Kairos Prison Ministry - March and September every year
Guidelines for giving to Kairos
My heart is one for the Kairos ministry. Every part of Kairos I love; meetings, fellowship, mission, weekend, pray and share, etc. God worked through this ministry to change my husband's heart and to relight my spiritual flame. This last Kairos really hit me hard though. It just left me feeling that God has more in store for me and I have to figure out what that is, where I am meant to fill a void outside of Kairos. My brother says it may be a day to day meet needs as they arise or something bigger. I just need to pray. So this weekend...
This weekend was unlike my prior ones in that we had several believers who had found/recommitted to their faith behind bars. One lady who really had me thinking was Bradi, a wife and mother of six, who accredited God with saving her family by allowing her to be incarcerated. Her husband and her had no interest in becoming sober until she was tried and taken from her family for years. Today they are both sober and she gets released this December with the sole mission to win her husband and six children (26-4) over to Christ. She came to Kairos to learn how to do that and learned the key was patience, love, and endurance. She had a rough weekend with her husband forgetting her birthday Friday and her son having a seizure on Saturday. On Sunday she walked away stronger in her faith realizing that through these trials God prevailed and kept her on track. Her son who had never had a seizure before and had stopped breathing was asked last minute that night to be babysat by his grandmother, a registered nurse who happen to know what to do to save his life.
Every weekend it never ceases to amaze me that the one who walks in most determined to not change every weekend is the one that walks away a totally changed person in Christ. This weekend it was Morgan.
It was an emotionally exhausting weekend for me. I met a girl Datara from the city I live in who knew all the areas I knew and chose me to confide in. She will be released in February to be with her bright six year old daughter and sadly has no desire to change. She was like me as a youth; sheltered, shy, quiet and a rule abider. Until one day someone killed her brother who she was very close to. It turned her world upside down and therein she chose to live her life in a poor way. She reminded me why I serve. There is great hurt in this world and therein a great need for Jesus. You can plant seeds and they may not sprout but it is the will of God that we share our faith. Mark2:17," 17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
I know this is long so cut what you will but I could tell many stories! So much happens in four days!!!! Thank you for allowing us to share!
Karla
Call for dates to bring letters, cookies for upcoming weekends - 440-479-1588
Bring all letters, cookies etc. to Prince of Peace the Sunday before the weekend.
Letters - Handwritten letters with uplifting, positive messages can be addressed "Dear Brother in Christ" and signed with first name and last initial only. for example only: Dear Kairos Brother, I thank the Lord that you are here on your Kairos weekend. Let go and let God touch your heart. I am praying that you will allow yourself to relax and enjoy this time with God and allow Him to bless you. You are very precious to Him and He loves you! Have a great time this weekend! God Bless You! Joe P.
Children's and youth's letters can have age added, if desired.
NO last names, phone numbers, addresses, schools, etc. allowed. All letters are to be placed in unsealed envelopes or left folded with no envelope.
All letters will be read before given to the inmates. Please do not refer to their crimes, imprisonment or sin. (Kairos never asks about the crime or the time.) No stickers allowed.
Pictures, Posters - hand-drawn or colored from coloring books are fine. Should have first name and last initial and age only, as with letters. No embellishments, such as beads, glitter, pasta, sand, etc. NO stickers, glue or tape.
Place mats - hand-decorated (use plain white paper place mat.) Can be signed as above.
Cookies - Cookies should be approximately 2" across. Favorites are chocolate chip, peanut butter, snicker doodles, molasses, ginger snap, no-bakes, rice krispie treats, oatmeal, peanut butter with Hershey kisses, M&Ms in cookies.
NO -raisins, dried fruit, sprinkles, powdered sugar or nuts allowed. Cookies should be packed in cardboard boxes, single layer with wax paper. Can be stacked on end, if cookie texture allows. Please NO- aluminum foil, plastic bags or plastic wrap.
"Green Agape" - also known as CASH. Anyone desiring to make a financial contribution should make check , if applicable, to "Kairos PA District, Inc."
We are unable to take in mass, printed materials, such as books, pamphlets, tracts. Copied materials will not be taken in.
May all your sacrifices of time and efforts be greatly blessed as you share your love with the team and participants of Lake Erie Correctional Institution Kairos in this very special way.
Kairos Outside
Downloadable Images
Here are some images you can download - children should color and sign 1st name only & age.