What is a Closing ?

At the end of the Weekend the men are brought to the old chapel where they are given their Kairos cross.  As it is presented they are told "Christ is counting on you" and they respond "And I am counting on Christ!"  The outside team was able to watch this ceremony for the first time on Hughes # 5.  Once that is done they are led to chapel where they are joined by the residents who have been through Kairos before.  They are also joined by people who support Kairos.  Generally about a hundred or so folks attend.  All are welcome, but you security requires that you fill out an application to attend three week prior to the event.  The presence of "free world" community is generally the last "pleasant surprise of the Weekend.

What follows are comments that where made by the resident when they were allow access to the mike to answer three questions: "What Spiritual condition was I in when I came to Kairos?" ; "What did I get from Kairos?" ; "What will I do with it?"

St. Matthew's table said: they found Love and a piece of good advice "I know that if I get in trouble, we need to drop to our knees.

St. Luke's table said:  We found Freedom in Christ and lost a lot of baggage.  "If Faith were money we would be walking away rich men!"

St. Paul's table said: You prayed the doors of our hearts open.  Now we want to pray the hearts of this prison open to Christ. "Our heads are full, our hearts are full, and our stomachs are very full --Thank God

St. James table said: We are liable to be put against the wall for preaching to the officers.  "This prison can't contain the Words we have to give!"

St. Peter's table said:  We found the spiritual Love to become an true asset to society.  "I once wrestled with a 700 lb bear.  He was easy compared to the struggle with God!"

St. John's table said: We came alone with no direction, but we leave with new family members and an appreciation of God's Grace and Love

One candidate look out at a Chapel full of men in white and men and women in colors said, "We started with just the small family but look at all of us.  Look out Satan you can't stop us!"

God has blessed me with a will to do better now.  Now I know what heaven looks like, it looks like the love I have been given this weekend.

I have seen a unity that teaches me how Christians are supposed to act.  All races - I am a changed man -- that other way isn't cool - I've got to take the Lord out of the corner and make Him the center of my life.  Now I going to turn Him lose - watch out TDC!

Now that I have been shown love, I can show it to others.  I don't read good, but I could read those letters!

I am not afraid to be an up front Christian anymore!  I found love, I'm not talking about a spoon full of love, I'm talking about a whole world full of Love.  I didn't think that anyone could love me, that I'm just big, fat, and ugly, but that is a lie from the Devil -- God does love me and that makes me pretty, no matter what anyone else says!

I know some of you guys thought I was too judgmental... I guess because I was!  Thank God He didn't wait for me to reach out to Him, because I didn't even know how.  Now all I know is I can never let go!

I was an eleven-year-old boy who had been hurt by someone in the church.  I took everything that had anything to do with God or the church, and put it in a hole and buried it.  I said I had buried God and I tried to live that way, as a good person in a world without God, look where I am.  I finally understood that I didn't bury God, I buried an eleven-year-old boy.  I see the face of that boy being restored to me... I have been made whole.  I make a commitment to God and I feel a peace I have never known.

I thought I had it all , but I didn't have anything.  I had no idea how little I had, but I know this, no one can keep me out of this chapel now!

I want the one who prayed for me to know that it worked, I will be a man of God.  I will do what God asks!

I've been running around all my life looking for the kind of Love that the New Testament talks about.  I have found that I have to be prepared to receive that love before I can get it.  I have to forgive others and love others but when I did I found it was more than I could understand.

I get nervous in front of a microphone, the last time I was in front of one, a Judge was asking me if I understood the verdict. I had been asked to tell the truth and I didn't, I will tell the truth now.  This whole unit will here the Truth!

I wanted to change and was literally crying to change but I didn't know how.  I didn't want to give up all the "good" things.  I ask the Lord to forgive me.  I'm not saying I won't stumble, but I'm going to count on you to help me, and I know you will!  I won't get mad when you show me I've been wrong.

I just came for the food!  But I had forgot about God.  I had all sorts of amulets and charms to keep God away.  I had a vision of a woman praying for me, and I tried to use my power to keep God away.  But God showed me that it wasn't right to try to hurt someone who is just trying to do good for me.  I had to give up, give up all my stuff.  I can't turn away from God anymore.  I will be a man of God.  I love Him!  Because he love me first!

I plan to take this love to others.  I have been looking down my nose at all of you guys, putting you down--- I am so sorry.  God and you guys don't play fair.  It took me five years in prison to become accustomed to being strip searched.  I didn't know that I was going to be stripped naked by God.  But I was, and I have been made clean, a new person, a person who will work as a minister for God.

For the first time in my life I felt the presence of God.  I was 29 years old on Tuesday, and no one remembered.  Not my mother, my father no one in my family, no one inside either.  But you guys brought me a birthday cake with candles and a card signed by every on the team (This is a standard part of Kairos)  I had never had that many folks at one of my Birthday parties.  Thank you God!

If I step out of line, please don't tell others.  Your job is to tell me, and help me follow God.  I promise I won't get mad either.

We talked about building walls but I got a letter form a little kid that broke those walls!  I've been a wrong man, I've been doing the wrong things, bad things.  When you see me doing wrong from now on don't be afraid to knock me aside the head--- man I need to do right.  I'm not going to be a home-by Christian.  God is not finished with me yet, but one day he will be.  Until then to one thing I know is that I can't leave Christ at home.  I have got have him with me, I can't live anymore without Him.