KAIROS #29

Closing Ceremony

February 16, 2009

“Come for the cookies; get eternal life.”

—Kevin English

Kairos #29 was a life-changing experience of God’s Holy Spirit at work in hearts and lives at USP Lompoc. Following is a quickly-jotted-down series of highlights from the Closing Ceremony, Monday, February 16^th:

During the weekend, Kairos team members and residents of the prison formed “Table Families” of about six residents and three team members per table around seven tables. By Monday night, we knew our fellow Table Family members better than many long-time friends know each other.

At the Closing Ceremony, or Closura, residents were given the opportunity to share their Kairos Weekend experience at an open microphone, first by Table Family, then as individuals. Table Families were asked to respond corporately to three questions:

1. “In what spiritual condition did you arrive at Kairos?”

2. “What did you find here?”

3. “What are you taking away with you?”

Here are some of their responses:

“I was always curious about Kairos. This has been a tremendous four days for us. Kairos is about making choices, showing us that we are not alone, showing us how to open the door to a friendship with God and a road to discovery. Kairos showed us what it means to be a Christian, about our walk with the Lord, and prepared us for what lies ahead.”

“Some of us arrived incomplete, spiritually poor, three-quarters empty, and wanting to know more about God and Jesus.”

“We found caring people who give us encouragement. We found love, friendship, happiness … and cookies.”

“What did we take away with us? Life, faith, hope, confidence, and, most important of all, perseverance.”

“It’s a beautiful thing. I was overcome with emotion. I went back to my cell, glad I didn’t have a cell-mate, because I broke down. What you see lasts a minute; what you don’t see lasts forever. I discussed some things I haven’t discussed in four years.”

“It’s hard to be humble in the jungle, but I’ve been with you cats for four days, and we’ll take this outside to the yard.”

“I knew God, but not like I do now. I came here with a spiritual higher power, but now I know God.”

“We found a room full of love and a spiritual atmosphere.”

“We’ll be taking away some sharing from [Table] Family members that broke my heart, strong support from the Spirit of the Lord. I’m enjoying this to its fullest.”

“Some of us arrived confused, some believed in Christ, and some had no belief at all. We heard real-life testimonies of life-saving power. You guys are true soldiers of Christ.”

“I arrived in a condition of fear – kind of like the fear I’m feeling talking on the microphone right now. I was thinking, ‘Who are these people?’”

“We discovered acceptance, friendship, and a true spirit.”

“What do I mean we’re taking away God’s will? It’s like the footsteps in the sand: God directs our footsteps, and sometimes He carries us.”

“You people make us feel and realize we’re not alone.”

“When we got here Friday, we were on the ground … down, more or less. We found peace, support, and the truth that exists among us here. We found the joy of love, the peace and love of our brothers.”

“I arrived here a baby in Christ. I found a family and experienced God’s unconditional love, a spiritual awakening. We found genuine, honest, outstretched hands of friendship. We’re taking with us a desire to find some strong brothers to fellowship with here.”

“When I see you guys, love is in the air. I’m feeling very courageous for the Lord. All the nations are like a drop of water to Him. I’d forgotten how much love you can see from God. Instead of just standing around, going through the motions, I need to step up and spread the love of God. Our God is an awesome God!”

“I don’t have any children, but even so, I just can’t fathom sending my son to die for all of your sins.”

“There’s a lot of men I’ve seen over the last four days, and I’ve never seen that kind of love. When we get together like this, it takes us out of this prison.”

(Translated from Spanish) “What the Lord has been doing these last four days has been marvelous. I was walking with the Lord, and now He’s lifting me up.”

“I miss my two little ones a lot, and now I know they’re in the Lord’s hands and He’s protecting them.”

“Thank you for this Bible; I’ll start reading it right off the bat.”

“Let’s pray for faith, that the Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified, and that we will be conformed by the love of God.”

(From the new Inside Team Leader) “I’ll tell you something you probably don’t know about me: I’m an alien. I’m not of this world. None of you are; you’re all members of the Heavenly Kingdom. Satan, I hope you’re listening, ‘cause my Dad’s coming back, and He’s gonna whip your butt; and I’m gonna be with Him and whip all your little demons’ butts!”

“When you pray with these people who are hurting, you start to understand the suffering of Jesus.”

“God, I’ve never prayed so much in my life! I’ve been anointed. The power of prayer and submission to the Lord, it makes them all say, ‘Whoa! That’s cool.’ And then they back down.”

