KAIROS PRISON MINISTRY, Hughes #5

10705 Glass Mountain Trail

Austin, Texas 78750

(512) 258-9887

E-mail: williehj@us.ibm.com

October 20, 1999

Dear KAIROS Sponsor:

Thank you for your prayers and financial support for KAIROS #5 at the Hughes Maximum Security Unit in Gatesville, Texas. May God richly bless you for your generosity.

Since you weren't there in the flesh, I would like to share a brief summary of what happened on Hughes KAIROS # 5 on Oct. 7-10, 1999. On Thursday, the free-world interdenominational team of 40 lay and clergy men entered the Unit to bring the love of Jesus and hope to 43 men-in-white. Following a brief time of sharing and cookie eating, we each introduced ourselves to the entire group and stated why we came to KAIROS. Many stated that they came strictly for the food, or they heard that they would have a good time. Some however stated that they had seen a positive change in a friend who had been to KAIROS and wanted the same experience.

During the next three days, all participants were provided an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, cookies and delicious foods. Food plays an important part in the KAIROS weekend. This is one of the few programs where special food is allowed to be brought into the prison. I call it special food, but it's food that you and I take for granted -- fresh fruits and vegetables. I can remember one brother saying that he had not had lettuce in 13 years.

On Friday each candidate was introduced to his Table family which consisted of six candidates, two laymen and a clergyman. During the remainder of the weekend the table family bonded as they listened to talks on Christianity, discussed the talks, drew posters, sang, and prayed together.

On Saturday many of the candidates began to realize that the men on the KAIROS team have come for the single purpose of sharing Jesus and don't expect anything in return. Our motto is "Listen-Listen-Love-Love". We don't prejudge them or ask them about their crime or sentence. Our goal is for each candidate to see Jesus living in us and to come to understand that we love Jesus and desire for them to have the same personal experience. We try to show them that we love them as brothers of Christ and that Jesus still loves them no matter what they have done --- we try to set up an environment for the Holy Spirit to work through us. On Saturday evening, each candidate had the opportunity to publicly share what they were experiencing on the KAIROS weekend. During this time of sharing, most candidates expressed their joy for the unconditional agape love that has been show them. And many cried for the first time in many years. One candidate stated, "I want to thank you for loving a wretch like me and praying for me. I've known a mother's love because it's a requirement and I've known a kid's love because they know no better, but I've never known love just cause ..." Saturday ended with a very emotional Forgiveness Service, where each participant was asked to write a list of people they have not forgiven, maybe their mother, or their lawyer, or the person that testified against them, and to include themselves and maybe even God. The participants were then asked to forgive the persons on the list as God has forgiven them. We all then burned the lists in a bucket of fire.

On Sunday we began our day with a Commitment Service where we presented our commitment to the Lord, as we shared, as one body, one loaf of bread. At this time many candidates accepted the Lord for the first time and two mature Christians accepted the call to ordained ministry. Here we witnessed the miracle of a Satan worshiper give up his evil spirits and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. We also witnessed an embittered Arian Nation gang member give up his hate and accept the love of his Father and his Christian brothers of all races, as two Black clergymen laid hands on him. Ohhh what an awesome sight, there was not a dry eye in the house. On Sunday afternoon each candidate was presented a cross with the statement "Christ is Counting on You". Each candidate then responded with the statement "And I am Counting on Christ". The weekend ended with a Closing Service which was attended by all of the weekend participants including the women on the outside team that prepared the food, other men-in-white that had attended previous KAIROS weekends, and free-world guests.

Enclosed is a letter from the candidate you sponsored financially. The candidates were told they each had a financial sponsor, but for obvious reasons we did not tell them your name. I encourage you to go to our Hughes Unit Web site at http://www.vs5.cirinc.com/Kairos_hughes/ to see a more complete set of letters and comments.

Again thank you for your prayers, for your encouragement, and for your financial support. I am grateful that your response to God's love has been to share with these men and bring hope to those that have little reason for hope. Your love makes all the difference. Your financial support makes it possible. In the most real of ways, you are indeed "visiting Christ in prison".

May God's peace enfold you,

Willie

Willie H. Johnson, Rector