“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”

--Matthew 25:34-40

When I read the description of the prison ministry in the church bulletin, I heard those familiar voices of self doubt ….what do you have in common with prisoners….You wont’ know what to say….You don’t know the Bible well enough….What if it isn’t safe?

I recognized the self talk as being the culprit which has kept me from participating in many missions and outreach. For a moment, I thought “just obey.” Being naturally stubborn, I didn’t obey and let self-doubt win again.

Later that week, a letter came to my house requesting volunteers for the prison ministry. This time the thought was louder and the pull was stronger, and I obeyed. I agreed to participate in this ministry thinking I would be uncomfortable, ill-equipped and ineffective.

After a short and confusing training, I waited in line to enter the Dawson State Jail in downtown Dallas where I had been assigned along with about 100 volunteers. As I left the crisp morning air and soft sun, I entered the world of artificial light, slamming doors, and a sea of gray. The tension immediately descends as you walk with careful steps, not wanting to get lost in jail or cause any problems. I’ve watched enough TV to know that jail is bad, but my imagination had not prepared me for the reality of what these people face daily.

I was assigned Pod A on the 7th floor, which is a dorm style room with about 80 women living in bunk beds, with a few toilets and showers in the middle of the room with no privacy, no mirrors, no dignity. There were several picnic style tables in the middle of the pods, and a fence of glass windows with 20 year-old guards ominously watching every move and sporadically hollering orders. This is where I spent the rest of the day.

I was partnered with a veteran who guided me step by step through the process. This was her 20th time to minister to prisoners and she could not have been any kinder or more patient with me. For the first half hour, I sat by her side and listened. I watched her read the pamphlet provided and ask the questions about faith we learned about during training. I observed enough to try it out on my own.

I gingerly walked up to a woman sitting in her bottom bunk and asked if she would be willing to talk to me about Jesus. She said her hip was injured, and she could not get out of bed. As I was about to walk off, she lowered her head and told me it was her birthday. I quickly thought of how I spent my last birthday, which was more like THE WEEK OF ASHLEY, with many loved ones calling me and celebrating with me.

I didn’t know what to say to comfort her, but I heard Father Clay in my head saying that lovely prayer I hear every Sunday. So, I sat on the floor next to her and said the birthday prayer. With a tear running down her cheek, she thanked me. Not long afterwards, she got out of her bunk and we ate lunch together talking about Christ.

There were a lot of tears that day. I spoke with 16 women, and I heard about broken homes, addiction, loss of hope, panic, fear, children without mothers, lost fortunes, and sexual assault. I learned that these women don’t go outside, don’t have jobs, don’t exercise, don’t do anything but sit in their Pod and suffer through each second until their time is done.

They eat breakfast at 3:30am, and lunch at 10:30 (I guess it doesn’t matter if there are no windows and you don’t know what time it is). It is with the grace of God I didn’t throw up the mystery meat and soggy slop served for lunch, but I gained the respect of the 4 women I ate with and they were more willing to listen to me talk about faith.

I learned that there is a church service on Sunday for 40 people, first come first serve and no one is able to get there on time because they are at the mercy of the guards. I learned that some guards are saved and some need saving. Mostly, I learned that by listening without judgment and praying, God can instill hope in the hopeless.

I wish I could say that I said something profound or biblical or brought many people to Jesus. I can’t. But I can say that I prayed with these suffering women for hope and peace and acceptance and the love of Christ in their hearts. I saw their tears dry up, smiles return to their face, and some dignity restored as I looked them in the eye and shook their hand.

What I gained from challenging myself to do this ministry is the understanding that I do not need to recite Bible verses by memory in order to show Christ’s love. All I had to do was listen, show kindness and demonstrate humility.

Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” This was the verse that really pushed me to agree to this ministry. After spending time with these women and walking in their shoes for one day, I understood the “least” part of the passage. There are people out there who are treated worse than I treat my dog, and it really doesn’t take much to show them the light of Christ that lives in all of us.

I challenge anyone who has had those same defeating thoughts when reading about a ministry to push yourself through the doubt and just obey. I was humbled to my knees in gratitude for the blessings in my life, and my faith and spiritual gifts grew more than I knew they could. All of the women I met asked me to pray for someone other than themselves….daughters, mothers, husbands, even the prison guards. But I thank God for those 16 women and pray for each of them because they gave me a gift that I can truly cherish.

Anticipation came early,
That cold foggy day.
Please, God, provide me
With the right words to say.

We were there to talk of Jesus
To reach souls that time forgot.
But a cold chill ran though me
As I heard the cell doors lock.

The pod had no windows.
The lights were always on.
No privacy in showers,
And no time to be alone.

These women were confined.
All their dignity lost.
Paying for mistakes
And at what great cost.

Some were anxious to talk
And welcomed us there.
Others stayed in their bunks
Full of fright and dispare.

As I ministered to some ladies
Reading from the good book,
I noticed three young girls
Giving us dirty looks.

One approached and picked up
The Bible we had.
And carried it back to her friends –
How sad.

For she opened and spat
On God’s Holy Word.
All laughing so loud
That everyone heard.

I looked at my ladies,
Our heads slowly bowed –
And we prayed for the lost ones
Who were laughing out loud.

At the end of the day
Feeling blessed to be free.
A woman took my hand
And asked to pray for me.

Such a beautiful long prayer –
That people hushed to listen.
Tears ran down my face,
I was blessed in that prison.

I left part of my heart
In that unsettled pod.
My experience changed me
Thanks be to God !!!!!!!

