The Lord of Bellavista: The Dramatic Story of a Prison Transformed

David Miller chronicles a tide-change in the prisons of Colombia (Columbia, South America). Any reader with a desire to see felons come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ will want to study "The Lord of BellaVista".The BellaVista Jail in Medellin was exploding with violence. In the recent past, as many as 20 inmates and corrections officers died each month in BellaVista. "At times, the monthly bodycount climed as high as 50." BellaVista has been described as the deadliest prison in the deadliest country in the Western world.Focusing on the ministry of former convicts, Miller reveals the possibilities when lives are yielded to Christ. Sicarios ( contract killers, specializing in murder, kidnappings and extotion for the drug cartels ) escape the Colombian Death Culture, while still incarcerated in the BellaVista National Jail, the Buen Pastor Women's Prison, the Picalena Penitentiary or one of several other Colombian prisons. Veteran Colombian missionary for OMS International, Jeannine Brabon, along with transformed criminals, now broadcasts a daily radio program from the BellaVista Jail chapel."The Lord of BellaVista" tells of the profound effect of the love of Jesus Christ. The obvious impact of that love should bring joy to the hearts of jail ministers and criminal justice professionals. The unyielding love of Christ has already brought that joy to many of the Colombian prisoners."The press was coming daily to BellaVista to investigate how many dead and wounded there were. The officers began to say, 'There are none, not even one.' Pretty soon the reporters thought [the officers] were covering up the truth. So, they insisted on entering the cell blocks themselves . . . The reporters were quite impressed because BellaVista had not suffered a single casualty in some time.""When they asked [the prisoners] why [the murders had ended], [the prisoners] said, 'Look, BellaVista has a new cacique, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has taken over this jail. That's what you're seeing here."Having devoted the past thirty years to law enforcement, my view of criminal justice and jail ministies has been forever changed by "The Lord of BellaVista."If you are a criminal justice professional or if you have a friend or family member in prison, I recommend that you read "The Lord of BellaVista," by David Miller. ISBN 0-281-05128-3( Keywords: BellaVista Bible Institute; Biblical Seminary of Colombia (Columbia); Calarca Prison; Central Pan American Church of Medellin; Colombia Justice Ministry; Covenant Evangelical Church; Guillermo Cano Institute on Human Rights; La Ladera Prison; National Director General of (Colombia) Prisons; New Life Post Penal Centre; Penitentiary Pedagogical Programme (P3); Prison Fellowship of Antioquia; Prosecutor General of Colombia; Rehoboth Jireh Centre; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ( FARC ); Villa Hermosa )