“I don't know why, but I need to see a chaplain!”

A Longer Read From On The Wing…

One Wednesday morning recently, I had just wound up my Bible study group in one of the prisons in which I work, when another prisoner “G” came in to see me. He had been attending the resettlement meeting in the room next door because he was soon to be released. He seemed very much on edge and he blurted out “Are you a chaplain? 'Cos I need to speak to a chaplain but I don't know why!”

I sat him down and asked him about his situation. He told me his head was all over the place. He said he has ADHD and that his mother had died some months ago. He was now daunted by the thought of being released without any support on the outside. He felt that everything had fallen apart and he didn't know how he was going to pick up the pieces. I asked if he had any family and he said he had no one because he had been adopted. He lost his adoptive father some time ago and now his mother was gone also. He told me he had had some Christian experience as a child but had “grown out of it.”

I told “G” that Jesus loves him then shared various Scriptures concerning bereavement and comfort and gave him the gospel message. I said Jesus wanted him to open the door of his heart and receive Him as Saviour and Lord. I told him that even though He is the Lord God Almighty, Jesus is also the friend Who sticks closer than a brother and that with Him he would never be alone. He responded eagerly to this and I prayed with him to receive Christ as his Saviour.

I gave him a Bible and a daily reading book and said he could do with finding a good church where people could welcome him and support him. He told me he was being released to Bury so I said I would research churches in the area.

Later that afternoon I called him on his pad phone (the internal prison phone in his cell) just before I went home. I wanted to make sure he got himself on the chapel attendance list. He told me he was feeling a lot better since I prayed with him and certainly would be attending the chapel services. He said that while I was speaking to him earlier, it was all he could do to hold back the tears!

When I got home I found an appropriate church in Bury on the internet and rang the pastor who was delighted at the prospect of welcoming him and I will be calling in to see

”G” next time I am in that prison to let him know.

I believe the Holy Spirit led “G” to the chapel that day, even though he didn't understand why, because God wanted to meet with him! Please pray for “G” to be successfully resettled and to continue in his walk with the Lord.

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