WoW!!

I think my title about says it all! I spent this past weekend in jail. No, I was not taken there by someone else, I went there on my own will...or maybe I should say on God's Will. I was working a REC, which stands for Residents Encounter Christ. I blogged about it a few weeks ago. I was the drummer in the praise band that did the worship while we were in there, but as it ended up, I did so much more than play drums.

Let me go back just a bit. This was basically a three day retreat for the ladys of the Clark County jail. There were 39 ladies in the jail as of last weekend, and while they were given the choice of attending or not, 38 of them choose to attend. The Major at the jail said that he has never seen that high of attendence for any other REC or other meetings that have gone on there. That was a true blessing. Also, after getting to know some of the residents, I truly feel like each one was there for a reason. I heard stories like one lady missed the bus to prison, and if she had made the bus, she would not have been there for this REC. I heard others that were supposed to be somewhere else for different other reasons, but yet they were there, and got to be at the REC. Also, we were scheduled to do the REC three weeks sooner, but it was post-poned, and there were a few ladies who I talked to who had only been there for a few days, and would not have been there if we had it earlier. So, just some instances to show that God does things for a reason. There were some ladies who were there, and who definately were impacted in a big way, and had the REC not been that exact weekend, they would have more than likely missed it. Oh, and there was one lady in particular who was hugely impacted for Christ, and she got out the next day! You would never be able to convince me that she was not there, in that place, at that exact time, for a purpose.

Esther 4:14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"


I have mentioned to my friend who was also working the REC that since I have been home, it has actually been a bit frustrating trying to tell people about it, because I just don't have any words to use that can accurately express just how awesome an experience this was. When I talk about what went on, and what I saw, heard, and experienced, my words fail to come even close to comparing to what an impact that this had on me. However, I do want to share a few things, because it is just too amazing to keep to myself.

The first time we met the residents we were playing an upbeat praise and worship song, with the rest of the team singing. The ladies came in and I watched their faces. Many came in with huge smiles, some joined right in with singing, and/or clapping their hands, some danced a little bit, others gazed around the room, curious and smiling, while others did not smile, but looked around the room just to take it all in. I am sure that some really did not want to be there, but choose to be there just because it was something different to do with their day. Those are the ones I was looking for, because those are the ones who I felt we could have the biggest impact on. Later that night I found one. I will call her.......Angie. (Not her real name) I watched Angie the whole weekend. I saw her rolling her eyes, sitting like she was bored out of her gourd, snickering at a few things, etc. I prayed for her. Do you know, on the last day, when the ladies were being taken to a different room for the ending stuff that we did, as she passed me, she hugged me and thanked me for being there. I had not actually talked to her that weekend. Others had I am sure, but I had only watched her from a far and prayed. Also, she said later....not just to me but to a group, that she did not believe in (our) God coming into this weekend. She figured that there was something out there but she did not believe in God as we know Him, but now she is beginning to believe that maybe there is something to it (God, religion, etc.) Wow...how amazing is that? I mean, she was not down on her knees calling out to God, or accepting Christ, but still...........we all have to start somewhere! How cool is that?

Ok, this blog is already going on too long, but I just have so much to share. So, I will share a bit more. How about talking intensely to a sweet, sweet, young lady, who has anger and abandonment issues. I was actually just walking around the room, to each lady, showing some love, and I ended up with her. She was having a hard time allowing us to "love" on her. She felt like she was not worthy of it. She told me she is a mean person, and she does not deserve for us to be nice to her. Also, as it was Sunday, our last day there, she was also upset saying that everyone always leaves her, and we were going to be leaving her later that day. Wow.......how sad. I did get to talk to her for a while there, and a long story short, she finally agreed that she would start to let go of her anger, and pray, and read the scriptures. I did not have a good answer about me leaving, because of course I had to leave, but I told her that she would be in my prayers and that I am not really leaving, I just cannot physically stay there in the jail with her. I encouraged her to write to me, because I want to continue to commuicate to her what a loving and forgiving God we have, and that He never will leave her.


Or...visualize this. We are in a concrete room, the residents, and the REC team. We have just listened to one of the leaders speak, I cannot even remember right now what it was about.......and then this lady, with a beautiful, strong voice (a team member) starts singing Amazing Grace....accapella. One by one, everyone starts standing until everyone in the room is standing. The residents are singing out loud and strong.....everyone has their arms around those close to them...it was just so powerful. I had to stop singing a few times just to listen, partly because I wanted to hear how awesome it sounded, and partly because of that lump in my throat!

Well, I could go on and on and on, but this blog is pretty long already. I would be more than happy to share more with anyone who asks. A side note, this REC is a part of the Emmaus program. If you have ever been on an Emmaus walk, I would encourage you to check into being part of a REC team. It is an awesome experience. And, if you have never been on an Emmaus walk, I want to encourage you to talk to me about that, and I would be happy to sponsor you to go on one. It is a time for you to focus on your relationship with Jesus, and it also helps foster Christians to become strong leaders, so it benefits your church as well. There are some really awesome things that go on.......which is why I might have been a bit vague in my blog about some of the specific things we did, but, if you ever experience an Emmaus Walk you will be blessed!