Maximum Security, Maximum Love

Sheryl and Mary Grace

by Mary Grace Jumento

Sheryl Gamba Dizon does volunteer work in prison with her inmate husband, Pastor Red Dizon. She tries to know what the inmates in maximum security of The New Bilibid Prison are going through in order to understand their feelings. Despite the danger, and being mocked, she continues to connect and make a difference to inmates in maximum security and their families. The simple things Sheryl does help the inmates find hope in Christ and live a meaningful life.

How did you start doing volunteer work inside the prison? 

It was after I got a job at the Philippine Science and Technology Center (PSTC), a vocational and technical school in Cubao. I was a part time instructor and on the marketing staff. Si Pastor Keno Natividad ang Head Guidance Counselor namin. Lagi niya akong inaaya mag-Bible study sa New Bilibid Prison until one time napilitan akong sumama dahil boss ko siya. He said, “Sumama ka sa akin para ma-experience mo naman ‘yung ibang mundo kahit one time lang.” Sumama ako. Sa simula bisita-bisita lang, kalaunan sumasama na ‘ko as a volunteer sa mga outreach sa mga brigada. Ito ‘yung prison cell with more or less 300 inmates. With other volunteers, we visited the inmates’ family. We went to different places, sometimes we brought letters to them. We would mail their letters at the post office using our own money. They couldn’t mail it on their own because they didn’t have any money.  

Eventually, I married an inmate, Pastor Red Dizon. After a few years, sabi ng asawa ko mas maganda kung mag-full time tayo. I struggled a lot before I gave up my job and worked full-time to help my husband reach-out to the inmates. Siyempre, unang-una na ang financial needs ng family namin. May mga anak kami na lumalaki, paano ang mga basic needs namin? I knew that once I gave up my work, we would live by faith. After months of prayer, I finally decided to fully surrender and trust Him.

What is it really like in the prison? 

From 2000-2005, madalas ang riot doon. There are still gangs inside. Those that have money rule. Those that don’t are obligated to clean the brigada and the bathrooms. They are treated like slaves. If the inmate can pay lots of money to the gang leaders, he can have his own room and have more freedom. He can avoid getting punished for violation of the rules.

On regular days my husband gives lectures about “The New Life in Christ,” a series of correspondence courses provided by the Philippine Source of Life (PHILSOL). In my free time I join him in hospital visitation and counselling. We have Bible study every Saturday night. Doon kami nagme-meet ng mga inmate wives and their children during the visiting hours. 

We always work or stay with a group sa mga gatherings at sa mga prayer meetings. Siyempre delikado sa loob, hindi mo naman lahat mapli-please. Although there are already some inmates who are Christians and pastors,  you can never know what will happen. There are inmates who are drug addicts at may mga nawawala din sa sarili because of depression. 

How do the people in prison respond to you?  

When we started the Bible study, lahat ng walang ginagawa sa isang brigada, tinitipon ng kanilang “Mayor” (ang tawag sa leader ng isang brigada).  Those that didn’t like what we were doing would curse as we pass by. Nagmumura sila pero hindi direkta. They couldn’t hurt or insult the visitors directly. If they did, they would be punished.

Kailangan pagsikapan mo na maintindihan nila ang itinuturo mo sa kanila kasi usually literal ‘yung translation nila kaya kailangan ipaliwanag talaga. Most of them are illiterate. We use the correspondence courses and we teach them one on one hanggang sa mag-open up na sila at ma-build ‘yung relationship, until they start joining the activities more regularly. ‘Yung iba sa kanila masama ang loob nila. They ask, “Bakit ganyan ang Diyos? Wala naman kaming kasalanan.” Sinasabi namin na merong purpose ang Diyos, tapos ipapaliwanag na namin sa kanila isa-isa hanggang sa maintindihan nila. 

What is the hardest thing you have to deal with? 

It’s how to deal with common law wives.  We constantly encourage them to do the right thing but they’ll say “mahal namin ang isa’t isa.” This has become a norm inside prison since the institution allows a CLW to stay if they have written consent from their inmate boyfriends.

