This last Saturday we met on a rainy morning to travel to Centralia Correctional Center. It was early and rainy when we circled up to pray. After we prayed, we boarded the bus and headed South towards Centralia. While in route, we had an issue with our windshield wipers and we also had to stop to inspect a strange smell under the hood. As we traveled, the rain kept getting worse and worse which made it clearer and clearer that we would not be playing softball. By the time we arrived, we were only a little late but still late enough that it would affect our time with the inmates.
Enter creativity and experience!
When we arrived the prison staff told us that because of the rain, we would be in the gym playing wiffle ball. We played and lost a shortened game. After the game I shared the Gospel. I had to modify and cut some of my message out but I was able to finish it shortly before the first group had to leave for lunch.
We had a little more time with the second group. Most of the team and group had arrived but they were waiting on a couple of guys to show up for the game. We were on a fixed 60 minutes to play the game and share the Gospel. To make sure we got it in, we shared the Gospel with the crowd first. Unfortunately we lost the 2nd game too. Playing slow pitch wiffle ball in a tiny prison gym can humble some pretty good ballplayers in a hurry!
After the second game was over, we left for lunch and ate at the local Wendy’s. After a few Baconators and a brief team meeting, we knew that we had to put on a better showing for the last game of the day. We would be facing the All-Star team and would get a full 90 minutes to play ball and share the Gospel. We held a 1-0 lead for the first five innings. We eventually got up to a 3-0 lead but they came back and tied the game. We lead again briefly and had the game in hand in the 9th inning. They came back and tied it again in the bottom of the 9th. We pushed 3 runs across in the top of the 10th and won a hard fought prison gym wiffle ball game! After the game Jeremy Test shared his testimony and Mike Weaks shared the Gospel.
Overall on the day we handed out 55 Gospels of John and saw 7 men indicate that they made a decision to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.
We wrap up our season on September 29th at Robinson Correctional Center! Thank you for your faithful support all season long!
