Are you saving souls for Jesus in there?
- Well, no, that isn't exactly up to me or the other volunteers. Almost all of the people I see are already
Christians and an inmate has to sign up for the Sunday visit ahead of
time. This is an extra effort for both
the inmates and the deputies – rules are that the inmates have to be
strip-searched before and after our visit.
We typically don't have time or space to visit with all the inmates who
have signed up because the interview rooms only hold about 8 people and it
takes available deputies to process the inmates in and out. In certain cell blocks you can only visit
with one inmate at a time for security reasons.
I tell the baptized Christians I meet that our sins have been forgiven
if they believe that Jesus died for them, and that God has done this for us
this as a gift.
Are you afraid in there? - No.
Jail is probably the safest place I know, certainly for visitors. In the event of any incident, a dozen
deputies will be on the scene in under three minutes – and there never has been
an incident in the entire history of the Ventura County jail ministry. The inmates look forward to our Sunday visits
because we are the only outside people they will see during the week and in
some cases we are the only people who come to visit them at all. I was afraid the year I taught 8th
grade Sunday School at Trinity – I look forward to visiting inmates in
jail.
I will say at this point that I believe the jail is
reasonably well run and safe for the inmates as well. If you or a loved one should find yourself a
guest of the Sheriff's Department at some point, there is no need to
panic. The jail is not a happy place,
but I think I could do time there.
Part 3 - What do you talk about
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