Washington State Reformatory Unit needs your prayers. A female Corrections Officer stationed in the chapel was murdered last week. The prime suspect is an inmate who volunteered in the chapel. Please pray for her family and all who mourn for her.
I had regular weekly contact with the fallen officer. I will miss her. Hopefully, the Department of Corrections will put more cameras in the chapel, as she reportedly had requested. This will make the chapel safer for all concerned. As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, inmates have sometimes staged fights near the chapel, because it is set in an isolated corner of WSRU and takes the SWAT team longer to reach it.
I feel shaken and more vulnerable, but I also feel sure that God has called me to continue to minister at WSRU. In response to an evil and sinful world, God sent Christ. How can I abandon the prisoners? I am thankful for your financial support that makes my ministry possible.
The prime suspect and I had occasional contact. He was not a part of Opening Blind Eyes, but was an inmate leader in some other Christian groups. Those who worked with him feel betrayed. Please pray for them.
It is hard to describe the fallout from this tragedy. Some of the staff are angry with the volunteers, because they think that we “hug-a-thug” and “coddle criminals.” They don‟t understand that we call prisoners to respond to the gospel with faith and faithfulness. The institution would be much worse if we were not there showing God‟s love to both staff and inmates. Please pray for the staff.
At the time of this writing, the prisoners are on indefinite lockdown. All programs have been cancelled. We will not have a worship service this Sunday, and I was unable to provide individual pastoral care this week. The behavior of this one inmate has cast all Christians in a bad light. Please pray for the Christian inmates.
I know that God brings good out of evil, and I pray that I live to see how he does it in this circumstance. I hope to resume my ministry with the inmates at WSR as soon as possible. Please pray for me, and for the ministry of Opening Blind Eyes.
Thank you for your faithfulness!
Your gift to Opening Blind Eyes is tax deductible as allowed by law. You will receive a receipt for your records