Does Kairos Work?

(Hughes 12 and later are at the end of the list to the left)

The first response to that question is to ask what do you mean by "work"

I would have to then ask which people you mean.  There are so many people involved in Kairos that I would have to break them down into four different groups.

1. The support group

   This is the largest group of people, these are the ones who bake the 48,000 cookies that are needed, who write the thousands of letters, who provide the placemats and other demonstrations of agape love, and most important, who provide the thousands of hours of prayer. 

   Yes, it works for them, because God blesses those who serve humbly and without reward.  These are the people who make a Kairos Weekend possible and most of whom never get to see the work of the Holy Spirit in person.  I know that this portion of Kairos works because I've personally eaten the cookies and I've seen the love expressed in the letters and I've felt the effect of those intercessory prayers.

    

2. The group called "The team"

   There are actually two parts to this group the first part is that group  that stays outside and does the work of the weekend.  These are the selfless workers who cook and prepare, who clean and count, and who support the weekend with prayer and worship.

   Yes, it works for them, because God blesses those who are willing to be used for by Him.  I know that it works for these people because they have told me of encountering Christ while washing dirty dishes, or in the Chapel praying over the requests sent out by the Residents.  I've seen it in their joyous faces as the other part of the team returns from the prison as they sing and celebrate the work that God has done that day.

   The second part of the team are those members who are allowed to go in and serve the Residents directly.  These are the ones who following the Kairos manual teach and explain what Christianity is and how Christ has worked in their lives.  Who, to use the words of G T Niles, are "one beggar telling another where to find bread."

   Yes, it works for them because they get to see first hand the works of God and the Holy Spirit.  This ministry is not for everyone, but neither is teaching Junior High School Bible Study.  Each call is the equal of others and we can take no pride in what we are called to, after all we are not the ones who make the call, and God has always had a habit of calling the least to the largest tasks.  But for those who God has called to proclaim his Truth in prison Kairos works.  It works because it provides a safe and structured way to answer that call.  Like anyone who answers their call from God those who answer this one are blessed by what they get to see God doing...  I know I've seen the blessing on others, and I've been blessed beyond all merit or measure.

    

3. The Stewards

   These are the Residents who have been through a previous Kairos weekends who do all the manual labor and hard work on the weekend and who take on the dangerous role of being a willing servant to another inmate.  They have nasty names for prisoners who are servants to others, and the nicest of them imply weakness.  These servants are not weak, but strong, they use the power that Christ has made available to all who seek to serve Him and the example they provide of willing service is a powerful witness of Christ at work in the lives of strong men and women.

   Yes, it works for them because as Christ has said:

   If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!
   American Bible Society. (1995). : Contemporary English Version) Mark 9:35

I know that it works for them because I have seen men who's only right is that they don't have to take instruction from other inmates act as nameless faceless servants.  I know because I've heard them step out boldly in faith and proclaim how Christ had freed them from the chains of hate, prejudice and selfishness

4. The Candidates

   The 42 who come looking for something to take away from the weekend.  What they wish to take is different.  For many, even most, what they wish to take is great food with the least possible involvement on their part.  For some it is a desire to leave the humdrum of daily life in prison.  For some it is the desire to meet potential 'customers' for whatever they have to sell or for what they can get.  For some it is find something to fill the voids in their life.

   For most who ask the Question of "Does Kairos work?" these are the men of whom the question is being asked.  Yes, I think Kairos works for these men, to see what they have to say about the program read their responses to the weekend to the left.