It is Monday morning after another Kairos four day weekend, and I am truly humbled again by the support of the Georgetown community for this mission project. I was just getting over the flu, and I was very rushed and disorganized trying to get everything together to take to the prison, so I didn't get to actually count all of the things I was taking with me. I know that I took over 350 dozen cookies, and I know that I had about 400 letters. Most important of all were the hours of prayers that were given. We serve an Awesome God whose people have so much love to share with these men. Thank you so much for what you have done; your love makes all the difference. In the most real of ways you are "visiting Christ in prison"

I have written in the past about the letters, and I could talk for days about what they mean in this mission. During the time they read the letters, each table of six will use more than a box of Kleenex! It is the single most important expression of Christian Love that these men have ever received. The weekend is not possible without them. I know how much effort is required to write those letters, and the love that comes through them is what breaks down their "walls" so Christ comes in. These letters are saved and read over and over again!

I have also talked about the cookies, and how the men on the weekend come to understand that the cookies represent God's grace and provide a graphic example that God has more grace than we can ever accept. If it were not so sad, it would be funny to see how they gorge themselves on cookies for the first few days until they realize that there are literally more cookies than they can eat, and they need to share them with others. But I did not understand the real role of those cookies in the Kairos ministry. Most (3200 of the 4000+ dozen) of the cookies are give out by team members that go from cell to cell giving each inmate a dozen homemade cookies. We have asked that all these cookies be baked with prayer and so we are giving each inmate not just cookies but prayers. Can a dozen cookies really make that much difference? No, but we know that the prayers do!

This weekend I was privileged to go with the men who went into Administrative Segregation. This is the "prison in a prison" where the "hard heads" go. Each inmate is in a cell by himself, often for his own protection. Each man is allowed out for only two hours a day, one hour into a small cage with a table and one hour into another small cage with a basketball hoop. They spend the other 22 hours a day in their cells. For their own safety, they are never allowed to be in contact with other inmates. These men are ranked from bad to worst in different "pods" from "A" to "F." Each pod has about 90 cells. As we entered "A" pod, we were told that "This one isn't too bad, just don't take offense at the language you are going to hear!" We did not hear a single cuss word. At "B" we were told it would be "rough", and again we didn't hear a single cuss word. At "C" pod, we were warned that some might try to assault us if we gave them an opportunity, and again we didn't even hear a single cuss word. As we entered "D" pod, we were warned that inmates here might throw body waste at us, and again we did not even hear the mildest of cuss words. The officer who was leading us through the pods was astounded and gave up trying to warn us! He could not believe that, not only did we not hear any cussing or receive anything less than perfect behavior, only one inmate refused to take our cookies when we had finished "F" pod.

I gave my cookies with a simple "God loves you," and I will be "seeing" their eyes for a long, long time. I am not sure at what point I began to understand that we were not giving away cookies but were planting seeds. There is not a doubt in my mind that some of those seeds will produce fruit in abundance. A special word to the "Kairos Kookie Krew" who baked 240 dozen cookies: by pure chance most of your cookies were used in "Ad Seg." Thank you again.

Does the all this prayer and effort make a difference? I want to tell you a little about the men who were the "pilgrims" six months ago. Most of them were selected to be vital team members serving the new "pilgrims" this weekend. We call them stewards. I have never seen men work harder, with such joy, or display as much evidence of the Holy Spirit. Remember that we are bringing in food that they will not see again for many years if ever (lasagna, brisket, salads, pizza), food fit for kings! Food: that is the "hook" to get men to come to Kairos, and generally stewards only get to serve once. Four of the stewards were fasting for the whole four days while they served that precious food to others! I don't know who they were, but we serve an Awesome God who can change men's hearts like this!