From the inside

Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment...

Hebrews 13:3

My name is Father Paddy Moran. I am an Irish Spiritan missionary who has been working in
Ethiopia for eleven years. Arba Minch is a town 505 kilometers south of Addis Ababa. For the
last six years the Catholic mission has been involved in projects in the prison. Opportunity
knocks in many form, and we were delighted to welcome to the prison Rory Prout, the artist in
Residence at the Irish Embassy to Ethiopia. Rory is an artist based in Limerick. He kindly agreed
to give art classes to the prisoners in Arba Minch prison. For five days Rory guided and
mentored his students, helping them to discover their artist within. It was a great joy to follow
the progress of the students. Rory saw the preparation and initial work on two paintings done by
the students themselves. I was reflecting on the program and what it meant for all of us. It is
inspiring to remember how much an artist from Ireland can influence the lives of others in such a
short time. The atmosphere in the classes was tremendous. There was a great desire to learn. The
students were serious and followed the program with great enthusiasm. For Rory, it was
interesting as this was his first experience of working in a prison.

Day 1: Tuesday
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was
thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger
and you welcomed me, I was naked and you
clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in
prison and you came to me. Then the righteous
will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see
you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you
drink? And when did we see you a stranger and
welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when
did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?
Matthew 25:35-46
Rory arrived by plane in the afternoon. I suppose it would have made sense to drive him back to
the mission, let him get settled in. Ignoring the common sense option I drove him straight to the
prison. We did the first walk around the prison. I find this very interesting as for me this is like
walking through the rooms of my own house. For Rory it was all new. As always the
overwhelming sense is of people and movement. There is a feast for the senses with so many
sights and sounds to take in. Because we arrived in the afternoon it was a nice opportunity to see
the prison as it winds down for the day. Food is being brought out. Weavers are returning from
their looms. As always there is a welcome and there is trust. Every prisoner can earn and keep
money. A small number of prisoners are involved in wood work, carving intricate designs for
coffee sets. There we see hammers and chisels. I marvel at the trust that exists that allows people
to have access to potentially lethal weapons. We have a small meeting with the Commander, the
social worker and the head of the prisoners. We have a schedule set up and a rough plan in place.

Day 2: Wednesday
For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.
Psalm 69:33
The first class in the morning begins with sketching. This is interesting as the methodology is to
slowly reveal a drawing that is upside down. The important thing is to practice drawing the lines,
not the overall shape. Already we are seeing styles emerge and real talent shine through. When
the drawing is finished the students turn it around to see the finished picture. The skill that is
being developed is to look at lines and not the wider picture. Further practice follows. We have
started life drawings. On a table we set up a display of fruits and local hats. The students are

improving their sketching. They graduate to drawing people. I am called in to pose.

Unaccustomed as I am to public posing this is a lesson in humility. My receding hairline and my
portly figure are captured with unnerving accuracy! As a change of pace we break so that Rory
can attend an English class that we are running. Every student gets to ask Rory a question. It is
great for the students to hear another voice.

Day 3: Thursday

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to
the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to those who are bound; Isaiah 61:1
Today we move to color. Rory give an explanation about primary colors and how they can be
mixed to form secondary colors. Every student does their own color wheel. After the color
wheels are completed the students then work on different paintings. The examples are put on the
walls. Recognizing the value of Rory one of the teachers asks him to help make some
instructional posters which will be sent out to other schools in the area. Rory agrees. A new
energy emerges as Rory becomes the student and we begin the process of stretching and
preparing the canvas. As an artist he sees the similarities with his own process. All the students
are involved in painting the glue on the canvas. This will have to dry before the sketching can
begin.

Day 4: Friday
To hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,
Psalm 102:20
The canvas is dry so the initial sketching
can begin. The sketching is done through
a grid system. There are two paintings.
The first is of Our Lady and her son. The
second paining is of Christ with a crown
of thorns. The students agree to omit
some parts of the original pictures. There
is a slight change in the color scheme.
The process of painting is great to watch.
I have a limited ability to paint even a
hall, stairs and landing so it is really an
inspiration to see others reaching towards
the canvas with such confidence. I have
never thought of the process of painting
but really it is an extraordinary intimate act. A blank canvas is being revealed (or perhaps
fulfilled?) before our very eyes. Something is being created from nothing, something that has a
distinct appearance and vitality. I am transfixed by the process. Our Lady is holding Her Son. At
a certain stage I am tempted to reach out and check for a pulse. In the picture of the Virgin and
Child the outline is a journey from darkness to light. One of the students explains about the color
scheme. The dark blue cloak has a celestial theme. The red clothing represents the virginity of
Mary. Colors speak when you know the language. To be honest I didnt know the symbolism
myself but years of nodding semi intelligently get me by. The second painting is that of the
crucified Christ. I look at the painting of the crown of thorns. There is pain that is understood
from the comfort of safety and there is pain that is felt and immediate. I can feel these thorns. I
turn away.

Day 5: Saturday
And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners
were confined, and he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him
steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the
prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done
there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was
in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it
succeed. Genesis 39:20-23

Three programs are running side by side now. The students are working on the two paintings.
Rory is overseeing their work while at the same time help to create the educational posters. I
have another program. I am trying to prepare my homily for the feast of Pentecost. One of the
students draws the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia. He fills
the blackboard with images from the world of nature and animals. The completed picture is a
marvel to behold. In life there is a lot more cause for celebration than consternation.

Day 6: Sunday
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the
poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty those who are oppressed, Luke 4:18
Bring Rory to the airport we stop in the prison. Good progress has been made on both paintings.
There is still a lot of work to do but they are on the way. Rory says his goodbyes and we drive off
to the airport. More and more I struggle with the act of leaving the prison, being mindful in a
special way of all those who cannot leave. In my own curious way perhaps I have become a
prisoner too.

Day 7: Monday
And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during
the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him
over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the
people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two
soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And
behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on
the side and woke him, saying, Get up quickly. And the chains fell off his hands Acts 12:319
Rory flies to Ireland. It feels strange that there are no classes today!

Final thoughts
Blessed is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lordwho keeps faith
forever, who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the
prisoners free; the Lord gives sight to the blind Psalm 146: 1, 7 and 8
After a great week I and the prisoners were sad to see Rory leave. It was a great experience.
There were so many positives. The role of art as a means of creative self-expression. I would
hesitate to go as far as talking about art as healing but I would happily declare that I have seen art
as part of a healing process. It allowed to prisoners to go to a quieter place, to be still. It is no

small thing that people find freedom in such spaces. I close my eyes and I am back in the
classroom. I can hear the question, the laughter. I can see the concentration and sense of triumph
for a job well done. We are in our own way striving for the finishing line. It is important that
prisoners are not left behind. They have hopes and dreams and potential to be fulfilled. It was
great to part of that journey.
Father Paddy Moran CSSp