From Volunteers:
Jesus told us that when we visit those in prison, we visit him. He also told us our priorities are to love God and to love others. So, when I participate in Kairos at central prison I am visiting with Jesus and sharing God’s love with others that are desperate for God’s love.
So, does Kairos make a difference in the men’s lives? I could share many reasons why I volunteer in Kairos, here are two:
· I have personally had several of the men that were on Kairos retreats tell me that since they were incarcerated their family and friends abandoned them. No one had visited them or written them letters. They thought they were unlovable by man and God. The volunteers in Kairos were the first people that had visited them or written them a letter. It was through Kairos that they knew that they can be forgiven and loved by God and others. Through Kairos they have established a community of believers and now have hope and purpose for their lives.
· At the end of the weekend retreat the men have an opportunity to say what the weekend meant to them. On one retreat I was on, two men got up together to speak. The first guy that got up explained that he and the other man were leaders of rival gangs and both had vowed to kill each other. Through the love of Christ they experienced at Kairos they both accepted Christ and stated that they are now brothers in Christ.
Ron
I have been involved with Kairos at Central Prison for 24 years. I was amazed at how God has worked in such a negative environment. I knew after my first 5 minutes inside this is where God was calling me to be. To be in that room and watch God work on men with no hope and isolated. To be given hope and a feeling of love, no judgment and acceptance in 4 days is such a blessing to be a part of. The best part of this ministry is our prayer and share program where volunteers go into the prison every week for one hour. As a former volunteer said once, “There is no cell phones, TV’s, IPads, or radios. They tell us when to come, when to leave, and when to go to the bathroom. We come in empty and it is just us and the inmates and God!” What an amazing time.
Paul
I got into Kairos because it is something God wants to teach me. God’s grace is beyond my ability to describe. Hearing these men express their faith is a great blessing to me. I am humbled when they thank us for taking time out of our lives to come and visit them. It isn’t a sacrifice. It’s a joy! I am glad to do anything I can to encourage them to keep depending on Jesus.
Bill
"20 years ago I worked with teams doing 3 day Cursillo events for HS kids in the Philadelphia area. One of the men on the team invited me to my 1st Kairos Prison Ministry International weekend event in 2003. After attending that weekend and forever forward, I was totally convinced this is where a real difference was being made in the lives of these men. Not only did they get "on fire" for the Lord, but our team experience made it clear the entire team was also on fire for the Lord. I will be doing Kairos for as long as I am physically able to do so. While each experience is unique, each year i get to witness how Jesus can light the fire of love through the Kairos team effort to individuals whose lives are forever changed for the better. Now I pass on the invite to you that I received in 2023. Please join us in this ministry and see for yourself how God's love works."
Mike
From Central Prison Chaplain Stratton:
Kairos has been a popular and strong presence at Central Prison for over 25 years. Except during the days of COVID-19, we hosted the program twice a year - February and August. The residents always looked forward to Kairos coming in and there has always been a waiting list to get in on the whim that one of the offenders could not attend.
When Kairos returned this past August, there was an excitement in the air but with questions. Since the population at Central Prison turns over regularly, there were few residents in-house that knew what Kairos was all about. When the description of the program began to flow through the unit where Kairos would be held, there was a sense of "hunger". The men were excited about a program of this intensity coming in and even though we were tasked with having to re-introduce the program to an almost completely new staff, the results were overwhelming. We had as many on the waiting list as we did participants.
This program has proven over the years to aid in the discipline issues that are present in facilities such as ours. If you "get in trouble", then you aren't allowed to attend the Prayer and Share meetings after the big weekend. The program means so much to these men and it is a great catalyst for good behavior. The program provides a sense of community among the offenders of their Kairos class and gives them almost a fraternity feeling. They have brothers. I am so glad we have been able to start back up - where we left off. Kairos 52 was a great success.
(transcribed exactly as written)