I am honored to write the foreword to this book that alludes to the Greek mythology about the rescue of Helen of Troy by using a wooden horse that hid the warriors. I can understand the literary license that the author employed to catch the attention of the reader because a book, to be of any use, must be read. However, this book is not about deceptive tricks to mislead the enemy. The underpinning premise of this book is that all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This being so, we are captives of sin, imprisoned in our own futility, and therefore, in need of a redeemer. Some are literally imprisoned behind bars and barbed wires, like the inmates in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa for sins they have committed to society. Many, however, are incarcerated in spiritual dungeons, without bars, without guards. One is no better than the other. Both prisons eventually lead to destruction and death unless God intervenes. God's loving intervention in man's history is the core message of the gospel and of this book. The good news is that we are not shipwrecks, floating aimlessly in the sea of hopelessness. There is a God who loves us tremendously, who desires to salvage us and make us useful once again according to His original plan. This is what salvation is all about. When Jesus read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue that he was sent "to proclaim freedom for the prisoners" (Luke 4:18), he was, in fact, stating one of the profound truths of his ministry. And that is, there is hope of forgiveness and healing because of the cross he had to endure for our sake. The choice whether we should remain prisoners or not ultimately rests on us. I encourage the reader to read the lives of the prisoners depicted in this book in the hope that they will see that only Jesus can truly set us free. Jose C. Calida: Undersecretary of Justice, Philippines
