J.M. (USA)

Dear All:

I am a prisoner in Bangkwang Central Prison, in Bangkok, Thailand.  I am 35 years old. I am four years into a sentence of 27 years, for drug distribution. Being from America, I receive few visitors. Though I accept responsibility for my crime, serving time under these circumstances is, in the best of times, very difficult.

Heather Luna-Rose has made a tremendous difference. In December 2011, I met with Heather for the first time. She was upbeat and personable. Over the next few weeks she explained her philosophy on visiting prisoners. We spoke of many things – among them her love of teaching, of her daughter and her own life challenges. I’ve never felt judged by her, or less than. She doesn’t preach, in fact she takes a decidedly non-religious stance. Over the past several months Ms. Luna-Rose has visited me regularly, along with a full schedule of other foreign inmates. She is a dedicated and tireless hero, as you will see.

For the past seven years, Heather Luna-Rose has been travelling from her home in Western Canada to give support and hope to us prisoners in Thailand. Working odd jobs, she scrapes and saves all she can to make the trip here for some months each year. Visiting prisoners is thankless work. It’s a slow process, with lots of waiting, no air-conditioning (it’s very hot here) and … did I mention waiting? I’m amazed when one person makes the trip to visit a prisoner ONCE, whereas Heather’s daily visits over several months are nothing short of unbelievable.

Why does she do it? Ms. Luna-Rose is an empathetic soul who understands the importance of even a prisoner needing to feel valued, worthy of attention. She is an able conversationalist, unjudgmental and a great listener. Her visits have brought me much joy. In turn, the smiles I carry back to my building have a discernable positive effect on one dark corner in Thailand.

What she does in coming to Thailand each year is a huge sacrifice. Much of her expenses come out of her own pocket. She’s a hero to me, and many others with small faith behind a big wall.

Like it or not, most of the people behind bars will rejoin the society we all live in. Repairing the damage done benefits our society, and therefore you and I.

Please support Luna-Rose Prisoner Support with a contribution to show you care.

Sincerely, J.M. (USA — Bangkwang Central Prison – 2012)

Felix (Ukraine/Russia)

Hello:

I write to share what Heather Luna-Rose’s visits mean to me and how they are important. It’s not easy to explain, and to really understand what a visit means,  you have to be a prisoner at least for a moment. The feelings that I get during a visit are difficult to describe, I have never had similar feelings in my previous life.

Can you imagine a ghost city, only dark or grey colour? Everything is grey: wall, buildings, plants, sky, etc. Everybody looks the same, everyone busy on his daily routine to survive. This is where I am. Day by day of grey, gloomy “life.” Some people spend 25 years and more here, some ‘lucky’ foreigners can only do this heavy road about 10 years. Day by day of this existence, with conversation between each other about nothing.

So, all this murky ‘life’ continued for years until one day for a reason the office called my name for a ‘visit.’ That moment, my life changed.

Now I have a chance to go from the cage. I go to talk with the “Outside World,” I go to talk with a real person, not just the other ghosts. This visitor, with no knowledge of it, brings inside the prison a part of freedom. The colour, sound, emotion, and dynamic of true life, all what I lost in one day long ago for one mistake in my life.

A visit from Heather wakes up my mind, emotions, feelings, pushes up my hope, love, strength, belief and power to continue to create. Simply to say: her visits help me to survive. It’s like a window to outside and pills which let me know I am still a human.

All my achievements, my drawings, mental and physical condition are only thanks to Heather’s visits. That’s how I feel about her visits.

Thanks for your support!

FELIX. (Ukraine/Russia – Bangkwang Central Prison – 2012)

Danny (Canada)

To Heather,

I believe this to be my last year in prison here in Thailand. I’m due for a treaty transfer and have this big feeling of relief swarming through me, knowing that the finish line is right around the corner. The one thing I wanted to say to you before I embark on the next part of my journey is thank you so much! You were a big contributor to my mental well-being during the hellish times over the past 5 years. You allowed me to see things about myself that I may not have seen on my own. Maybe it was due to ignoring my own feeling and shutting out the world. Living in one’s own mind can be a dangerous place to be. And your arrival allowed me to escape that dark place. Engaging with others was not such a bad idea and I believe I’ve grown to be a better person thanks to you. If everyone thought like you, the world would be a better place. Big hugs and love. Peace.

Yours truly,

Danny (CANADA – Klong Prem Central Prison – 2018)

Tang (China), John (Nigeria), Adrian (Canada).

Dear Heather: I am so happy when I receive your Peace Card and you bless me with a visitor. I want to pray for you and wish you peacefulness and peacefulness and more peacefulness. You are a kindly Angel and so very caring… Thank you very much for considering my situation.

God Bless You!

Yours Faithfully, T.W. S. (China – Klong Prem Prison – 2013)

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Dear Heather;

I am writing to thank you for your awesome help in getting me a pen-pal. I am so grateful for you giving me such a privilege. [Another inmate] told me of your loving and caring and now I am a witness to it.

Thank you so much,   John. (Nigeria – Klong Prem Prison – 2013)

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Hi Heather:

Wow, what a wonderful surprise to get the parcel you sent for me and the others. We are all in a state of euphoria. You can’t imagine our gratitude. It can be very cold and lonely here and it’s heartwarming to know that there are still people that care about us.

Love, Adrian. (Canada – Bangkwang Central Prison – 2007)

Matthew (Canada)

Dear Heather,

I am writing this letter to express my extreme gratitude to you for everything you have done for me while I have been here in prison in Thailand. First of all, I could never repay you for all the hard work you do back in Canada, just to afford to come here to visit people like me. Secondly, while you are here, all the time you take to visit as many foreigners as possible to remind them they are not forgotten. Since our first visit, my time has been easier, your visits, your words of encouragement, and your upbeat attitude has helped me get through the monotonous day to day life here. Also the other things like world news, talking to my Embassy, and messaging my family may seem like small things to do for some people but mean the world to me. For this and much moreI am writing to tell you how much I appreciate you. Thank you for everything,

Sincerely, Matthew – (CANADA – Klong Prem Central Prison – 2018)