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A friend of mine was asked to do a school paper on "interesting people" for the University in her English class. She wrote on my work with www.PrisonMinistries.net and specifically CongoPrisonMinistries. Click here for French version (Traduction française) of Quelque part, en République démocratique du Congo) “Somewhere in the Democratic Republic of Congo…”Somewhere in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a man is spreading the word of God to the inmates in a crowded prison. It is hot and muggy. The inmates are attentive to Word of God. They are listening to the man who is ministering to them. The man is Richard Katumbe, he too, was once imprisoned. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Luke 4:18 I met Ron Harr in 2001 when I was hired in at ArvinMeritor. I didn't get the chance to really get to know him until I had the opportunity to go to first shift a year ago. Ron has an easy-going disposition and a quick smile. He loves a good laugh, but he is there when someone needs an ear to listen to them. I would know, because he helped me through some sticky situations at work. I always knew Ron was a Christian. I have often asked him questions about God and the Bible. The other day I told him I never understood fully about The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. Are they the one and the same? Or are they three different entities ? After asking him, he explained and I understood. The other day, I asked him what made him become a Christian . He said he was tired of the lifestyle he was living and realized things needed to change. So, in 1989, he was saved and attended the Nazarene Church in Falmouth, Kentucky. As a new Christian, Ron felt that the Lord wanted him to work in the prisons. On one Sunday, he felt the urge to begin his work. So, after church services, he walked out and across the street to the jail. He went in and asked if he could start ministering to the inmates. They asked him when did he want to start and he told them right now. That Sunday they had services in the Pendleton County Jail. That was just the beginning for Ron. Fourteen years and a hundred and four countries later he is still working with Prison Ministries. Someone told Ron when he was a new Christian that he would " minister to multitudes". Ron told me that the main goal for Prison Ministries is to help men find their identity with God. Their purpose is not to make new church members from inmates, but to bring them a personnel relationship with God. Ron is a member of Grace Fellowship Tabernacle in Highland Heights, Kentucky. . In August 2001, Billy Diabasenga found Ron’s web-site, www.PrisonMinistries.net. He started translating it into French for his church and by February 2002 he was done. Billy also started corresponding with Ron and now Billy is over here and is working with Grace Fellowship Tabernacle as an intern missionary. Ron, also keeps in touch with Richard Katumbe. Brother Katumbe is a deacon at his church in the Congo. He was inspired and decided to start Prison Ministry in the Congo. Here is part of a letter to Ron from Richard. "I have done my first step in Prison Ministry by following your footprint. After looking at your web-site (three years ago) on the chance, I get and fortify inspiration. Today we have many brethren who are helping me in Prison Ministries. Now the Prison Ministry is a reality." Today, Richard Katumbe is now heading Congo Prison Ministries which is going into three different prisons in the Congo. The three main prisons are Kipushi, Lubumbashi, and Likashi. I asked Ron where he would like Prison Ministries to go in the future and he said he would like it to go to South America next. Ron has received many invitations from Churches and missionaries in South America. When the time is right he will go. I can tell Ron loves what he does. This is a labor of love and it has brought him in contact with many different people from all walks of life and nationalities. I believe Ron had touched many lives and has made a difference to someone who was at such a low point in their life. The rest of Ron Harr’s story is yet to be told.
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