ISCI #3

In order to facilitate interdependence, the 33 men were divided into 6 tables with 3 team members (one clergy and two lay) each at each table.  The tables were named after saints, i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and Peter.  The table grouping became a "family" and the men found themselves becoming a family to each other.  During the weekend this "family" found themselves supporting each other spiritually through prayer and sharing.

Definition - Kairos: a weekend where everything you could imagine happen probably did.

Kairos #3 at the Idaho State Correctional Institution south of Boise, Idaho is now a memory.  Wednesday before going in Thursday we found out we were getting bulk food from the dining facility inside to serve on the weekend.  Another step toward the men having special treatment.  What a blessing to be able to serve the guys on the weekend at the table as if they were receiving outside food.  The food from Pendyne was good.  We had meals arrive when we thought we would and could set tables and actually plan on a talk being done before the food showed up.  The use of the previous Kairos attendees as servants is always a great positive.  We were blessed to see those “hardened criminals" serve other residents and even took care that the fork and spoon was on the napkin and the coffee cup was upside down until it was needed.  They were allowed to care for each other and it showed.

One of the servants who had fallen away for over a year came back to help serve and the miracles started.

Thursday we had been told one of the staff we were going to be working with could be hard to work with.  Now about prayer.  We prayed for the person on Thursday night at the team meeting.  The staff member turned out to be one of the greatest we have had the pleasure to work.  The individual followed the book to the mark but always with a smile and always checking to see what they could do to help us.  We even saw the person singing to one of the songs the men in the community room were singing.  The residents asked if we had given the person a heart transplant or what.  As the shift ended the staff member came into came into the community room where I happened to be and the whole community room clapped as the staff person waved goodbye to the room.  Love and forgiveness is what Kairos is about right?  Oh yeah, for all who are in the institution.

Late Friday afternoon there was a problem somewhere in the institution and the Lieutenant in charge called for everyone to go back to their cells.  The Total Recall came at 5:20 pm and we were concerned about even getting the men back that night.  The men did come back around seven and the team took off trying to squeeze in one of the most important parts of the weekend.  In conversation with the Officer on duty with us I asked if he got to go home with us at 8.  He said he got off at 9.  Really?  How could I request Kairos to stay until 9?  Simple, we were there until 9.  Foiled again Satan crawled off in the corner probably starting to learn you don’t mess with a weekend Jesus was in charge of.  The Poster Party was awesome and I never head so much laughing and fun coming from a bunch of men talking about Jesus and his love.  The change from tough guys and loners was really starting to be seen.

Arriving at the Prison on Saturday morning we found another little surprise.  The institution was on lockdown meaning no one moved anywhere.  We knew we must be on to something going in God’s favor as Satan really tried to hit the weekend again.  Big problem for Satan.  He forgot to look at who and what he was messing with.  The team patiently sat at the Sally Port outside of the Lieutenant’s office and waited.  The chaplain took the opportunity to talk with them about how he appreciated Kairos and all it does on the yard and all they as team do.  The Lieutenant came out and apologized and made us feel very welcome.  Once the situation cleared we were off and running, I mean walking, to the school where the weekend was being held.  The men came right up and Saturday was on the road with very little time lost.  When they came in it was hug city with smiles and laughter.  One of the big problems working Kairos you forget these are men in prison.  You forget they are not another outside 4th day weekend.  They are so full of joy and peace and love.  They hug you like a long lost brother who you thought was dead and has come back to life.

Saturday evening we have what we call “open mike.”  The men attending are given opportunity to tell where they are right then.  The very first man up had made it known he was an atheist prior to coming on the weekend.  With tears streaming down his face, he said he now knows and loves Jesus and he was able to get ride of all the garbage he had been storing up for years.  That was the start.  Man after man came up and shared all the loved they felt.  How they felt loved for the first time in a long time or some even for the first time in their lives and how that love has now allowed them to feel good about themselves and on and on.  They talked about the letters they received.  I should tell those who don’t know, we as team write each man a letter sharing the love we and Jesus has for him.  They also receive letters addressed to “Man in Blue” from people on the outside including children.  Another form of love is posters from churches, 4th day groups and other prisons which are taped to the walls during the weekend.  The men also talked about all the love they could see as they looked at the walls.  There was even a paper chain made from the names of those praying for the weekend that stretched around the entire room.  Another major moment came when one of the men who had wanted to leave as he was having anxiety attacks got up to talk.  He openly confessed he was a child molester.  He told how he hated himself and had even been put in the state mental institution because of his hate for self.  He then told of how he was for the first time starting to like himself and felt love he had never felt before.  He was able to forgive himself as God had forgiven him. And the standing ovation started and lasted for minutes.  Hugs you can only imagine and tears and the love of Jesus personified right there and then.  But that wasn’t the most powerful.  Another man got up and told how he was realizing he was so judgmental about people and how when the man who told of being a child molester got up he knew the other man was the scum of the earth.  Sobbing he then said he then, right then, realized he was wrong in his thinking and looking at the one he spoke of he asked his forgiveness for thinking of him the way he did and the presence of the Lord manifested himself in the look and the other man saying “I forgive you.”  Applause, tears and shouts of joy filled that room for what seemed an eternity.  Another miracle of Jesus came to happen right there and right at that moment as he asked for forgiveness.  But I should tell you what happened next caused the room to almost come apart.  As the man speaking went back to his chair the one he spoke about came to him and they hugged and shared the true love of Jesus and we all had tremendous difficulty seeing what was happening as our eyes were so full of joy and awe of the situation.  Thank you Jesus!!

 Sunday started and all was well.  All men in the community room and those serving were living in the moment of Pentecost.  The Holy Spirit had made his appearance and was there with the Father and Son ruling over all who were present and what was going on.  What a great day.  We had about a dozen visitors coming in for closing and even though the changes to the schedule was causing some confusion all was going well.  Well that is until a man in one of the living units down on the yard decided he needed to stir things up a little.  Satan will use whatever he can to TRY to disrupt the work of God.  The men on the weekend had received their crosses and we learned of the situation as we found out the visitors would not be coming in to join us.  The closing started with each table getting up and telling how they came to the weekend, what they got out of the weekend and how they were leaving the weekend.  That wasn’t good enough for Satan so he sent six COs into the school to escort the men back to their units immediately as things had gotten to the level of concern.  Security was beefed up to a level where a team of specially trained COs, I will call them the riot squad for lack of words, were deployed to the building to resolve the problem and any other potential problems.  The weekend came to a grinding halt after four tables had gotten up to speak.  I was privileged to be at the CO’s station as the men filed out with their hands on their heads under escort and saw nothing but smiles and hear words such as “I love you” come out of the mouths of those great and wonderful Christian men.

Definition - Kairos:  A weekend where the love and forgiveness of Jesus will prevail above all and for all.