I got a neat email from a chaplain at a Detention Center today. I thought you might enjoy reading it:
As a quick introduction, I am the lead chaplain at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
When I arrived eight months ago, the only reading material available to inmates was the Bible, devotionals, and about 30 of Mark Cahill’s books that were left by previous chaplains.
Four months ago, we opened a 3,000 paperback book library in the jail and fulfilled almost 1,600 requests in the first four months. Since we are dealing with prisoners, we only get about 60 percent of the books back, as many get too damaged to be reissued or are passed around the cell block and never returned. We do NOT have a sign-out process and rely solely on honor to return the books, or they are collected when they are being released.
In what I surmise is good news, the Mark Cahill books virtually never get returned, and our shelves are now bare of his books. Additionally, Christian literature represents about 10 percent of the library’s requests, which amazes us because all the Bibles, devotionals, etc., are issued through the chaplain’s office. So, we see a definite need for this type of material.
However, I have a $0 budget and built the library solely through donations.
Chaplain Jeff
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When you serve Jesus, He is always full of surprises. I never in my life thought, as I wrote my books, that prisoners would read any of them. We have realized through the years that so many prisoners resonate with the truths in these books.
But we live in strange times. Our government has plenty of money for illegal aliens, NGOs, and aid for other countries, but it does not invest enough at all into the lives of prisoners who will be returning to society one day.
No worries. God always provides. If you are not doing prison ministry of some sort, individually or with your church, you are missing out on one of the great joys in life. Meeting a man or woman who you invested in while they were behind bars will be one of the real joys in eternity.
Matthew 25:35-40
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Until the nets are full,
P.S. Last month, we received this note from Tim. Talk about bold soul-winners! He is one of the boldest soul-winners I know. He walks right into the houses of false worship and witnesses to whoever he can. And last month, he was turning Las Vegas upside down for the gospel with his boldness!
Mark, you are such a gifted writer and conversationalist! God really uses you! I’m looking forward to spending eternity with you! I DO want to see Jesus first, then the apostles and my parents first, though.
So, there are ten mosques in Vegas. I got inside of one last week, and the Lord allowed me to hand out 46 packs (three tracts in a pack) inside one mosque during their Friday prayer service. I’m hoping to get to another one Friday afternoon and one every week for the next two months, Lord willing!
I covet your prayers!
See you here, there, or IN THE AIR!
With Love in the Risen Lamb,
Tim
P.P.S.