Another difficulty we face is the need for financial support, wala naman silang source of income. Some inmates will say, “Pastor, may sakit po ‘yung anak namin.”  Personally, we also don’t have much money to help them. There was a time na gusto ko na ring sumuko but every time we pray, God never fails to provide; it may not be complete but it’s enough.  We hope to start livelihood projects in the future.  

What inspires you to continue helping them? 

‘Yung makakita ka ng mga inmates na masaya sila sa buhay nila, na nakatulong ka na makita mo sila na ngumingiti, ‘yun na. They still experience poverty and problems in their family but they have learned to trust God and say, “Ipag-pray natin.” Before they would get depressed. Isa pa, the riots have also decreased. Meron na kasing intervention sa loob between the gangs. When there is an ugong (term used when there’s a fight between gangs), the RV or religious volunteers will advise them to let the Bureau handle the situation at huwag na gumanti.  

Once you become a part of their life you begin to understand them. ‘Di ‘yun instant. Like them, unti-unti ang naging pagbabago ko. Halimbawa, I would see someone playing cara y cruz or someone smoking and I would ask my husband, “Why don’t you stop them?” He would just say, “Pabayaan mo siya, I’ll talk to him next time.” Tapos, kapag kinausap mo, sa una sumusunod lang sila pero unti-unti mararamdaman nila na maganda ‘yung ginagawa nila. Then they realize may pag-asa pa, that they can still change their life.

Hindi mo naman ‘yan basta mababago. We can’t change people, only God can do that. If you see that they really want to change, huwag mo lang siya tatantanan kasi iba ‘yung karanasan nila. They really need guidance. Huwag mo silang iiwanan sa ere. Halimbawa ngayon maganda na ‘yung buhay nila tapos nagkaroon sila ng struggle, bibigay na naman ‘yan. Kailangan aagapan mo sila. I slowly learned to be more patient as I dealt with them. I realized why they had become what they are, hindi pala pwede na husgahan mo ‘yung mga tao. Bakit sila naging masama, baka dahil sa naging environment nila.  

What is your hope for the inmates?

I hope they will accept Christ in their life and continue to walk in the right path. Pastor Gano was imprisoned for marijuana extortion; he was formerly a BIR employee in Baguio. He was caught and put into prison twice. He used an alias to evade the authorities.  During his second imprisonment, we were doing our regular Bible studies sa mga brigada when we met him. Hanggang sa na-encourage siya, tinututukan siya ni Pastor Red sa pagkuha ng mga lessons at nagtuloy-tuloy siya sa pag-aaral bago siya naging pastor at naka-graduate. Eventually, Pastor Red recommended him to a Korean missionary who wanted to plant a church inside New Bilibid Prison. Now Pastor Gano is pastoring one of the churches inside the maximum security. His life is totally dedicated to ministering to his fellow inmates. The inmates’ biggest problem is when they get out of prison. They’re ashamed to go back to their families or they have no family who will accept them. I advise them kung gusto nilang magbago, huwag na silang babalik kung saan sila nanggaling, kung saan nila nakuha ‘yung hindi magandang impluwensya.  

What do you see in the future?

Ten years from now we hope to establish a foundation that can support former inmates, na meron silang matutuluyan at maging tuloy-tuloy ‘yung pagbabago ng buhay nila. We also hope to open a  school para sa mga anak ng inmates.  

Additional Notes:

Sheryl Gamba Dizon met Red Dizon, an inmate who was a pastor when she volunteered to help her boss in  maximum security in New Bilibid Prison. She couldn’t believe that an inmate could be a pastor and she wasn’t impressed. Red became  born again while serving his sentence and was pastoring the other prisoners there. 

It didn’t take long for Sheryl to realize what the inmates in maximum security were going through and her compassion for them drove her to help and reach out not only to the inmates but to their families as well. 

After some time, Sheryl and Red fell in love and married. They have three small children. Red continues to pastor his fellow inmates with Sheryl’s help. Although their life is hard in many ways, both continue to serve the Lord with joy.

(First published on MOMS Issue 36 "Making A Difference" Make a Difference section)