“In that forgiveness thing last night, I had no one to forgive but myself. I stood by Mark and cried from the time the lights went out till they came back on again.”

“I was able to forgive my dad. He comes and visits me. He’s getting older, but he’s in good health, thank God, and I’ve got a stretch to go. When I saw that little strip [of paper with his name written on it] dissolve … that was easy, and I’m not used to doing things the easy way.”

“I wanna give you guys some positive outlook: If you wanna be about it, you gotta be around it. You’re all invited to a Bible study we have at six o’clock Sunday nights.”

“I was looking to see the movement of the Holy Spirit in these halls, and I’ve seen it.”

“… they refused to worship those golden idols, so King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fiery furnace. Well, that’s where we are. The king said, ‘Didn’t we throw three guys in the fire? ’Cause there’s four in there now.’ That’s how it is right here.”

(Translated from Spanish) “Let’s get close to the throne of grace so it’s there when we need it. The ones who believe in His name will throw out the demons. If you ask in His name, it will be done!”

“I’m the last person you’d expect to hear here at this microphone. My spiritual direction is the Native American sweat lodge, etc. I cannot turn my back on my native religion, but these forty hours have planted a seed. This is a humbling experience, and I’m glad I experienced it. I’m looking forward to what’s coming up down the road.”

“I did a lot of wrong things to a lot of people. Last night, at the Forgiveness Service, I forgave someone I haven’t been able to forgive for a long time: my grandma. You have no idea what she did to me. But now I feel happy.”

“This family came off the streets to make me feel better. I want to apologize to them for all the ways I’ve made people feel out on the streets, for the harsh things I did, for the hard looks I gave people to make them think I didn’t care at all.”

“Like those three Hebrews thrown into the fire, in the midst of these fires we’ll be free, because we have to go through these fires.”

One of our new team members, Mike, was asked by the prison residents to say something: “I’m going back onto the streets now, and I feel sad. I’m one of you. God has transformed my life. It’s a sad moment, but I’m glad to be getting out. I swore I’d never go back into an institution again, but, boy, God had different plans. The transformation you have gone through is amazing, but you guys are troopers, ’cause you took the first step. I want you guys to know we’re out there praying for you. Now I get to go out there and tell people you are people. Now you guys get to start doing the Lord’s time. God bless you, brothers!”

“I got a major transformation. God is great! Mike, thank you for teaching us what courage is all about. It’s humbled me; it’s taught me that love bears all, love endures all, love hopes all. I encourage you to walk a Kairos way, an agape way.”

“Strength for the journey! An angel was here breaking down that wall, brick by brick. Let’s put away childish actions: When we see each other out in the yard, don’t act like a stranger.”

(From the new Inside Team leader) “I see a lot of people from out on the yard up in church, and we’re Christian soldiers. Let’s fill up that yard! There’s only one Leader and only one Gang, and that’s God’s.”

Traditionally, a member of the Inside Team is asked to give a closing talk. This time a man named Al, nicknamed “A.K.” gave a very short talk. Here’s some of it:

“I’ve been saying no to God all my life, and that’s what got me in here. I got this note here that says, ‘God has chosen you to give this talk.’ That’s not fair! I can’t say no to that.

“Don’t run from God anymore. The guys that do – you see them here wearing khakis.

“I haven’t had a visit for the last ten years. Those old, bald-headed, gray-haired men over there? Those are our visits. So don’t say we don’t get visits.”

The Head Chaplain at USP Lompoc is Father Frank Tinajero. He gave a short talk near the end of Closura. Here are a few of his points:

“It’s a paradox that, even in places like this, God does beautiful things. My mother used to have a couple of sayings she liked to tell me: ‘There’s nothing bad in our lives where something good doesn’t come out of it,’ and ‘God uses the messiness of our lives to do beautiful things.’

“Let me illustrate with a reading from the Gospel According to St Mark, Chapter One, verses 40 – 42. ‘Now a leper came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean.’

“Now this leper not only suffered the pain of his disease, he also carried a stigma of being unworthy, of being unwanted. We all carry that stigma. We can all reach out our hands and ask Jesus for healing. We can be made into “perfume for God,” as I like to say.

“Life in prison is a messy situation, but, as you have seen this weekend, God has used the messiness of our lives to do a beautiful thing.”

Kairos #29 at USP Lompoc was and continues to be a beautiful thing.

Now we look forward to our Kairos Instructional Reunion, March 7, 2009.