Kairos Ministry

[Littlejoe]

Hello to All,

First of all, thank you for your prayers! The follow up report to Coffield Unit Kairos #25 is a big HALLELUJAH!!! We had an incredible response to our program. 11 professions of faith and 10 rededications of their life to follow Christ. It's amazing to watch The Holy Spirit turn adversities into triumphs! Thursday's meet and greet was almost completely skipped because of a raid on one of the wings based on a tip about contraband. It resulted in most of the unit being locked down for about 5 hours. Most of our participants couldn't get to the B side gym were our walk is located. (We refer to our 3 day program as a "walk"...as in a walk toward Christ). Friday we had to rush to make up lost time, but Glory be to God, we were able to accomplish it! I am truly blessed everytime by this ministry. To watch guys like "Lou" (not his real name....name changed due to privacy laws in our state) who during the family prayer time in the chapel, fell to his knees and prayed, with his eyes flowing with tears, that Christ would accept him as he was and come into his life and make him a new creature...his testimony moved me to tears. This hardened felon who is 50 yrs old and on his 5th prison sentence stood in front of his fellow brothers in white and professed he didn't know a single bible verse to quote to them but looked forward to learning some!!!! You could see the difference in his countenance, his looked softened, his heart was broken, his heart surrendered to the gracious loving God! I am not ashamed to say that I needed several tissues to stem the tide of tears coming out of my own eyes!

Thanks for reading and sharing with me this vital ministry!

LJ

[Littlejoe]

Howdy Folks!

Well Coffield #26 was cancelled due to a statewide lockdown of all prison units. You may have heard or read about it. I wasn't on the team this time because I was taking my mandatory 2 year break...after serving for 3 years straight Anyway, I thought for anyone interested in Kairos Prison Ministry, I would give you a link to a radio program that featured a work in the Clements Unit (near Amarillo, Tx I believe) and a former inmate from that unit. They discuss Kairos, Walk to Emmaus. Really a great show. Let me know what you think.

Link: http://www.thefreedomhour.com/index....de-and-outside

Thanks,

Lee

[Littlejoe]

Hello All,

Well, because of my self imposed ban from TWEB, I didn't let anyone know that Kairos Coffield #27 was in the works. Our 3-1/2 day Walk went on without a hitch April 16 - 19, 2009. I wanted to share a few experiences from #27 with you. First of all, Coffield has a new Assisant Warden, and he is awesome! Warden Weisner is a big advocate and supporter of Volunteer Ministries. He is a dedicated Christian, and pastors the church of Tennessee Colony, where the prison is located. The Warden, put in place a system for us that made our Walk go more smoothly than I have ever seen it! Thank you Warden Weisner! By my count, we had 33 decisions for Christ out of 42 participants, an unheard of number for Coffield! 20 of those were rededications to serve Christ...I don't know how many times I heard the phrase..."I had one foot in and one foot out" and "trying to live in both worlds". As most of us know, that's just not possible, but we didn't harp on that to much! The testimony of the weekend though, had to go to "Juan" (name changed to protect his identity). "Juan" has been in prison for 7 years, he hasn't received a visit or a letter in 6 years. About 2 to 3 weeks ago, "Juan" received a phone call. (Yes they can get phone calls in certain "emergency" type situations) His Uncle had passed away and his mother was in ill health. "Juan" said that he was severely depressed, and began contemplating suicide. The day that our Kairos Walk began, "Juan" wasn't on our participants list, another man was ahead of him on the list. However, God was in control that day. The man ahead of "Juan" was transferred to another unit earlier that week, bumping "Juan" up to the active list. Our Unit Liason, called back on the wing to call him out to come to Kairos. "Juan" didn't respond to the call out. Normally, our Liason would have simply went to the next name on the list and called out someone else...but he heard that still small voice and decided to go see the guy instead.

