I wanted to post here an Lisa Miller. She has been in federal prison now awaiting trial, after turning herself in in Nicaragua, for 4 1/2 months. (Wasn't there supposed to be something in the Constitution about speedy justice? Oh, well.) I think perhaps the date of "June 3" on the letter is a misprint or was incorrectly written, since on the blog where it was posted there is a June 7 letter that comes prior to it. But since it was posted on July 1, it can't mean July 3, so perhaps it is June 3 after all and is just posted out of order.
I also wanted to mention that Philip Zodhiates has been released to home confinement as of May.
Her courage in the face of all that she is going through is humbling. I didn't know that she has an autoimmune disorder (she identifies it as Hashimoto's Disease). It doesn't sound like the feds are treating their prisoners very well, not even those still untried and hence presumed innocent. Let us not forget those in prison. Here is her letter.
June 3, 2021
Dear Brethren and Friends,
Greetings in the name of Jesus the One who is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). This verse is a very special truth to me, especially because it is the truth that returned to me in the moment when I realized in 2003 that I was being taken to court. Thankfully, God is the same God now as He was then!!
Can you believe that it has been 4 ½ months since I have been in jail? Primarily, the most difficult part of my experience has been my separation from my daughter. Another difficulty has been the decline of my health. My main health challenge has been in the area of my Hashimoto’s disease. As a result of the jail (including FDC “throwing out” the meds I brought with me) refusing to grant me my usual medication and treatment plan, my overall health has rapidly declined creating other flare-ups and conditions, which were previously under “remission” prior to entering the penal system. As a result, I am extremely fatigued, brain-fogged, and my pain level has risen significantly, which in turn precipitates a need to rest throughout the day and increase my intake of ibuprofen.
In addition to compensate for my brain fog and fatigue, I have switched my quiet time (devotions) from my usual lifelong morning time to night time in hopes to be able to obtain more sleep but more importantly to be able to be more focused on my Q.T. (my pain level is higher in the mornings) for another inmate commented that she has noticed that I am distracted in the mornings and therefore am not doing my devotions as I have previously been doing. =( Since I am living in a dorm my every move can potentially be watched by others, which means I have basically a built-in accountability system! I am grateful though that she felt the need to bring my remissness to my attention! =)
At this time in my life due to both my declining health and increased need to concentrate on my legal case by reading page after page of legal documents, I am unable to respond to each of you personally as I have done before. These last weeks I have been resting/sleeping more and have fallen very behind on my correspondences. Even though I read and cherish each and every one of your letters, even jotting down the verses and chapters (and quotes) you encourage me with for purposes of having a handy list of God’s truths to peruse later, please do not be offended should you not receive a return letter at this time.
Life in jail continues to be a blessing for I am daily reminded of Jesus’ love for me and am daily reminded of my shortcomings so that I may be refined in the fire.
God has been good to me in many ways, including but not limited to:
Permitting me to watch during rec. time a mama robin tend to her two babies from their “infancy” to when they were big enough to sit on the side of their nest to puff up and preen.
Be asked to work in laundry – folding, organizing, preparing linen for linen exchange and performing other various and sundry duties (I work with another lady).
Receiving mail from many brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage me and who offer me a glimpse into their lives (which by the way blesses me beyond words)
Even though I do not feel worthy and at times feel like an utter failure while doing so, speak with others about Christ.
I’ll close by sharing with you a sample of the quotes that I have been gracing my bunk in hopes that you too are encouraged to trust God more and to be spurred on to be “zealous for good works:”
“And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58:11
All I have seen teaches me to trust God for all I have not
Our hope is in His unfailing love. Psalm 147
Be still and know that I AM God. Psalm 46:10
There is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes
Thank you again for your prayers, cards and letters, gifts, and money on my commissary (by the way I have no way of knowing who puts money on so I am putting the “thank you” in here =) ). I appreciate your generosity and am so blessed and encouraged by our unity in Christ.
Serving Him,
Lisa Miller
“…in this place will I give peace saith the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:9
Comments (6)
That's one tough lady. It takes a lot of moral courage to do what she is doing.
Posted by Tony | July 8, 2021 12:50 AM
And no bitterness. I sure would be bitter in her place. And btw, what's all this about federal prisons withholding medication for a known illness??
Posted by Lydia | July 8, 2021 12:05 PM
Something tells me prison guards may actually enjoy making life more difficult for certain classes of prisoners. If the word is that Lisa Miller is "that homophobic chick who kidnapped a kid," then this medication withholding doesn't surprise me.
Of course the surface-level justification will be some kind of red tape problem.
Posted by Cameron | July 8, 2021 4:33 PM
I have no doubt that some sort of guard nonsense like this does occur IN GENERAL, but it strikes me as highly implausible that guards would think like this in her case. Unless the guards are, themselves, lesbians, but...all of them?) The usual guard material is nothing like the attorneys that become prosecutors and the activist judges who sit in family court structuring utterly unreal "families" out of a frankenstien of parts. They may indeed like making life hard on REAL criminals, or even those perceived as real criminals, but surely most of them know at least something of Lisa's situation by now? Surely they understand the difference between prisoners who are being used for political purposes to enhance a prosecutor's or judge's agenda, and people who deserve prison? At least a little? Even a metaphorical "blunt instrument" can know it's being used as a blunt instrument.
Posted by Tony | July 12, 2021 6:18 PM
I am beginning to fear that the job of "prison guard" generally attracts people who are not particularly kind. To put it mildly. For example, in an earlier incident where she was moved from one prison to another, all of her unanswered mail (including her attorney's phone number, wh. fortunately she had memorized) was lost because she was rushed out quickly and not allowed to collect it. At least that's how I understand the story. Callousness. Why should they research or know her story? As far as they can tell she's an international child kidnapper awaiting trial. Many people whom one might think would be more motivated than a federal prison guard have *no idea* of the details of her story.
But there's more than that. Dr. McCoy says, "The bureaucratic mindset is the only constant in the universe." For months she had to beg to be allowed to wear a Mennonite head covering. It wasn't officially approved. I believe she's finally received permission. I don't know that anyone was trying to be cruel. But Mennonite female head coverings weren't on "the list" of allowed clothing, you see...
Posted by Lydia | July 15, 2021 4:55 PM
I have read similar stories of seemingly harsh treatment of prisoners in pretrial confinement from those who were arrested for their activities on 6 January in Washington D. C.
Lisa complained that the Federal Department of Corrections “throwing out” the medications that she brought with her, and refusing to grant her the usual medication and treatments to which she had become accustomed. She complains that her overall health has rapidly declined including flare-ups of her Hashimoto's Disease, which were previously under control/remission prior to entering the penal system.
In defense of the U. S. Dept of Corrections, for security reasons, it is not unusual for correctional institutions to insist that the only medicine their inmates receive is that which comes from their facilities approved pharmacy. I would expect that she would be seen by the facility's consulting Endocrinologist, who would establish and prescribe an appropriate treatment regimine. It sounds like this was not happening in a timely fashion.
Posted by Thomas Yeutter | August 11, 2021 3:57 PM