BEACON STORY
IN PRISON BUT PRISON IS NOT IN ME
BY C. B. GOH AS TOLD BY PRASAD
"
Cornelius
, I need to tell you the truth.”
“ What is it, Prasad?”“ I truly sorry, hiding this thing from you guys.”
Prasad had been going through a rehabilitation programme under the watchful supervision of Cornelius for the past months. Since staying at the rehabilitation centre, Prasad had experienced a transformation in his life. However, he had a secret unknown to his fellow inmates. He thought he could keep it hidden forever. One day, he was asked to renew his driving licence. He knew doing so would bring trouble to him. He was worried and hesitated for the next three days if he should tell the truth about himself.
“ Brother Corn,” Prasad finally said,“ I’ m on the police wanted list.”
Stunned, Cornelius asked,“ What case is this?
“ I ran away from Pusat Serenti,” Prasad answered calmly, not sure where this conversation would lead him to.
Prasad was caught by drug enforcement officers for taking drugs and placed at Pusat Serenti Gambang in 2009. A few months later, he escaped and was put on the police wanted list.
“ Why you didn’ t tell?” asked Cornelius as he probed further.
“ Sorry, I still have my old nature,” answered Prasad softly,“ I needed help but also in hiding.”
Prasad did not pack his bag and leave the centre even though he had thought of it! He had struggled to tell the truth. He had encountered God and finally found peace at this rehab centre. And he did not want to lose it.
He prayed,“ God, I want to be set free from all bondages, to be free again. I have peace here in this place.” Prasad sensed God’ s Word speaking to him,“ Be still, Prasad, and know that I am God..” He responded,“ Yes, God, I want to be still. I can’ t go anywhere and not safe. If I don’ t surrender, I won’ t be able to have peace and joy.” Prasad heard from God,“ Go and get it done. I will be with you all the way..”
Cornelius managed to get further details on how to manage Prasad’ s case. He contacted the Agensi Dadah Kebangsaan( ADK) and was advised by an ADK officer to surrender to the nearest police station since it was a police wanted case.
“ Prasad, I am giving you a day off, and when you are ready to surrender, let me know,” said Cornelius.“ Ok I will let you know,” replied Prasad. It was not a rest day for him as Prasad’ s mind was governed by indecisiveness again. Surrender or not to surrender? God’ s assurance echoed through him again and he experienced the touch of God. The next day arrived.“ Are you ready?” asked Cornelius.“ Yes, I am ready to go,” replied Prasad confidently.
At a nearby police station, they met a police sergeant and related Prasad’ s incident to him.
“ I think I can’ t really help you,” said the sergeant,“ you punya kes sudah lama, kalau tolong periksa, banyak kena buat. Sekarang saya tak dapat tolong awak.( Yours is an old case. If I investigate, there’ s much to do. I can’ t help you now.)”
“ Wah, this police also don’ t want to take your case,” Cornelius jested.“ Ok, we go back and discuss.”
Sensing that God wanted him to do the right thing, Prasad said,“ Bro. Corn, God is telling me to surrender today no matter what. Why don’ t we go to the Sentul police station?”
Cornelius did not expect such a reply, and said,“ You really are bold. Very good, this is the way it should be ….”
At the Sentul police station, Prasad again related his situation to the police and said he wanted to surrender.
“ So, you gentleman, mari surrender?” the police officer said in amazement.
“ Sir, I went to rehab centre to change my life,” Prasad explained,“ now that I am a Christian, God is helping me.”
The police officer pondered for awhile, glanced at Prasad and said,“ Very good, I will help you!”
Prasad was immediately taken into custody at the police station. Several days later, he was transferred to Kuantan and detained further to await his court hearing.
In the court, the judge asked Prasad,“ What took you so long to surrender? Before this, you didn’ t want to surrender?”
“ I needed help and did not know where to go. So I went to this Christian rehab centre. It was different,” replied Prasad. The judge listened while jotting down some notes.“ At the rehab, I learn to seek God and I feel this is the right time to surrender,” Prasad added.
The prosecutor was adamant in pressing for the maximum sentence of two years imprisonment and two strokes of caning. The court was told of Prasad’ s past offences and imprisonments. He had been imprisoned three times in drug-and-gangster related offences. The judge nodded and acknowledged the prosecutor’ s presentation on Prasad’ s background, looked at her notes and glanced at Prasad.
“ Six months in prison, NO caning,” the judge read out the sentence. The judge asked,“ Is it okay?”“ I am very thankful for the reduced sentence, thank you very much,” Prasad replied in gratitude.
While in prison, Prasad penned down his thoughts on a little piece of paper:‘ You can’ t control what happen to you, but with God’ s help, you can control what happen to you. I am in prison, but prison is not in me.'
Prasad has finally experienced peace in his life. Do you want the peace that only God can give? Pray like this:“ God, I want to have peace in my life. I believe Jesus died for my sin and rose from the grave. I want to turn from my sin and follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen”
C. B. Goh lives in the Klang Valley, is married and a father to four growing children.
ASIAN BEACON 48 # 1 December 2016- January 2017 13