and repay you all 10,000x’s over and over again.  As a bread winner of my family when this kidnap happened to me.  Think about how useless I have felt to provide for my family.  Working in prison at one time for $18 USD a month.  If it wasn’t for everyone who has helped pay the rent and bills for my family, where would I be?  You all have helped me in my trial of faith, now that is unity people. That is like the churches in the book of Acts.  Now that is the true church of the LORD, giving freely to help those in need.  I could thank so many people by name, but I believe many people would rather remain as they are; humble servants of the LORD Jesus Christ knowing that God sees their sacrifice. They dont need the glory of man.   But you know who you are and I love you all.  You know what you have and are doing to help my family and I.  May God bless you all forever and ever.  All glory and praise be to the King of Kings and LORD of Lords our Saviour Jesus Christ.  He is coming back soon!!!

Jonathan David

A servant of the LORD

A Pilgrim prisoners journal

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For Truth, Freedom, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ,

The Rivers in a Desert Ministry Team