One of the benefits of having 16 guys on a trip is having flexibility for outside-of-the-box opportunities. One of these opportunities was dividing and conquering! For the second day of the trip we had opportunities to visit two different prisons so we split up into two different teams for the day. We took 8 guys to Rifle CC and the other 8 guys went to Delta CC. I was on the Rifle team.
The drive to the facility was incredible with all of the mountains surrounding the prison. We checked into the facility and waited for word to head to the prison softball field. While we were being processed in, we found out that they had three inches of rain at the prison overnight. The prison maintenance team had attempted to prepare the field by having a Caterpillar backhoe level out the mud on the field. Unfortunately, the tractor got stuck, and, by the time they got it out, it left some huge muddy ruts in the infield. They made a few more attempts at getting the field cleaned up, but the field was deemed unplayable.
The residents at the prison used some spray paint and made a diamond in the outfield. We played a very competitive game and won. In between games Warren Miller from the New Jersey team shared his testimony of how he came to know the Lord. Warren shared how the Lord worked in his marriage and how He helped him process his first wife's death and how the Lord has worked in his marriage to his current wife. Warren was one of my first teammates when I first participated in the ministry in 2011. He is a former minor league infielder from the Yankees and Red Sox systems. He is 83 years old, still loves the game and plays really well. I love picking his brain about baseball history and the fundamentals of the game. After Warren shared his testimony, Bruce Buri from Wisconsin shared the Gospel with the men. Bruce has been part of the Saints for several years but he also coaches the Brother Bob’s Outreach team in Wisconsin. Brother Bob’s runs a very similar ministry to what we do with the Saints. Bruce is a really good friend despite being a huge Green Bay Packers fan!
After our sharing time was over, we started a second game but that game was cut short so we could break for lunch.
We were able to eat with the men during lunch. They served hot dogs and fries. I ate lunch with one of the residents who was a chaplain assistant. He talked about some of the programs that he was involved in. I wasn't entirely sure where he stood with the Lord but he was a confessing believer and he was excited about the different chapel programs in the church.
After our meal, we completed the game we started before we broke for lunch. After the game was over, Tom McKelvey from New Jersey shared his testimony of how he came to know the Lord. Tom’s story is a powerful one and it resonated with the men in the yard. After Tom spoke, I shared the Gospel from John 11 and John 12.
We played one more game and won again. Overall on the day at Rifle, we handed out 54 Gospels and had 8 men make a profession of faith.
Meanwhile, while we were at Rifle CC, our other team was at Delta CC. They played three games, handed out 88 Gospels and had 11 men make professions of faith in the Lord.
Our team left Rifle and traveled to our hotel in Salida. That was a 3 hour and 20 minute drive. The Delta team had a 4 hour and 39 minute drive. Both of these drives were grueling but it was still good to enjoy the time with teammates and see the beautiful mountain ranges in western Colorado. Along the way, our team stopped at a place in Minturn, Colorado called the Crazy Chicken. We enjoyed some chicken wings and some fun team conversations around the table!
Both teams arrived back at the hotel very beat up from a long day of softball and driving. We had gotten messages back from both prisons letting us know how grateful they were that we visited and how hard it is for them to get outside groups to come that far. I'm glad the Lord provided safety for travel and an opportunity to share the Gospel!
