Do you know anyone in prison? Have you visited anyone in prison?
My friend, Tom Garland, does. He is involved and very dedicated to the prisoners incarcerated at Ellsworth Correctional Facility through their Spiritual Life center.
Spiritual Life Center
Recently, he invited people to attend a play that the prisoners were putting on at the prison. My friend, Gladys, age 90, went along. She related her experiences to me.
She was very impressed with the fact that they were Boys, not men. They craved a glance from her, or a smile and a wave. She freely gave them out, as she was escorted in a wheel chair by one of the inmates. When she spoke to the young man, he would stop, go along beside her, and look at her eyeball to eyeball as they spoke. As they were leaving, she asked when he would get out and why he was there. He replied that he had made really bad choices and that he should be released in 5 years. She looked at him, in the eye, and told him she could tell that he was a good boy. She promised that she would pray for him every day, and asked him to pray, as well. With tears in his eyes, he promised. Later, Tom asked if Gladys knew why the young man was in prison. She didn’t, but guessed it was because of gang involvement. She evidently was very close to the truth, and Tom added that he was convicted of murder. Gladys doesn’t care. She knows he will be ok.
It must be my week to be convicted by the Holy Spirit about “visiting the prisoners.” Here’s another story…..
Gary Reece was incarcerated for 25 years
- Gary Reese
for a crime he did not commit,
and he said it was a blessing.
Wow. I just heard about him today from my Facebook friend, Jerry Kohlbrand as he shared that Gary was seriously ill, and dying. Jerry’s version is much more personal and exciting! You just have to know Bro Jer. Please pray for Gary, and his wife. Please pray that his ministry will continue for years to come and inspire us to reach out to those who are in prison.
God reached out and touched Gary.
Tom reaches out, and Gladys did too.
Will I?
Will you?
A great reminder that too often we forget that the people behind bars are real people with real souls who for whatever reasons have made some bad, sometimes really bad, choices and are now paying the price. Several years ago I used to visit prisoners incarcerated in our city, most waiting to be sentenced and transferred to larger facilities. I’ll never forget one of them – in a drunken fight he had killed his best friend – he couldn’t believe that he would do such a thing. Now several years later he has served his time and is working as an addictions counselor.
My last years of teaching were spent in a secure custody facility for juvenile offenders – boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 15 who had committed serious, very often violent crimes. As well as teaching school subjects the challenge was to show them a better way of living, of teaching them the values that would prevent them from re-offending, of praying for them.. It was an awesome way to end a 39 year teaching career!
Thanks, Judy for your comments. I never really thought about teaching as a profession in prison. Never have really thought about prisoners at all, before. I did make some rosaries, and my friend Tom took them to Ellsworth. I am wondering about offering to play the piano there, too. Or singing. Or talking. something…