Good Behind Bars

This past weekend we had a 3 day event from a ministry called "Kairos." It's a prison ministry that comes out every 6 months and devotes 3 days from 7 AM to 7 PM. About 30 volunteers that comes in and spreads the word and helps make an effort to change the lives of prisoners. Inmates are selected by request and out of 300 requests 70 are chosen. It could take years to be selected because it's randomly done. I'd never attended the event before but was fortunate enough to go and help out some. I must say I was quite surprised at the effort such volunteers took not only to donate their time but collect donations to contribute to the feast of Kairos.

We're talking the feeding of breakfast, lunch, and dinner 3 days straight, supplying the prisoners with Folgers coffee, creamer, sugar while they attend along with fruit punch, cookies and fruit, fresh strawberries, apples, bananas, grapes, oranges. None of this is available to us while incarcerated.

The meals consisted of brisket & sausages one day along with pizza from a local Pizza Hut for dinner. The next day they were served 1/4 pound hamburgers with chips and soda, fresh dips, and dessert peach cobbler :-) with chicken fajitas for dinner. And the final day chicken strips with salad w/ dressing along with all you can eat cookies and ice cream and a cheesecake w/strawberries and whipped cream. Fortunately for helping I was able to partake in eating with the helpers.

We don't quite respect what we have until we don't have it any longer. In my realization I wouldn't have cared about any of this stuff because it wasn't ever taken away and I put that to perspective with freedom. Our right to eat the simplest things taken away by our actions.

I could not help but to relish the tastes and flavors I've been denied and remember to appreciate them. I'd never have this opportunity if I wasn't where I was at and worked hard.

Anyways the event was a hit. I didn't get the chance to get the message they were spreading but it was clearly a blessing. Good things do happen behind bars.