Forty Two Letters

How often do you receive a letter in the mail? No, I mean an old-fashioned paper and ink message that came from someone’s fingers directly. Not an email shot off a computer screen.

Well, part of my assignment I accepted as a team member of Kairos #58 is the responsibility to hand write a letter to each individual inmate going through the upcoming program.

Forty two men have been chosen with ten alternates. Various reasons come into play as to why someone can’t come. They tell us not to sign a name on any of the letters, yet.

The name will be added the evening before they get these letters to ensure we know who’ll actually be receiving them.

I knew this was coming back in early April. There’s a week and a half before the weekend begins. I have yet to write my first letter.

Busy…that’s why.

My life has been way too busy lately. Between training sessions for Kairos and driving assignments coming one after another I haven’t had much time to focus on this task.

Some folks say they use a small note pad and write a short note of encouragement. God called me to write for crying out loud. You can’t expect me to skip through something this profound when God has given me this gift to pass on His words to others.

I was able to run Saturday evening so I can stay inside Sunday afternoon and evening to focus on this important role of inviting prisoners into God’s family.

Two things will be unique about these letters.

First, they’ll be printed rather than written out in cursive. They tell us to do that because many of the inmates aren’t highly educated. A letter written long-hand will be like trying to read a foreign language. Some of them will have to wait until they get back to their cell to find someone who can read it to them. Don’t judge them, it’s part of the reason they’re in prison to begin with.

Second, these envelopes will be sealed shut. It’s something we take for granted, but every piece of mail coming into and going out of a maximum security prison must be opened and read before it reaches it’s final destination. These sealed letters will be all the more precious to these men…like opening a Christmas present.

Kairos has such a great reputation with the prison system that they trust us to carry this out. Yes, it is a sincere privilege. That’s why I want to put thought and prayer into each piece of paper and ink I put my heart and soul into.

I was able to present what I have ready for my talk about Friendship With God this past Saturday. I received great feedback from the members of the team who heard it.

I could have been more prepared if God hadn’t given me a great idea to add to it at 4:30 Friday morning.

Pastor P says he’s going to steal it from me after the weekend. I told him I got it from a country preacher several years ago so go right ahead.

It’s a simple diagram overview of the Bible I need to make a slide for so everyone can better know what I’m saying.

Imagine a wide short letter X across a page with a cross in the middle of it.

The left side of the X is the Old Testament part of the Bible showing how it focuses on the promise of the coming Messiah.

The right side of the X is the New Testament showing the reach and impact Jesus is having since the cross and His resurrection.

I have until Friday the 18th to fine tune my talk. Pray I find the time to do the best I can and, more importantly, that the Holy Spirit uses my frail words to touch peoples’ hearts.

Oh, and while you’re praying keep something in mind. Where there are prisoners there are guards, too. Ask God to reach some of them who haven’t accepted Jesus as their Savior, yet. They’re going to be listening to our talks too.

Oh yeah, Satan has lost some of them in past Kairos weekends. I’d like to see it happen here, too.

Don’t worry. If I live to tell about the weekend I’ll fill y’all in on as many details as I’m allowed to share.

Now I have some letters to write.

I’ll see you later.   Wade