Cleo the Miracle Kitten of Bangkok Jail

Colin Melbourne

© 98-08 Born-Again-Christian.Info

Jesus Works a Miracle to Reach a Hard-Hearted Drug-Smuggler, Sandra Gregory, Serving 25 years in the 'Bangkok Hilton'.

Jesus said, I was in prison, and you came to visit me. Holy Bible Mtt. 25:36 NIV

Of all the places to be born, Lard Yao Prison must be one of the worst. But God had a plan and purpose for tiny "Cleo" that involved; a convicted drug-smuggler, an English veterinarian, a wonderful miracle. And now you.

I WANT MY MUMMY!

A woman's tortured voice rang out from the radio during our evening meal. The BBC World Service reported a 25 year jail sentence given to Sandra Gregory, caught smuggling 89 grams of heroin through Bangkok Airport.

The world condemns sinners, and locks them up. But Jesus yearns to acquit them, give them new life, and set them free.

I'd never heard of her before, but Sandra's tearful plea aroused compassion in my heart. I began to weep, and pray for her. If you are Born Again, you will know that God leads His children by the Holy Spirit in their hearts (See Ro. 8:14).

When you sense the compassionate love of God leading you, that is the Holy Spirit, Christ in you, follow Him, and God will work wonders... as we were soon to discover.

"We've got to go and see her Luv." I said to my fiancée, Ruth. We were busy translating and distributing Gospel tracts, but decided to visit the prison the next day.

"You go, and tell her about Jesus Luv, it'll be better woman to woman. I'll come and support you."

Ruth agreed, and we set off for the train in pitch-darkness at 4 am.

Bangkok Women's Prison is notorious, it makes the men's jail seem like a holiday camp.

(If I tell you what it is like, I'll not be allowed back there, but you can read about it in Rita Nightingale's book, "Free")

Sandra had already spent several years in jail awaiting sentencing. She freely admitted her guilt, and so was spared the death penalty. She got 25 years instead.

Sandra said the man who gave her the drugs, paid her, and accompanied her, lied in court. (And I believe her). He got off scott-free.

She's an elegant, pretty, 30ish English teacher, who was very bitter and very angry.

Arriving at the prison we were stunned by the commotion. All the world had come to see her. Thai friends, Australians, Europeans, Africans, plus the Press.

Understandably, Thais are very sensitive about Press coverage of such cases, and no journalists were allowed to see her.

An Irish woman arrived with a bag-full of paperbacks. A man flew in from Australia with soap and towel for Sandra. What did we have?

We joined the queue waiting to see Sandra, Ruth filled in the forms, and handed over her passport. After two hours waiting, during which time I read the lurid accounts of Sandra's case in the tabloids the man from Australia gave me, I went to see what the cause of the delay was.

"We've come to see Sandra Gregory."

"Do you know her?" The Prison Official asked.

"No, we just want to tell her she has a Friend (I meant Jesus of course, a Friend she had never met, but the guard misunderstood). "Ruth has been waiting for two hours and..."

Before I could finish, I was whisked into the cells, and briskly body-searched. Once they were sure I had no weapon or camera, they pointed me to a bench confronting a metal grille, a glass partition, and a bank of intercoms.

Walking to the end, I recognized Sandra from the newspaper photo. I'd never seen her before.

She was allowed one twenty-minute visit a week, and I'd been selected.

(Nobody else was allowed to see her that day, and most of the gifts were banned.)

The guards hovered at my shoulder to hear what I had to say. They wondered if I was involved in drug-smuggling.

Sandra was standing, in blue prison uniform, red-eyed, and bitterly angry.

She shook with pent up fury.

"Lord what do I say?" I prayed in my heart.

Just talk!

Oh there's no telling what will happen when you are on an errand for Jesus. Filled with God's love, His Spirit, and simply begin to talk. You don't have to worry what you say, you can't help but exalt Jesus.

"Sandra, you don't know me, but you are looking at a man who believes in Jesus Christ, who works miracles for those who trust in Him."

Sandra's eyes rolled upwards.

She'd called for her Mummy, but she got a "Crazy Christian."

"I wish I could believe in miracles." she replied through clenched teeth.

For a second I was glad there were thick metal bars between us.

"I admire you Sandra. Jesus will honour you for telling the truth instead of lying."

"It got me 25 years in here."

"Put your whole trust in Jesus, and He'll set you free. Have you read about Rita..." I began before Sandra cut me off.

"Nightingale. Yeh, Yeh, I'm tired of hearing about her and your Jesus."

She ranted at the guards, looked daggers at me, and then we were abruptly cut off. Our twenty minutes was up.

As I left, the Press pounced for information, but I told them nothing.

"Where have you been?" Ruth enquired anxiously.

"I've just seen Sandra." I replied in a daze. "And boy does she need Jesus. Her heart is so hard and bitter."

We went home asking the Lord to find a way to soften it.

Around about this time, a black Tom cat was courting another prison inmate, who soon gave birth to a kitten.

Sandra's steely heart had no place for Jesus, but He just won't quit on anybody. And He knew she had a soft spot for animals, and was working on His plan.

Jesus said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Mtt. 19:26

Words and love were not enough to convince Sandra that Jesus is alive. She needed a miracle from God.

We began to visit other prisoners occasionally. Ruth got the Christians, I got the sinners. If you have never visited prisoners, please begin this week. Love them, listen to them, write to them and pray for them. You'll be amazed at how the Lord will use you.

There are 900 Nigerians in jail in Thailand, mostly drug smugglers, who get no help from their country at all. I visited one a few weeks after seeing Sandra. As I walked to my allotted booth, Sandra spotted me, and waved frantically through the glass to get my attention.

Taking the intercom from her visitor I heard Sandra say excitedly:

"This is a miracle."

For the first time, I saw her smile.

"What is?"

"Seeing you today! I've got a dying kitten on my hands, and all I could think about was what to do with it. Now you have come at just the right time. You're a vet, can you take it?"

(If God's timing impressed her, read on, and see what else Jesus had in store.)

"Well..." I hesitated.

"It's leg is broken, and its intestines are coming out of its backside."

"Sure Sandra, but I can't promise it will live, sounds hopeless."

"Oh it is hopeless, I just want you to put it out of its misery."

Astonishingly, for a high-security jail, the guards allowed Sandra to give the poor creature to Ruth about half an hour later.

A tiny black and white kitten wrapped in a dirty towel. She was dying of shock and dehydration.

Rather than examine her, and inflict more pain, we put her in a box, and began the four hour journey home through the tropical heat.

If you are squeamish you may want to skip the next section.

Once back home, we gently unwrapped the sad bundle.

"She is still alive." we gasped.

Continue reading about Cleo in Bangkok Prison...

Sandra Gregory BBC 2002

Every prisoner can be set free. Let Christ break your chains