BBC 100 Women: The fearless nun inside 'hell on earth' [Nun in Venezuelan prison]

BBC Mundo ^ | 27 November 2015 | Margarita Rodriguez

[Mrs. Don-o]

For more than 17 years, a Catholic nun named Neyda Rojas has been serving God in a place that many describe as hell on earth - a Venezuelan prison.

For decades, penitentiaries here have been criticised by human rights organisations for allowing serious human rights violations to take place behind their walls.

Venezuelan prisons are among the most violent and overcrowded in Latin America.

None of that has stopped this missionary, who belongs to the Mercedarian Order, help teach inmates some of the basics of life, like literacy.

"I'm very happy when they learn to read and write. I can see their excitement.

"I have always seen the face of God in their faces."

[Huge snip}

One of her fondest memories is the time when one of the female inmates went into labour and Sister Neyda delivered the baby.

Another time a woman handed her her baby in a shoebox. The baby girl had inherited syphilis.

She also had intestinal worms and Sister Neyda had to beg doctors to help her save the baby,

She visited her in hospital every three hours and asked new mothers if they could breastfeed the little girl.

The girl is now 18 years old. She says that she has three mothers - her biological one, who died in prison, her adoptive mother and Sister Neyda.

But her memories of tender moments are ended abruptly when the prisoners received the order from their leaders to return to their cells.

They rush back looking worried.

Sister Neyda meanwhile calmly leaves the classroom saying "God willing, I will come back later".

She always does.

Despite all the crime and violence inside this prison, Sister Neyda has also found respect and hope in what so many call "hell on earth".

[Mrs. Don-o]

Reminds me of a similar valiant woman, Mother Antonia Brenner, "The Prison Angel", who actually lived in a prison cell and worked with hardened gang members and drug addicts in the terrifying prison in Tijuana.

God does raise up saints.

[dp0622]

I had a few acquaintances who did time at Rikers and upstate in prison. They went for bookmaking and loansharking.

Rikers sounded worse than upstate. Rikers infested with drugs to the point of absurdity.

Nobody was raped and some had a few fights.

I have a feeling the Venezuelan prison is horrific beyond words compared to our prisons.

That beings said, at 47, I would be content see neither!!

[rellimpank]

—was within sight of the prison at El Dorado in 1981—that was close enough—

[dp0622]

sounds good to me!!

[BlackElk]

May God bless Sister Neyda Rojas in all of her efforts and grant her success in those efforts consistent with His will!

[Salvation]

Great story!

[vladimir998]

Mrs. Don-o, thanks for posting about that book. I did not know about it.

[Tax-chick]

The younger generation is very into risk-taking, but not many are interested in taking this kind of risk.