Date: Fri 05-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Garner-prison-Kairos

Full Text:

Kairos Brings Christian Ministry Inside Prison Walls

(with cuts)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

Forty-five men and the Rev Gail Paul, chaplain of Garner Correctional

Institute, joined hands outside the prison entrance last Saturday morning and

bowed their heads in prayer. Soon they would be inside, meeting with a small

group of specially selected inmates as part of an intensive Kairos program

weekend.

Kairos is an interdenominational Christian prison ministry. Its mission is to

involve inmates in a life-changing spiritual experience. Similar to the

three-day Cursillo and Emmaus movements in the Christian churches, but

structured to meet the spiritual needs of men and women in prison, the Kairos

Prison Ministry, Inc., began in 1979 in Florida. It is now operating in more

than 140 prisons, has involved 8,500 men and women working as volunteers, and

is widely recognized as the most effective program available to positively

change basic attitudes of the incarcerated.

"We try to identify inmates who are natural leaders both in negative and

positive ways," Chaplain Paul said. "We also look for inmates who are hurting

on the inside or the outside, and acting out on the outside, to be invited to

participate. They are referred to me by staff and other inmates. They know the

person who needs something extra. It's been a big success."

Four years ago Chaplain Paul was at a conference in Jerusalem, presenting a

paper on crime prevention and rehabilitation through religion, when she met

Ike Griffin, head of Kairos International. Another Connecticut resident, E.

Laird Mortimer, also was in Jerusalem and also happened to meet Mr Griffin.

"Laird ended up being the Connecticut state coordinator for Kairos," Rev Paul

said. "I wanted to bring Kairos to Garner. At first, the Department of

Corrections said we couldn't do it at Garner because the prison wasn't central

enough. I kept sending Kairos volunteers, however, and finally we got the

approval. Laird and I gave birth to it here."

Garner is a maximum security facility, specializing in housing and treating

difficult criminal cases involving violence, assault, drugs, gangs, and mental

problems. It currently houses about 700 inmates. More than 100 inmates have

participated in the Kairos program over the past three years.

Nationwide prison statistics show that about eight out of 10 men released from

prison will be re-arrested within three years. An impact study by the Florida

Department of Corrections, where Kairos began nearly 20 years ago, showed a 57

percent reduction in the re-arrest rate for men who had participated in a

Kairos weekend, and had been part of the subsequent prayer, study and

fellowship groups within the Florida prisons before their release.

The Kairos strategy is to identify leaders from the key environments of the

prison, inmates who have the greatest potential to impact others with the

message of Christ's love. These inmates are invited to attend a three-day

short-course in Christianity in which they are introduced to the Kairos

community.

The ultimate goal is to have these inmates become integrated into the

Christian church behind bars. They are encouraged to meet weekly for prayer

and Bible study in small groups and to behave as a Christian community, which

will be observed and watched by the other inmates. It is hoped that they will

also begin to participate in the already existing weekly religious programs at

the prison, Chaplain Paul said.

Personal Testimonies

Kairos is a Greek word which means time that cannot be measured by the clock

in hours, day or weeks. Rather it is time set by God for a particular

occurence -- God's "special time."

All members of the Kairos Prison Ministry have undergone background checks by

the state police and have had extensive training before beginning their

mission. They come from many Christian denominations and all walks of life,

from physicians to truck drivers, executives of major corporations to former

members of motorcycle gangs. Some are former prisoners, some have overcome

drug or alcohol problems.

"The team members are far from perfect," Mr Moritmer said. "We're not there

being goody-two shoes. Prior to becoming active, witnessing Christians, we

have had life experiences, too."

Over the three days of the Kairos weekend at Garner, the volunteers spent 40

hours locked in the chapel area with 36 inmates selected by the chaplain and

the prison staff. Most of the inmates had little prior religious experience,

and only a few men attended worship services at the prison. Each man was told

he would be part of a life-changing Christian experience that would provide

peace and joy. The 40 hours include 22 separate talks by the Kairos team on

such subjects as choices, encountering Christ, friendship with God, acceptance

of self, forgiveness of self and others, anger, listening, and caring for

others.

"One thing that makes it so powerful is that in each talk, the person gives

his own personal experience in his journey with Christ, such as how anger was

dealt with, how some bad choices had been made in the past but now good

choices are being made," Rev Paul said. "It is those personal testimonies of

how lives were changed through Christ that gives the inmates hope for a

resurrection in their lives, too."

Carl Capen, a former deputy warden at Garner, is a member of the Kairos team

and has seen first-hand the value of the program.

"It is one of the best opportunities for inmates in prison to turn their lives

around," he said. "We recognize the need to incarcerate offenders and separate

them from society. The close custody program at Garner is a very effective

program which has served as a model for other prisons. But it also is

important to do something so that when inmates complete their prison sentences

and are released, they are less likely to re-offend."

After the Kairos weekend, there are some reinforcement activities but soon the

inmates are on their own.

"It is a bittersweet experience," Mr Moritmer said. "We leave the

responsibility for follow-through in their laps. We do not write, call or

visit them. It is up to them to pray and do Bible study together."

Trinity Episcopal Church is the local organizer of host homes for the Kairos

team members who came from throughout New England. Members of the United

Methodist Church also provided some homes. Three Kairos women volunteers

prayed all day each day at Trinity Church for the success of the program.

"Trinity had a dinner for the Kairos volunteers on the first evening," Rev

Paul said. "Pastor Kathy Adams-Shepherd blessed our meal, prayed for the

success of the weekend, and was later seen in the kitchen working. She has

been so supportive of Kairos."

Chaplain Paul believes strongly in retreats as life changing events and, in

addition to Kairos, has Emmaus, Prison Fellowship, and Walk in the Spirit

retreats. There also is a Kairos team of women volunteers that has brought the

program into the women's prison in Niantic. Anyone interested in participating

as a volunteer in any of these programs can call Chaplain Paul at the prison

at 270-2895 for more information.