-- Daisy O. Lollis

Have you ever been caught outside in a sudden, torrential Texas rainstorm? You know, the kind of downpour that drenches you whether you are only a few yards from protective cover or not… whether you have an umbrella or not. I recently had the opportunity to experience a rainstorm kind of like this. It wasn’t a rainstorm with moisture though. It was a downpour of God’s incredible GRACE!

It all started innocently enough with an invitation to eat dinner and listen to folks talk about prison ministry. Textbook entrapment?!?! Everything sounded fine, and it seemed like a worthwhile cause. I thought I might like to try this someday with an emphasis on someday. Little did I know that someday was only a few months a way. What excuses could I find now? I thought to myself…"self, you are a busy, family man and this requires a whole weekend…and if that isn’t enough, aren’t you afraid of that big “E” word they call evangelism?”

A few weeks later I was still riding the fence feeling good about myself because at least I was still considering it. Then I was reminded by my own answering machine greeting to “be a SHEEP not a GOAT” referring to Matthew 25:31-46 where Jesus tells us that one way to be a sheep (i.e. righteous servant) is to visit prisoners.

Wow, I had never noticed that word visit. That sure made evangelism more palatable. Jesus goes on to say that “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” You mean taking the time to visit with prisoners was like doing something for Jesus!

With seconds remaining to beat the commitment deadline, I signed up half hoping something else would come up to justify me backing out. Thank God nothing did. The days leading up to the prison ministry weekend were stacked full of potential excuses, but the “be a SHEEP” verse kept ringing louder.

On the morning of the event, I boarded a van with about 10 guys and a caravan of about 60 other guys headed to a Mineral Wells pre-release prison full of 2,000+ inmates. I am no math major, but the odds seemed overwhelming. I was full of anxious excitement not really knowing what to expect while trying to focus on visiting with prisoners and doing it for Jesus.

As we arrived, the prison grounds had the classic prison look with high fences, razor-sharp barbwire, multiple layers of defense, armed officers, dorm-style barracks, outdoor weightlifting area (think “The Longest Yard”), etc.

Shortly after we gained entrance onto the grounds, the outdoor program began with inmates pouring out of the barracks. The basic structure of the program was singers, entertainers, and dynamic speakers sharing their faith and encouraging the inmates with the hope of Jesus. Once they were finished, the inmates could talk with “their friends”…that was me.

It seemed like a tough act to follow, but I was eager to give it a try. Each of us could stay on the grounds or go to a pre-assigned barrack. As the inmates shared stories of their past, it became evident that alcohol abuse, drug addictions, family breakdowns, financial difficulties, and marital problems played a big role in their imprisonment.

I began to remember what my life was like before Christ. It sounded somewhat familiar to the inmate’s stories. It was out of control, sloppy, indulgent, and purposeless. I then began to feel the fullness of God’s grace in my life and in the life of the inmates. I could see bitterness in the inmates who missed God’s grace. Their hearts were prisoners to anger, guilt, and depression. I could see joy in the inmates who embraced God’s grace. Their hearts flourished with forgiveness, hope, and peace.

My most memorable moment came when I was in one of the barracks discussing faith with an inmate in his room. I heard the stern, loud voices of prison officers telling the inmates that it was time for “COUNT”! For the inmates, this meant that they needed to get to their rooms so that the guards could make sure everyone was present and accounted for. For me, it meant I needed to leave the barracks and go outside; otherwise, I might throw off the count and delay their afternoon release.

Unfortunately, this also meant that I needed to stop ministering. My first reaction was to be rebellious and stay. My next reaction was disappointment. Why did I have to leave? How are these inmates ever going to find out about Jesus if I have to leave? About the time this thought crossed my mind, I remembered it wasn’t about me.Jesus could make Himself known whether I was in the room or not. I felt the Holy Spirit convict me of self-righteous pride…kind of like I was trying to earn acceptance from God. My more wise reaction was to pray for the inmates.

Sitting outside, I heard a distant shout from another barrack. I tried to ignore it…after all, I was praying…but the shouting continued. I soon realized the voice was shouting at me. It was an inmate from the second floor of another barrack. He wanted to know if I was down there praying; moreover, he wanted to know why I was praying for them because they were bad people.

I began to share my faith in Jesus with him while he was hanging out his second story window. We were able to talk about what it means to put your faith in Jesus, and he accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior.

You want to talk about a God full of grace. Not five minutes before, I was being a self-righteous, prideful person thinking God had to have me to get anything done. Yet God in His grace used me in this young man’s life, and just like God gave me another chance, God’s grace gives Sedrick another chance…a life with hope, peace, and joy because nothing can separate us from the love Christ has for us. I pray that Sedrick’s life will change, and I hope that he leads others to Christ.

What blessings did I receive during the prison ministry weekend?

• I was trained in how to share my faith with others.
• I experienced the joy of knowing that I was doing what Jesus asked of me.
• I got to plant seeds of hope that only Jesus can give to people who think that God would never let them into heaven.
• I was reminded of God’s grace for prisoners and sinners like me.
• I met other Christians from around the world to encourage me in my journey.
• I got to experience God’s impeccable and perfect timing, and
• I witnessed the power of prayer.

• I also learned a lot during the prison ministry weekend about myself and more importantly about God.
• I learned that we are significant not because of what we do, but because of whose we are.
• I was reminded that when the grace of God is embraced, forgiveness flourishes.
• I remembered that I am not strong enough to remove my sin, and I am not good enough to erase it.
• I witnessed that grace fosters an eagerness for good not a desire to sin.
• I learned that God’s grace gives you power and motivation for Christ-like living, and
• I was reminded that grace is summed up in the name, person, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you Lord for drenching us in Your amazing grace!
-- Greg