Editor’s Note: Jed Pilapil-Sy is a Church member and wife of non-member husband Allan Sy who is accused of operating an illegal drugs lab. She obviously tested negative for drug use and no illegal drugs were found in her possession. However, Jed—being the wife—was implicated, along with her younger brother Jessie Jones. They were denied bail and have thus remained in prison since January 2005 pending final resolution of the case. Jed is also a mother to a five-year old daughter.

Greetings to all my fellow brethren!

First of all, I would like to express my profound gratitude to all of you who never cease praying for me and my brother for deliverance after being in jail for more than two years now.

I may not be able to mention all your names, especially those who personally came to visit us in jail. To all of you who sent regards for us, you’ve certainly made a difference in our lives and I am very much thankful to God because He is the Ultimate Being who gave us the strength to move on by His grace and mercy.

My brother and I were privileged to be visited by Mr. David Baker together with our church minister Mr. Edmond Macaraeg and his son Daniel. It was such a wonderful moment to be able to share with them my experiences in jail and for them to get to know our present situation. For a long time now, I had been planning to write an update about us knowing that many of you are bewildered why we are in jail. To mention the whole story will surely take more pages of my article. There is only one big reason why we are here in jail, it is God’s will and I am greatly blessed to be able to accept the reality that my situation has led me to be able to share God’s Word with other people and set the right example for them.

Presently, my younger brother and I are still detained in jail but earnestly praying for justice to prevail not only for us but also for our fellow inmates. I am glad that God has given me the ability to handle responsibilities as one of the jail aide trustees. This has paved the way for me to understand the purpose why God placed me in jail. It has also given me the chance to get acquainted with the lives of my fellow inmates and to build relationships with them and even with our jail officers.

Life was never easy being in jail considering that the people we are with 24 hours a day 7 days a week are totally strangers, which sometimes burns my temper. But with God’s grace, I just take it as a challenge rather than a stumbling block to my spiritual growth, remembering God’s word in I Peter 4:12-13: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

When this happened to us, I thought our lives were totally devastated, with no hope to live peacefully. Our dreams were shattered, especially my younger brother who just graduated from an engineering course. He could hardly accept this fate because he was never into vices or barkadas [hanging out in a group of one’s peers, especially of the wrong kind] all his life. And in only a split second, his hardships turned into terrifying accusations of which he and myself were never a part of.

I wept bitterly because justice was not fair. It was so hard for me to understand the truth behind our case, which sometimes feels like there was no hope. Even our legal counsels defending our rights cannot give us the assurance for justice because our case became sensationalized by television news and newspapers which has been monitored by the people, not only in Davao but in other places as well, even abroad. It is really frustrating to see the kind of justice we have in this world but God said in John 18:36: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” This is really a very inspiring verse for me as it reminds me not to lose hope but rather put all my trust in the Lord, believing that He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:3-5: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.”
Being one of the trustees in jail, I discovered that I can best serve God, not only by helping in office work, being in-charge of the accounting of our small cooperative inside the jail, but most of all by being God’s steward in helping my fellow inmates repent and be transformed so that when they get out of jail they will somehow remember how God works in their lives and will no longer be in the bondage to sin but doing the perfect will of God. Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

I am glad and very much thankful to God because our jail officers especially the wardens are very supportive in my endeavor to share the word of God through regular Bible study and counseling my fellow inmates. In this way, my learning is increased, and not only me but also my fellow inmates and all the people we encounter everyday. We try to strengthen each other. Through our works our faith is made perfect. That is why I can boldly say, there is JOY BEHIND BARS—rather than consider it as suffering because it is here in jail that I found the true way of living the godly life with peace of mind and hope for salvation, enduring the persecutions and tribulations every day. I know this is the only way to be saved. As God said in Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

When I was first locked up in jail, one police officer gave me this verse that I never thought can really happen to me. This person told me that there is only one way to stop me from crying all day and night: CALL GOD. In Jeremiah 33:3: “Call unto Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” Yes, it really works that every time I called upon God for help, I am relieved of pains and sorrows. I also came to realize that it did not end there, but He showed me the GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS I DO NOT KNOW and I believe this is really something I must treasure in my life, being able to do my ministry in jail.

After more than two years of struggle, God has been mysteriously working in my life that I cannot even feel the pain I went through but only His overflowing blessings that He has continually poured out on me, my family, friends, fellow inmates, jail officers and even strangers. My life is dedicated to please God and I have completely submitted our case to His will and put my TRUST in Him believing in His word in I Peter 3:15-19: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who ask of you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, for Christ also suffered once for our sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God...”

I am deeply blessed to be able to overcome the hardest times in my life and be able to understand the purpose of God to put my brother and me in jail. My life in jail has become more meaningful because of the precious learning that I gained which is the very reason why I count it as JOY BEHIND BARS.

Right now, our case is still on due process and with patience we just wait for the ultimate judgment from God, believing in James 5:8-11 “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure.”

© 2007 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas