This last week I had the opportunity to do prison ministry once again. I knew somewhat what to expect but what I got from it was so much more than I could have even imagined.
It started out with some of the girls being apprehensive and slightly intimidated by the thought of going into a prison. I know that it is crazy to think about going into prison. I knew that they would thrive more than they thought possible.
The first night we went into the prison we got to do a drama performance for about 520 women in an all ladies prison at the Hobby Unit just outside of Waco, Texas. It was a time for mostly the first year students to perform and to share their hearts to the inmates. They were the most fun crowd I have seen to perform for.
The next day the ladies of Cadre and other women counselors from Mike Barber Ministries(pro-claim.tv) were able to go back into the unit and talk to the inmates one-on-one. It is one of my favorite things to do!
I got to talk with a couple ladies that first day. The first lady was Karen. Hmm...she had been through so much in her life. She had been in prison for 17 years I believe. What touched me most about her story was that she had 4 kids-1 girl and 3 boys. Her daughter is living with her mom but the 3 boys she had given up for adoption. What touched me the most about that was the fact that she has no idea where they are.
Aside from talking with the inmates both days I was incredibly blessed by talking to the other counselors that went into the prison with us. One lady I started talking to about Cadre and she asked what I wanted to do after. I told her I wanted to do missions either long term or short term. She began to tell me story after story of her experiences smuggling bibles and tracts into Russia and other countries that she could have been killed for taking them in. Time after time God made a way for the guards, dressed in camo carrying m16s, to not notice and go through her luggage and her sons luggage.
She assured me that God will provide for me and give me miracles to do His work.
That night I talked to another lady, Colleen, who I got to chat with while waiting to get searched to go into the prison. She said there was an inmate she talked to that day that was wailing b/c of the program we did the night before. She said that inmate said she would never be the same.
At that moment I was so very humbled. I looked at the crowd of 600 inmates that were in the gym thinking of how unworthy I am to be able to minister to these women. I could easily have been in their position but God has led me from that path. I was so humbled in knowing that because I was willing, God made me able.
