Excerpts from Open Mike

I would rather all my life be like these 3 days, I hope so to. Up and down it doesn't matter, but with God. I'll be praying for you. Thank God.

When I got the invite, I think my main purpose was to eat and get full off that good Kairos food I've been hearing about. And something happened, I got real full, not on food, oh yeah, I got full on food to, but I got more fullness out of the Word of God and from the love that I felt being around all these people, free world and my brothers in white. I've never had such an experience before, honest to God, out of my heart.

Translated from Spanish: It's a good opportunity for him and he hopes he keeps on going the way he is. He'll be released in 3 months and he hopes to continue the walk outside.

I've wanted to join Kairos and God blessed me to join up now. I see love in it. I see people that got eyes sparkling and I want that. It' going to be work but I'm going to take it serious in my heart and open up my inner self.

Thanks to God who showed me His love through all these people right here.

Thank God for another blessed day.

Lot of you know me personally, you know me directly or indirectly and it's a strong Lord to come up here where a lot of us can't be touched, there's a fence around us, we're going nowhere, that's how we live our life. But, God sent people in here; God broke those walls down. I found a group I can talk to, open up to. I've still got a lot to change, for the way I made my life, but I'm tired. How can I tell my 11 year old little girl that I gave the gang my all; that I put my home boys over my people, my family?

This is God's special time. God is here - grab hold of Jesus, He is the way, the truth, and the light.

God wants us to find peace and love, everybody.

I'm tired, been doing time since 1987 and I'm tired of carrying others on my back; this thug life is no good anymore.

I am very blessed and enjoying this opportunity immensely.

I hope to see all this love out there, in the unit, when we leave from here.

Excerpts from Closing

I came in with a group of bad guys and we're leaving in tears; we came and we felt it (the Holy Spirit), we really did.

We found the Holy Spirit is real and abides in each one of us.

We were all here by divine intervention, on the part of Jesus Christ….

We found love, love, love, love and we are taking love, love, love, love, and more love away with us.

I came as a lost sheep and the Kairos people were the shepherd that came looking for the lost and confused. I am willing to put my life back together. I found love, guidance, love, understanding, love, peace, love. I'm leaving with hope and joy.

I had a set mind. I found a lot of different stuff and I was able to put the cliques aside and become a new person. I am taking a better understanding of who I am and who you are and I know I am loved.

 I arrived with a knowledge of God but no personal relationship. I learned that people really do love, care, and will help you. It's hard to trust people; hard to open up but I see it is possible to open up to people. Love does exist, I feel it. I could get used to these hugs and I would like to have the courage to show this love to others.

I learned a lot; I've been locked up 16 years; today I broke down and cried when you people said "Happy Birthday", it feels good.

I came with no faith, no love for nobody; what I find here is love, the love of God. I'm taking away a seed God planted in my heart.

My heart was torn up and I had strayed away from church. I found warmth, love, and my heart opened up and poured out; after shedding tears, it felt good to be loved and love is pouring out of me. I really opened up and I'm trying to get back with God.

I've always known Jesus Christ but now I have an understanding of unconditional love and I'm taking away all your love with me.

I was lost when I came but I met 3 guys and they showed me the things God showed them and things others taught them. Someone gave a talk about a wall people build…I built one and it's lonely on that side of the wall; those 3 guys helped me take out a stone in the wall.

I feel that God has sent all of you loving, caring people to help me and my brothers learn to turn that little light on, that light we refuse to turn on, that seed. I can admit this now, when I came I came with fears; no more fear ever because God and my family is with me.

I came hungry for the Word. I found a lot of new brothers who love me. I'm still hungry for the Word and I'm not ready to leave but I must.

It was a blessing to attend the walk, to hear the Word and the sharing God's love.

What I went through here was personal but I can say this "I was blessed and God is good!"

I had fallen far off track with the checkbook called faith, not a cent in it. The outpouring of love given to me was overwhelming and indescribable. I know, despite falling from the path, God still loves me and that Jesus is still calling me and I must answer, and I will, and I will. I will take great memories, a lot of love. I could do the talk but I learned how to dance with God.

I'm a Christian and I came here willing, I came here to give out of my heart and to hopefully receive. What I received was an abundance of love. It's been spiritually exhilarating for me. The babies that made these pictures …I am really taken back by that…and I can't begin to describe …they are just babies and they've been given a revelation by God.

I came here hurt, aggravated, let down, depressed, and all my time growing up in State School and this penitentiary….I had to hide everything. I felt betrayed…I gave love and didn't get it back…I came in here and I felt love (it didn't cost me anything) and I found God.

Excerpts from Letters

The program is beyond anything I'd imagined. It's been a long time -if ever- that I've felt so much love in one room.  …my soul has been fed with the ever-so nourishing word of God!

…it really did hit me in my heart with tears running down from my eyes and I'm so glad that I went to Kairos and it's my first time going there but I learned a lot of beautiful things of God, I did,….

Don't stop praying for me and everyone….

I mean, who ever thought I'd be quoting verses out of a Bible!

There is something great at work here and I will not turn aside from my pursuit of a meaningful relationship with Jesus. My Mom will be pleased to no end to hear the good news about my running towards the right direction.

I have always been a believer in Christ, but my faith was half-hearted. But because of this most empowering weekend I am re-affirming my faith and re-dedicating my life to Jesus.

God have change my life with a lot of hate to love, peace, joy.

If y'all only knew how this Walk has made me feel inside, its  kinda hard to sum it up in to words, but if I must, I'd have to say, "Love." If you can, I'll like for you to pray for an ask the Lord to give me Strength to make it in here as I live it day by day!

I'm a new man.

…not only did I hear about God, but I saw His love in action.

The presence of God was flowing in the room of the Chapel every single day we were there.

….there are no words I can say to express the way I feel, I just have to show someone the love that y'all showed me and after all it is one of God's Greatest Commandments…… Love thy Neighbor.

I will continue my walk with Christ and the Kairos community.

I will try to live up to this love, so that I can one day show that love to someone that needs it like I did this Weekend.

One important thing I experienced this weekend is the meaning of "unconditional love", I've been loved, cared for and even fed good, "real good" without feeling or being obligated to anything. I admit it took me a while to learn how to react to such an    experience, never in my life has anyone loved me just because. I truly believe if I would have been blessed with this certain love long time ago, I probably wouldn't be in the situation I'm in today. Thanks to our Lord and of course the people He used to make this happen in my life, I now look at my days in a different perspective.

The best feeling of all is the tears that some how come when your not really thanking about anything, but the Lord work through people to get to some one therefor it made a big different when I got the mailbag, as I red the letters something inside took over. The tears came again. The more I red the more I wanted to cry. I didn't want any to see me with tears in my eyes, so I look up to see if they were looking, but most of them had tears coming from their faces, too. I just smile because I know love is the best feeling in the world and I know Jesus love me.

On this weekend God have shine His light on my life, He have gave me a new life and a way to love other.

It has made me feel alive again, and realize there is still hope/love. I have had a spiritual awakening and have decided that I care for myself on a level other than just physical survival. That newfound love for myself has manifested a compassion in me for my fellow man. That had long since gone dormant inside me.

I have not only been forgiven but have also learned to forgive. "God is good."

I've felt so human these last few days I've been close to tears.

Growing up I didn't give the Lord and His children the chance that they so richly deserved. I feel this time of growing has begun something new for me. I won't tell you I am ready today to make the giant leap I should. However, I am more than willing to continue to learn and become closer to God.