Gary on Kairos

Some of you may not be familiar with the prison work that Diane are involved with here in the US with a program called KAIROS International.

Twice a year, 40-50 volunteers go into a local prison, in our case to Trumbull Correctional Institution - a medium to high security facility in Warren, OH.  At that facility there are usually between 1500 and 2500 inmates serving time for a variety of crimes up to and including rape and murder. 

Most of these individuals have some sort of background in their families with regard to faith, but the vast majority of them have rejected or drifted as far from a relationship with God as is possible. 

The KAIROS program leads approximately 36 inmates through a series of talks, interaction with one another and introspection to recognize the Love of God and the work of Jesus - to offer them an alternative to the condemnation that they experience each day. 

We introduce them to the concepts of sin, condemnation, repentance and forgiveness .  They are able, sometimes for the first time, to experience forgiveness, both given and received and it makes a significant impact. 

It is a very moving experience as you see 36 convicted felons come to a realization that they can't make it on their own, that they need God and community to carry on their life, and most importantly that they need Jesus Christ. 

They arrive hard, frowning, proud and antagonistic and by the end of the four days, only 36 hours, many have been brought to tears, have forgiven family members, friends, police officers, judges and recognize their own responsibility, having turned to Jesus.  They are encouraged to participate in an ongoing Prayer and Share experience every Thursday night where a few of us volunteers go into the prison and continue the process. They are further encouraged to build a community of believers to help support one another.  All of this to reinforce and help establish them in their new relationship with Jesus. 

At the last event in March, Diane served on the kitchen team where we provide them with home cooked meals for the four days of the event along with all the cookies they could want  

We had a total of 28 of the inmates step up to the "open mike" at the closing ceremony and explain what the program had meant to them.  They explained briefly their history with regard to faith and how the program had brought them back to Christ.

This is a continuing and regular part of our call to serve, even while we are at home in the United States.

"     I was in prison and you visited me."   Matthew 25:36