In "Juans" words this is what happened:

"I was lying on my bunk, I heard my name called to fall out. I just couldn't, I just knew they were calling me to tell me mother had died, and I just couldn't deal with it...I was now, totally alone in this world...I decided right then, I would end it once and for all. As I lay there on my bunk, trying to decide the best way to kill myself, a silver haired gentleman walked up to my cell. With the sun behind him he looked like an angel. He said "you have been moved up to the active list for Kairos, we would be glad to have you come down and join us". I thought about it for a second, and thought "what the heck". So I went down with him to Kairos. I wasn't ready for the Love of God that hit with these men, I found out, I was not alone, that there were people who cared about me, and loved me in spite of the things I had done...and that most of all, God was with me and loved me. I decided today (Sat. 4/18/09) to give my heart and life to serving God, through Christ my saviour."

Thanks be to God for His Love and Mercy!!! "Juan" could have been another prison death statistic, but instead has committed his life to serving the risen Saviour!!!

Thank you for your prayers for this vital ministry,

LJ

[Littlejoe]

Wow, I haven't posted here in quite a while. I guess...I am getting somewhat discouraged that I really seem to get zero feedback from: My Sunday School, My church, my family, and last but not least Tweb, so, I have stopped posting, and talking about Kairos in most places. Well, at least I get fantastic feedback from the residents of the Unit that we go to...and, you know really...that's all that matters isn't it? The smiles, the commitment to following Christ. Hearts and lives that are changed forever. Anyway, there were no dramatic stories that I heard this time, people on the verge of suicide..or plotting murder when the got out to avenge the "wrong" that had been done to them by sending them to prison for something they actually deserved.... But I heard the term broken, alone and desperate, alot in open mic time. There is no way to adequately describe how hungry for the saving grace of Christ that these guys have. Three and one-half days of God loving them through the volunteers of Kairos, moves these hardened criminals is a way I have never experienced. I never get tired of seeing Dead Men rise to life before my very eyes. I usually try to keep some kind of record of commitments, but this time I didn't try to. I do know that a whole family (6 inmates) made decisions to come to Christ. Anyway, I thank any and all who take time to hold this vital ministry up in prayer. Thanks for reading.

LJ

[Xmansmommy]

Hey Joe!

I thank God that there are men like yourself who are dedicated to taking the love of God to desperate and hurting people. I'm praying that God will bless your words and all of those in your ministry. And may all those who have a heart to hear from God, experience a life altering encounter.

We don't always get to know if or how we have impacted others....but we do trust that the word of God does not come back void. That we are either planting or watering seeds and we know He does give increase. Praise God!

Thank you again for being willing and obedient to the call to be a minister of reconciliation. I know those there that you have the ability to affect, appreciate you...and I appreciate you from a distance.

May God give you a confirmation, a great blessing, in knowing that what you're doing is not in vain. That too is my prayer.

Linda

[Littlejoe]

Bless You Linda!
Thank you for your prayer(s) and kind words! I know I am called to this ministry, so even if no one (other than God) ever confirms it, I would still go. I get such a blessing myself from it, that not going is never an option. I just need to keep posting what God is doing and hopefully someone else is blessed in some small way.

LJ

[KingsGambit]

Are you still involved with this ministry? I've been reading through this thread and it seems like a great ministry opportunity to a population that most American Christians don't even consider as part of the mission field.

[Dee Dee Warren]

I am still involved with Via de Cristo.

Did one Kairos event, was too much for me.

[Littlejoe]

I apologize for not seeing this earlier, don't know how I missed it...

Are you still involved with this ministry?

Yes! Very Much so! Just got back from prison tonight...such a glorious weekend! The Holy Spirit moved mightly this weekend! We had 6 professions of Faith and 14 rededications out of our 42 participants!

I've been reading through this thread and it seems like a great ministry opportunity to a population that most American Christians don't even consider as part of the mission field.

Sad but very, VERY true...and you hear that alot over the weekend. They will tell you themselves they don't know how others consider them part of the mission field...These men in prison have it hard, the environment they are in makes it really hard for them to maintain their christian walk. Our ministry is focused on developing community within the prison, so that they can connect with each other and support one another! If you are able, I highly recommend getting involved with a Kairos ministry near you!

[Littlejoe]

I am still involved with Via de Cristo.

Bless YOU Dee Dee! Such a worthwhile ministry in it's own right! We need more volunteers from those ministries to help us in Kairos!

Did one Kairos event, was too much for me.

How so? IOW, in what way was it too much?