Over the weekend, 42 of our volunteer men went into the prison
each day while many of us women were busy at a nearby
garage-turned-kitchen. As an outside
team, we made yummy meals for the inmates, prayed for them, and provided
visible ways of showing love. One job was to put together paper chains, each
one listing a name and city of the person praying for them.
As we assembled these simple paper chains, I glanced at
names and cities from around the world listed on each chain. It took several
days to assemble them! The men in white (inmates) were blown away seeing these
chains strewn around the gym! They couldn’t fathom that so many people cared!
Why would people they didn’t even know pray for them?
We’re now out of prison and recalling the highlights of our
time serving. We loved watching the inmates’ hearts soften over the course of
the weekend. They saw God’s love
demonstrated through people! Can you imagine what it might be like to be
incarcerated for 5 years? 15 years? Life sentence? Can you imagine what it
would be like to have family disown you? What about not getting a letter for years?
These inmates felt loved and accepted…some for the very first time!
There are hurting people all around us that just need to be
noticed, loved, accepted and cared for. We can be so busy living our lives that
we miss out on simply caring for others. Whether in the office, at a store or
restaurant, there are people everywhere who need a bit of encouragement and
love. YOU can be that difference maker. Why not start today?
“Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.” Romans
12:10
“Do not merely look
out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:4
“I needed clothes and
you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you
came to visit me.” Matthew 25:36
Nancy Abbott is the
Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
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