Week 1

1
(No Transcript)
2
Why Kairos? I was in prison and you
came to visit me. Matthew 2536
3
Inmate Population and Staff Texas Prisons
1990-1999
4
Texas Prisons Operating Budget (in Billions)
1990-1999
5
TDCJ 10-year summary Staff - 124
increase Inmate population - 204
increase Operating budget - 282 increase 2000
budget for Texas prison system 2.37 Billion
6
TDCJ Offender Statistics 1999
Community supervision 450,000 Substance abuse
felony 4,400 Prison/state jail 147,000 Paro
le 75,000 Total 676,400
7
National Prison Population
1990 773,919 1995 1,125,875 1999 1,366
,721 Texas has more people in prison than any
other state in the U.S.
8
RecidivismRate of offenders returning to prison
9
What is Kairos?
10

• Kairos
• Greek for Gods special time
• Started in Florida in 1976
• Active in 230 prisons,
  29 states, 5 countries, including
  Australia, England, South Africa,
  Canada, and U.S.
• Attended by 18,000 yearly
• Active in 32 prisons in Texas

11
A non-denominational, lay-run Christian prison
ministry
12
A 3-day shortcourse teaching Godsunconditional
love for us through grace
13
A way to build Christian community in prisons
14
36 - 42 residents sit in groups of 6 residents,
2 lay people, and 1 clergy
15
Each group takes on the characteristicsof a
family
16
The weekend includes singing,presentations on
Christian principles,meditations, prayer, and
sharing
17
Kairos team members and residentsmeet the second
Saturday of each month for Kairos reunions
18

• Why do they come to Kairos?
• They hear stories about the food - two
  delicious, homemade meals a day - good coffee,
  fresh fruit, milk, cookies
• They are curious
• They get time off
• They are searching for - acceptance -
  friendship - love

19

• What happens when they come to Kairos?
• Their lives are changed
• Many re-commit to Christ
• Many accept Christ for the first time
• Many commit their lives to the ministry of
  Christ after they get out
• Most never return to prison

20

• What can I do?
• Pray for the residents and team join the
  weekend prayer vigil
• Bake cookies
• Sponsor a resident
• Sponsor a table
• Make placemats and kid agape

21
Whats with the cookies?
22

• Kairos is called the Cookie Ministry
• Tens of thousands of cookies are needed for
  each weekend
• Residents share the cookies with other
  inmates and the correctional officers
• Sharing cookies is a way to spread Gods love
  throughout the prison

23

• Can I serve on the team?
• You may serve on a team if you
• attend a Walk to Emmaus, Cursillo, Tres Dias,
  Via Cristo, or Chrysalis
• attend team meetings
• commit to attend reunions for one year, if a
  member of the inside team
• complete TDCJ volunteer training

24
Can men and women work? Yes. But inside team
members must be the same gender as the residents.
25
What is the impact of Kairos? As of December
2000, Kairos has held over 3680
weekends introducing over 139,000 men and
women to Christ. 91 will never return to
prison.
26
Why Kairos? Because Christ makes a
difference.