It's time for the Kairos weekend retreat at the Rayburn Prison and for the 2nd time I'm a member of the team. This is a great event, and a great group of people, who bring the love and message of Jesus to those who seemed most lost in the prison. It's a massive effort; lasting from Thursday afternoon to Sunday afternoon; all 4 days long, exhausting but rewarding beyond mere words.
One of the many things that the team uses over the weekend is homemade baked cookies. The men absolutely love the cookies. And these cookies are not only homemade by members of the team and those who support the effort, but they are prayed over by the bakers that as they receive these cookies they be open to receive the Word of God!
Just by putting out the message that I need cookies, because each team member is responsible for 50 dozen cookies, I am amazed at how many keep coming. Today I delivered over 65 dozen to the advance team and I understand still more are on the way.
For us who take our everyday lives for granted, not to mention our freedom and hopefully our relationship with God, it seems strange that mere cookies could do so much for those who need so much. Perhaps it begins as just good homemade cookies. Over time, there is a realization that others went out of their way to make something so good for others to enjoy. And then perhaps it is the realization that they are made with love and prayers. And perhaps they can consider the value of love, and forgiveness and the power of prayer.
I can't wait to see the men enjoying their cookies and all the resulting joy and hopefulness that will result from this weekend's retreat. If you are reading this can I ask you for your prayers over the weekend for the retreat, the retreat members and the inmates participating in the 2011 spring Kairos? I bet I can.
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