We Visited Heaven

As I dictate this voicemail, I am overcome with emotion.

I had the privilege of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the inmates of the Pretoria Central Prison. There was a multitude of them there and the singing of the men’s choir, I think I will take to Heaven with me.

Amongst all the sadness and the orange overalls, the brokenness and the fear, The Holy Spirit visited us like I have not experienced before. I experienced love that I cannot explain. The Lord Jesus Christ was in that service, in that prison.

When I made the altar call, the men came forward to a man, many weeping, many broken, many with joy and love in their hearts. I don’t know why they are there, I don’t know what crime they committed but I know one thing - these men are sincere for Christ. I told them that the only difference between them and me was that they got caught and I hadn’t. I reminded them of what Jesus said:

If you harbour unforgiveness or hatred in your heart, you are a murderer. If you look at a woman with lust in your heart,  you are an adulterer. If you covet somebody’s possessions, you are a thief. And I saw them start to lighten up and their faces starting to be filled with hope.

Thank you so much for your prayers and your support. Truly this service, which lasted possibly two hours, was one of the highlights of my life. The prison staff gave us complete freedom in that massive hall where the prisoners congregated. They then got up and they started to sing and they sang like I have never heard men sing before, with such love, passion and desire to see Jesus again.

Today God showed me something, through all the pain, suffering and the fear, that He transcends all barriers, whatever they might be. We were together with white, black and coloured men. Old men and young men but men who stood together, held hands together and prayed the sinner’s prayer together.

I am so encouraged in my inner man after this service as I stand at the airport, waiting to catch my plane to go back home. It is like I have been to Heaven itself and indeed I believe today I visited Heaven with our team,

George Carpenter, my producer and Tommy Voget, my assistant and I have no words to describe exactly what took place but only to say that God is on the throne and wherever we go - He is there as His Word implies. 

God bless you,
Angus & Jill Buchan.

Angus Buchan