This past weekend I attended a 3 1/2-day spiritual retreat...
It was held in the prison's gymnasium, and it was great. Good food and fellowship. And I'm not ashamed to say I enjoyed the home-cooked meals as much as I enjoyed the teaching sessions. I hadn't eaten like this in almost forty years!
Twenty-two men who are all members of this particular ministry came to teach and encourage us through the Scriptures. Many of them have been involved with jail and prison ministry work for years, while some are fairly new at it. And while some are now living in retirement, most have regular jobs, and families to support as well. But all of them love God, and love us.
The event had full approval from prison officials, as this ministry is well known in many states. Approximately 50 to 60 inmates were in attendance, and everything turned out well. I got to meet a number of my fellow inmates for the first time, as I am still relatively new here at Shawangunk.
The only drawback, however, was the strip-searches. I had to go through a total of seven of them whenever a session would end and the inmates had to return to their respective cell blocks for a head count. Many of the guys complained about it, and I didn't like it either; I've been through hundreds of such searches throughout my years of incarceration. But I consoled myself by recalling to mind how the Lord himself was stripped of His clothing before an entire city. Talk about shame and embarrassment!
If the Lord had to endure such humiliation, I reasoned, my having to go naked before the eyes of prison guards was not such a big deal. Although physically drained from a weekend's worth of activities, my soul was totally refreshed.
D. B.
Twenty-two men who are all members of this particular ministry came to teach and encourage us through the Scriptures. Many of them have been involved with jail and prison ministry work for years, while some are fairly new at it. And while some are now living in retirement, most have regular jobs, and families to support as well. But all of them love God, and love us.
The event had full approval from prison officials, as this ministry is well known in many states. Approximately 50 to 60 inmates were in attendance, and everything turned out well. I got to meet a number of my fellow inmates for the first time, as I am still relatively new here at Shawangunk.
The only drawback, however, was the strip-searches. I had to go through a total of seven of them whenever a session would end and the inmates had to return to their respective cell blocks for a head count. Many of the guys complained about it, and I didn't like it either; I've been through hundreds of such searches throughout my years of incarceration. But I consoled myself by recalling to mind how the Lord himself was stripped of His clothing before an entire city. Talk about shame and embarrassment!
If the Lord had to endure such humiliation, I reasoned, my having to go naked before the eyes of prison guards was not such a big deal. Although physically drained from a weekend's worth of activities, my soul was totally refreshed.
D. B.
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