On this bright and warm Saturday morning, I left my cell to go to one of the prison's two recreational yards...
During the weekends, every inmate, unless he's at his work assignment or is confined to his cell for disciplinary reasons, has the choice of which yard he wants to go to.
And because I like my space, I chose the East Yard. The East Yard is all grass and dirt as opposed to the West Yard which is mostly heat absorbing blacktop. It consists of a ball field and a walking and running track which encircles its perimeter. The East Yard is also much larger in size, and so there's more room to roam around.
It was in the East Yard where I ran into one of my best friends, Ron (not his real name). Like me, he's a Christian, and we both attend the various chapel services and Bible studies which are offered here.
Interestingly, however, before coming to prison with a life sentence, Ron was a police officer. He accepted Christ as his Savior while he was at the infamous Riker's Island jail in New York City. He was here to await his trial, and he stayed on the Island until the verdict was announced. Since then, Ron has done time in Attica Prison, and he's now been incarcerated for about twelve years.
Yet, if you were to talk to Ron, he will honestly admit that it took coming to prison to wake him up. Today he's a strong believer.
Nevertheless, it is ironic that Ron went from cop, to convict, to Christian. Not too many people have gone this route to Calvary's cross; I often tease him about this in a good-natured way.
Ron never thought when he first joined the police force that he'd end up in here with the men he once arrested. God has a sense of humor. Furthermore, the Lord has kept him safe because, like me, he lives in the general population. In all his years behind bars, no inmates have ever bothered him because of what he did for a living in the past. Ron is a fortunate man.
D.B.
And because I like my space, I chose the East Yard. The East Yard is all grass and dirt as opposed to the West Yard which is mostly heat absorbing blacktop. It consists of a ball field and a walking and running track which encircles its perimeter. The East Yard is also much larger in size, and so there's more room to roam around.
It was in the East Yard where I ran into one of my best friends, Ron (not his real name). Like me, he's a Christian, and we both attend the various chapel services and Bible studies which are offered here.
Interestingly, however, before coming to prison with a life sentence, Ron was a police officer. He accepted Christ as his Savior while he was at the infamous Riker's Island jail in New York City. He was here to await his trial, and he stayed on the Island until the verdict was announced. Since then, Ron has done time in Attica Prison, and he's now been incarcerated for about twelve years.
Yet, if you were to talk to Ron, he will honestly admit that it took coming to prison to wake him up. Today he's a strong believer.
Nevertheless, it is ironic that Ron went from cop, to convict, to Christian. Not too many people have gone this route to Calvary's cross; I often tease him about this in a good-natured way.
Ron never thought when he first joined the police force that he'd end up in here with the men he once arrested. God has a sense of humor. Furthermore, the Lord has kept him safe because, like me, he lives in the general population. In all his years behind bars, no inmates have ever bothered him because of what he did for a living in the past. Ron is a fortunate man.
D.B.
