Here in North Carolina there are over 70 correctional facilities. In Raleigh alone there is Central Prison where they house death row inmates, Wake Correctional housing minimum security unit along with county jail and youth corrections as well. I am serving the Lord in Butner, NC at a youth penitentary housing inmates aged from 19-25. Polk Correctional institution can house up to 1047 male inmates and has a staff size of 545 guards and administrators. Polk is also a close security prison with maximum supervision.
I serve alongside a handful of faithful men from local congregations in Raleigh. One of the the volunteers has been visiting Polk for 20 years sharing Christ and preaching the gospel. I have been visiting the prison for a few months now on Mondays where we do a large group teaching and then about 45 minutes of small group teaching and discipleship.
Polk is the facility where the prisoners come to have orientation and are usually assigned to different facilities closer to there family and homes so it can be very transient and we see a variety of inmates from week to week.
The group size ranges from 20-40 men and we see professions sporadically with many of the men having a Christian backgrounds but limited time of fruitful life towards Christ. There is a need of strong encouragement and exhortation for the necessity of a changed life for true salvation. I met a great young man who had received Christ less than a month ago and was serious about his walk with God and desired to live differently than he did in his past life. I've also met young men who have came to Christ in prison on two or three different occasions, but then when there released the temptations and the enticement of sin easily distracts and draws them from the narrow path.
I can see the battle over these guys souls and have lived the same struggle myself, and I can testify with absolute confidence that life as a Christian can be done through one avenue, the blood and power of Christ.
One sows and another reaps that which he has not labored for. I am sowing friends and trusting the Lord that he'll give the increase in due time.
