Cessnock Correctional Centre
"I was in prison and you visited me" MATTHEW 25:36
KAIROS PRISON
MINISTRY AUSTRALIA INC.
Cessnock Correctional
Centre
"I was in prison
and you visited me" MATTHEW 25:36
My URL: http://surf.to/kairos
I got it for free at http://come.to
LAY DIRECTORS REPORT KAIROS #7 OCTOBER 2000
I
was pleased when in February the Cessnock Regional Committee decided that I was
to lead Kairos #7. It had been on
my heart to be selected for previous Kairos but the Lord had his timing, and all
I had to say is “yes” when the time was right.
I
looked for a wide representation from the Body of Christ, contacting people from
all Denominations and looking for men as potential future leaders at Cessnock.
Slowly the team came together, although Clergy were very hard to obtain. I kept asking the Lord to send the people he wanted in the
team and was blessed when the team finally came together. 55% were experienced
and 45% were new.
The
training started at St. Luke Anglican Church in Wallsend which is easy to access
from the freeway making it convenient for our people from the Central Coast and
the Coalfields to reach us. The
training progressed well as I faced the challenges of speaking to and building a
team. The ladies (we had 10) looked
after the supper and were very eager to participate in every way.
This
Kairos was to be the first to have a ‘Security awareness’ night on team
meeting night #7 at Cessnock gaol. Staff
Officer Chris met us at the gate with Fr. Rod Moore and took us to the visits
centre where the short course would be held.
Fr Rod introduced us and briefed the team on how the visit centre and
Chapel were to be used on the short course.
We then went down to the Chapel and Officer Chris showed the team a
20-minute video on manipulation and afterwards took questions on the subject.
Then
Fr Rod gave case histories (no names) showing past and current problems facing
team members at Cessnock. A brief
overview of Health problems was given at the end of which I addressed the team
confirming to them of God’s call on their lives and his presence as they
minister in the gaol.
Team
meeting night #8 was a combination of the Gratitude and Compassion talks using 1
Timothy 1:12-15 in which Paul gives thanks to God for finding him trustworthy
through extending him mercy and finishing saying humbly he was the worst of
sinners.
The
only way for true compassion to be extended is out of Humble Gratitude because
of the mercy shown to you an unworthy sinner.
Through realising you are an unworthy recipient and overcome by God’s
Grace to you then you are able to extend mercy to equally unworthy people
without dissent, in humble Gratitude.
The retreat was held in the old Convent at Lochinvar, 17 minutes drive from Cessnock, where we were told that 3 of the guests had been changed for the coarse. Then on the 17/10/00 I read from Isaiah 43:1-15 to the team before entering the gaol. The first afternoon went well and the pizzas were well received with one guest commenting that it had been 2 years since he had tasted one. The second day one guest tried all day but dropped out by days end. This did not disturb the others at his table and everyone was excited as they returned to their cells for the night with bags of biscuits.
Thursday
and the team were up by 4.30a.m. to start the day. The day of forgiveness, during which the guests were moved by
the talks and meditations and burnt their list of names in a solemn ceremony
then groaned when given the extra present to give to the one they hold in the
most unforgiveness.
Greg,
one of the guests wrote a beautiful song of praise to the Lord and his table
family proudly sang it for the poster party.
When the time came for the guests to open all the letters sent in for
them, the team were in the outer room singing softly and as I watched the guests
read their letters the feeling of reflection, loneliness and despair seemed to
settle in the room. It was an
emotional time as I watches hard men wipe tears from their eyes, as the love and
acceptance they were receiving impacted them.
Friday
up at 5.15a.m. by which time the team were tired but looking forward to the
closing ceremony. Even the
observers (3) from Adelaide 1600 klms away, were starting to feel the pace.
But we had lively speakers to interest everyone and the servants were
still trying to give away some of the 1080dozen biscuits donated through the
Churches. The Agape came in from
all over the world but mostly U.S.A. a local man made a magnificent banner of a
rosella with verse and now hangs in the Chapel.
At
the Cross Ceremony tears were in the eyes of the 23 guests who completed the
course. They received the Crosses,
and then we took them to the Activities room where 200 visitors from the regions
churches welcomed them noisily. The
guests responded with many praises for the Lord and the way the team had
accepted them unconditionally which bought tears and the resolve in our hearts
that all the work, sweat, organization, dedication and cost was worth it and we
would do it again to the Glory of God.
I
just thank the Lord for using me in this way and giving me a wonderfully capable
team to minister with.
ISAIAH
43:6 ‘I WILL SAY TO THE NORTH GIVE UP! AND TO THE SOUTH HOLD NOT BACK, BRING
MY SONS FROM AFAR AND MY DAUGHTERS FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.’
GEOFF
LEGGETT
LAY DIRECTOR
by Lay Director Garry Roth
Once again we have been a witness to the way our Lords love works in our gaol systems. To be part of the leadership that God has called to take the Kairos program into Cessnock Goal, I felt especially privileged to take the WORD OF JESUS to the men in my capacity as Advising Director and also as part time Observing Director, as Bob Royal had to be on a table at the last minute and take up a clergy position.
Being part of the Directors table puts me in a position to take a step backwards and really see how the LORD works, among the team and also our resident guests.
Right from the start of team training our director, Geoff found that putting a team together wasn’t an easy task, but with much prayer and perseverance we came together, as Jesus would have us do, with 34 eager members and 15 of them new to the Kairos experience.
By the time of the overnight retreat we had bonded together as “God’s Special Team” and were ready to go boldly into the Goal to proclaim HIS Name. Once again by 3.00p.m. On Tuesday there was an expectancy as we waited for the 24 guests to come down from the main goal and meet us. As they did, one by one we spent the next hour in conversation getting to know where these guys were coming from and letting them know a little of our lives.
They were a mixed bunch coming from about 8 different ethnic backgrounds; the guest that I sponsored could not even speak very good English but the LORD has ways of getting through as I didn’t have any trouble understanding him. With some help from his mates and from Fr. Bruce on the team they translated his Spanish very well, this didn’t stop the Lords work. (I wonder why Fr. Bruce was on the team when two guests spoke Spanish and so did Fr Bruce. Just lucky I guess?).
Once again the wonderful Christian Community blessed us with an abundance of Agape, with over 1100 dozen biscuits, with a Prayer cover for the full 80 hours and lots of letters, posters and some beautiful banners. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of how the Lord works in the communities to support us in this special ministry.
The highlight of the week was once again being privileged to be the compare of the Poster Party (this is when each table family comes out to the microphone and shares with us their posters that they have made after each of the talks). This is a time when Jesus starts to pull the strings to pull these men together as a family community.
By Friday, these men who started out by backing away as we pinned on their name badges, were putting their arms around each other and confiding in themselves and us of their life stories and past histories.
I am once again humbled and privileged to be part of Kairos, that our Lord has chosen me to be part of his Special ministry to go into Cessnock Goal and witness to, and be part of the team. When we hear men that have not known our Lord Jesus before and have never stood before a crowd of over 200 people in front of a microphone, witness that they have found Love and Friendship through him and the team then this is truly God’s Grace with us.
As our Lord Jesus has commanded Christians to “Go and make Disciples of all nations…..teaching them to obey everything I have commanded…” (Matt 28: 19-20).
Garry
Roth
Advising
Director
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This page was last updated 16th November 2000
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