Dear Sponsor,

We offer the inmates who have completed the weekend the opportunity to write a letter to their financial sponsors. Almost all of them do. However since we have assigned the financial sponsors on a arbitrary basis, it creates a dilemma. Only a few of these men can write very well, and only a few of those have the talent to express themselves. Who should we send the wonderful letters to and who should get the others? We have chosen to send a copy of the very best letter, and then to do excerpts that will give you a feel for what some of the other better letters said.

However, the very best comment I heard about the weekend was not in a letter. In fact, the man who made it was one of the few who didn't write a letter. He was one of the candidates who had been a member of a racist group and had been given the task of killing someone on the weekend, during the weekend. By pure chance, I was in the Chaplain's office on Monday when this young man was called in to be told that his father had died that morning. The Chaplain started by asking how the young man's family relations were, and the young man said "They didn't used to be very good; I ran away from home when I was 13 and I didn't have anything to do with my parents. I keep in touch with my sister and I told her about my Kairos. She was so happy to hear about the changes in my life that she told my parents and they came to see me for the first time three weeks ago. . . . My father is dying!" After the Chaplain gave him the sad news and they had talked for a little while, he asked what the young man thought about the Kairos now, almost four weeks latter. He said "I did a lot of drugs, and I had some mighty high times when I was in the world. I thought I had done it all, but I never had as much fun or had a weekend that I would trade for that Kairos weekend, I just never understood!"

I am not sure the young man knows how to write, I know that I don't have the skill to convey the conviction that came through his plain spoken, deadpan manner, but I know that you have helped one young man more than you will ever know. Thank you.

One man wrote:

". . . I have received a blessing from the Lord Jesus this weekend I didn't know that I could ever be loved this much. It has really changed my life. I thank God for his love and I thank you for all you have done. . . ."

One man wrote:

". . . It has been a great and wonderful experience. It was hard for myself to believe that anything like this could happen behind these walls. But thank God he makes all good things happen. . . ."

One man wrote:

". . . Through my Kairos Walk, I've Something of great value and hopefully I'll be able to share with my daughter what was shared with me. Never have I been so welcomed by total strangers and the Joy, Peace and satisfaction to be able to cry as Children, pray and sing and not feel embarrassed when tears were running down my Cheeks.

So much was expressed through the love of Jesus Christ. I just want to thank everyone who is involved and with Hopes that Someone is the future will have the same blessing that I received. . . ."

One man wrote:

". . . I want to say Thank You for Kairos and I want to say through you and the wonderful program that I am not lost anymore, my life has a new perspective, and when I take the time and look at each individual that I can share the love of Jesus Christ with them. . . ."

Russell Townley wrote:

"My name is Russell Townley, a member of the family of St. Paul. I have been asked to write a letter based on "3" questions.

1.) What spiritual condition did I arrive at the Kairos Walk Apr 22-25, 1999

2.) What did I find at the Kairos Walk

3.) What am I taking away with me from the Kairos walk.

I arrived at Kairos - Hughes #4 scared to take a step toward Christ. confused because I know nothing about the Bible. But I did arrive with an open mind. I've always been scared and confused to put my trust in anyone. Now I have a different outlook. and I will explain that in the next 2 questions.

I found a new meaning to my life. I found out that in Christ I will never be alone again, and that I will always have a new found family in Jesus Christ our savior. I found that life has meaning in Christ, I have always my whole life walked in darkness. Now I have seen the light, and I am now looking to climb out of the dark pit I've been in for 36 years and find my way to the mountain top.

I am taking with me, a better understanding of how to give and receive love, a willingness to forgive, a better understanding of how to trust my fellow man. I am especially learning how to read and understand scripture so that I may work on my personal intimate relationship with God. I only hope and prayer I don't stumble or fall. And if I do I believe in my new found friends faith that God will put me back on the proper path, or pick me up ad dust me off so that I may continue to have that intimate relationship. I have decided that the time has come for me to put my life in God's hands. I'm ready to become one of David's might men (2 Sam 23:8) and stand my ground and fight Satan with all I've got, and with what God arms me with. May God bless you and anyone around you.

Your brother-in-Christ

Russell Townley

These were some of the comments made during Open Mike/Closing:

"I got a letter from a Friend of mine, Christ, it made me cry."

"I got some letters from children who said they loved me, it broke my heart."

"I need this, the Lord gave me a spanking and made me cry"

"I still got a wall & I still got stones I take out and polish, stones I got to get rid of, please help me!"

If I act like a racist, I am, even if I am not! I can't act like that anymore!"

"I want you, my brothers, to come up and tell me if you see me doing bad things, come and pray with me. I won't get mad I promise. I need that!"

"The Lord threw us a curve ball and it hit me in the nose and made me cry!"

"I tried to row straight few times but I fell off and I have been drowning ever since. Hearing from the Kids makes me know I got to get in the boat again."

"Not long ago we would all be killing each other but here we are loving on each other, there must be a God at work in this!"

"Christ has chased me for 37 years now I caught Him!"

"The Holy Spirit is so clever! He got us all here to fix us, I just wish my mother, wife and daughter were here to see me claim Christ. I am a four decade loser I been in prison during each of the last four decades. I owe it to my family and to my brothers to be a better example."

"I always tried not to show my hate, I didn't know that anyone loved me, even my family. I thank my God for taking away my hate."

"I did something that I didn't know I could do. I opened up, I dropped my shield 'cause you have to hold on to Jesus with both hands!"

"I found a whole bunch of friends, especially the one who set me up for this whole thing, ---- Jesus Christ!"

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