PFM

September 2, 2008

Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings! On behalf of my co-inmates here in San Pablo City District Jail, San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines. I would like to thank those organizations and people who, through the Philippine Frontline Ministries have partnered to provide us with the best gift to our lives; which is the book of salvation, the Holy Bible, and thus enabling us to study the word of God, and to share it and to live with it.

Also, I would like to thank our spiritual leader, Jeff Rice, for his wholehearted vocation to bringing the word of God to this jail. Through his ministry, many of us have come to the light and out of our dark past, and the worship teaches us the real meaning of life, not for this world, but for God our Saviour. We have no freedom yet physically but in Christ we are set free spiritually.

As I remember before in my old life, (my family culture is a Spanish type) I never felt like I had a strong relationship with God. I didn't read the Bible even though I was going to mass daily.

But I am thankful to Him, because even though I did not have a personal relationship with Him, He has blessed me with a good life, a good job, a family of my own, and nice kids. I thought my life was complete. But then I started to spend time with the "wrong" people and soon I have learned to smoke marijuana and use drugs. I thought I could carry it; that I can manage it. But year by year passed and I didn't notice that my life was being ruined by these drugs. Then I started to neglect my responsibilities, my job, important meetings and my family bonding was fatally affected. I was arrested three times but because of corrupt officers of the law, I never had to step foot in jail.

Then, I started to fear myself. I prayed to God to help me, but I was totally enslaved to this addiction. All my investments that I had started to liquidate, friends started to keep their distance from me. The worst thing came when I was apprehended again, because I didn't have enough money to pay-off the apprehending officers, I was brought to the jail. My wife was blaming me for all I had done and she decided not to help me anymore. I begged to her but she refused, she wouldn't even let me see my children.

I wanted to commit suicide, I didn't know what else to do or who I could talk to. My life was full of darkness and I felt hopeless.

Then one night, I slide out of my bed and went out to feel the darkness and silent of the night, to talk to God, to show me the way, to help me. After I prayed, I saw an old bible. Then I began to read it right away. Over the next few days I met Frontline. And I learned a lot about life's values. With the help of the Bible, I grew and my spirit become strong. Now I am never afraid to be alone, I stick to His promise that Christ will never leave or forsake me. I also learned why God allows adversity to come in our lives, not to break us but to better us.

I will end my letter here, and again say thank you for your help to me and the other inmates. More of God's power to you!

Your Brother in Christ,

Daniel Vincent H. Borja

San Pablo City, District Jail

San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines