Wrong Place, Wrong Time

There is a town here near Berastagi called Kabanjahe, and that is where we go when we do prison ministry. While we were there before, we heard the story of how one of the women ended up there. It really makes you think.

A man (Man #1) asked her if she wanted some work for the day working in his field picking potatoes, and she has a family to help support so she said yes. Man #1 hired some other workers as well, who he would pay at the end of the day. So there this woman is, picking potatoes, when all of the sudden this other man (Man #2) comes, as well as – wait for it- the police!!

Man #1 immediately ran away, which was somewhat odd. Until they found out why he ran away.

Turns out Man #2 owned the field, and had no idea about Man #1. He had given no permission for anyone (unknowing or not) to pick his potatoes. And he decided to press charges. So unassuming woman excited about making a bit of money for her family ended up in jail for an undetermined amount of time (we are talking weeks, not days).

Then I was talking more about it with Steve, and what if Man #2 DID know Man #1?! What if Man #2 gave #1 some money to get his potatoes picked and then run away when #2 showed up. What if the whole thing was orchestrated by #2, so that he wouldn’t have to pay people to harvest his potatoes!?!? It’s diabolical.

Remember this woman next time you are eating a potato.