I volunteer with the Connecting Streams prison ministry in Ottawa.  Every third Saturday I meet partner Roger. at the OCDC reception.   We go through a security check and then head to the worship centre and collect the materials we need. From there we walk past minimum-security, through the segregation unit and then into maximum security — it is here that we conduct a Bible Study.

Sometimes we play worship songs on a DVD sometimes it’s Johnny Cash with old gospel favourites. Sometimes, we play a Billy Graham sermon, other times we play a DVD from a great jailhouse preacher.

Sometimes we just read the Bible together such as Psalm 102 v 20.

Sometimes we read The Father’s Love Letter.  Sometimes we just talk to each other. I absolutely love the simplicity of what Jesus says in Mathew 25 verse 36, “I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

We hear closing prayer requests.  And we often do the Sinner’s Prayer together in a repeat-after-me format.  Often, the guys we are with will decide to accept Christ. They may be facing a long prison-term that they don’t want to face alone. It may be just that all their pride has evaporated. They have lost their job. Lost their home. Lost their wife.  They have lost their kids.  Lost their freedom.  They have absolutely nothing.  They need something.  And that something is Jesus.

— John W.,  A CS Volunteer