The 100th Kairos
By: Al Paton
Since March of 1991, Kairos of San Diego has been faithfully ministering to, changing the lives of, and impacting the behavior of thousands of incarcerated men at the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility on Otay Mesa. By the Grace of God this program has been a miraculous success and an inspiration to volunteers and candidates alike. The four day inside programs (“weekends”) scheduled for this fall represent a milestone in the history for San Diego and the Kairos International community. These weekends will be the first 'Centennial' Kairos weekends in the world. Kairos 100 and 101 will be held simultaneously in Yards C and D. This calls for a celebration that will need over 3500 dozen cookies.
The cookies are what attract many inmates to accept the invitation to attend…and then God takes over. The cookies are also distributed by the Kairos team to RJ Donovan staff for their role in supporting the program. You can be a part of these monumental events by taking a few minutes and baking homemade cookies for the events. Candidates in the past have been blessed by this outpouring of Christian Love and it helped the men open up to receive the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ. These men who have very little in the world, who have been cast aside by society and in many cases alienated by friends and family, experience the Agape love of Jesus, because strangers like you care enough about them to offer themselves and bake cookies and to pray for them. Yes, believe it or not “cookies save lives.”
After baking, please package the cookies in clear Ziploc-type bags (quart size is ideal). Place one dozen cookies in each bag. Please DO NOT use tinfoil or wire twist ties (the cookies are thoroughly inspected by prison staff and this could delay or prevent entry.)
The Foothills KidsConnect Sunday morning program will also support the weekends by coloring place mats that will be used for the three mid-day meals that are prepared and brought in by the teams.
You can also help support the weekend with your prayers. At 11 AM on Friday, October 24th, Christians all over the county will pause for a moment of prayer to support the weekend. Mark your calendars and set your phone alarms to remind you…you won’t be alone!