SOCPM Newsletter | October 22, 2022

Greetings,

SOCPM Inside the Prison Gate: A new term with answered prayer.

SOCPM Outside the Prison Gate: Encouraged near and far.

On the Home Front: A little exercise and healthier eating works; who would da thunk 🤷🏻‍♂️

On the Prayer Front:  All things family, SOCPM, and more

These are the topics for this week's SOCPM Newsletter. I hope you enjoy it, despite my lack of an editor. Michelle would like to edit my newsletters (I think she has a deep-seated desire to be an English teacher with a red pencil in hand), but her work voids the time.

To Him be the glory in ALL things and Him alone,

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

SOCPM Inside the Prison Gate

The three-week breaks between terms went fast, and this past week saw the start of the new term in Sheridan. The return to Sheridan was an answer to prayer. Unexpectedly, in an exchange of e-mails with Sheridan's Chaplain McClimans last week on another topic, he gave me the joyful news Sheridan was going to open up this week. Praise God!

This past Wednesday was scheduled to start a new term at Dixon. Unfortunately, an e-mail from the Chaplain on Tuesday afternoon informed me that Dixon would be administering flu shots and that would be no movement; thus, the morning class, Discipleship, would need to be canceled. However, on Wednesday morning, a second e-mail gave me the news that no movement would last through the afternoon.

This first week of classes was an orientation. So, that is not as frustrating as canceling a teaching class. A common question in the orientation class is, when does the course end? Several students have concerns that it may not end before they are released or a conflict with their jobs, counseling, etc. This term is planned to finish the last week in January. However, since COVID, lockdowns, which used to be uncommon, are now quite frequent and last weeks, so a set completion date is something only God knows.

Hopefully, next week will start a long streak of weeks, ideally 14, with no lockdowns in both facilities, but I'm not holding my breath.

SOCPM Outside the Prison Gate

God has not only encouraged me in my return to being inside the gate but also has brought encouragement outside the gate. The fundraising gifts coming in from new monthly supporters encouraged me to persevere in my ongoing SOCPM fundraising. In addition, a couple of unexpected gifts were encouraging as God timed them well with the cost of my purchasing 100 copies of 'The Heart of a Man Part 1, books, and other ministry supplies for the start of the new term.

Encouragement and joyful news came from afar from my prison ministry colleague, David from Uganda, whom I also call my friend. David does prison ministry in a very under-resourced area and has needs SOCPM is not in a position to help financially. So it was personal discouragement when David would send pictures of his serving in various prisons in Uganda but also knowing of unmet needs.

I can't recall exactly how it all transpired, but as I was praying for David's burdens, God brought to my mind Prisoners for Christ, a ministry I at one time was investigating, as a possible parent ministry to SOCPM. However, PFC's mission and strategies did not align with what I felt God defined in my stewardship of SOCPM. However, God reminded me PFC had a presence in Africa, just where I wasn't sure, but I reached out to Greg Van Tobel, the founder of PFC, and a long story short, a couple of PFC ministers in Uganda, through Greg's request, contacted David.

In my most recent e-mail from David, he plans to do prison ministry with PFC in another area of Uganda and get some training. Please pray God will use PFC to meet David's heartfelt needs in bringing the Gospel to the prisoner in Uganda.

Greg invited me to join PFC on a trip to Uganda next year; though it would be a dream come true for me, I know God's will for SOCPM and me now is to keep my focus on where he has me and to raise the needed support to put SOCPM on more secure financial footing. Of course, there are other obstacles too, but perhaps someday. Until then, I praise God's use of me in stewarding SOCPM, and until that day, if it ever is His will, David can send me pictures.

On the Home Front

I still need to do more when it comes to healthy eating, but exercising and attempting a more beneficial diet were seen in my latest blood work 😱. Three of the blood test were still out of the normal range but moved closer to the normal range, and those blood tests that were borderline of being in the range have moved more towards the healthier mid-range. Praise God.

Of course, there is the temptation to do extra cheating, but God is pushing the motivation to bring all the blood tests within the normal range. Please pray I only mildly give into those cheating temptations for a few days in my diet but in the longer term, as a result of God's grace grow stronger in self-control more frequently and consistently.

On the Prayer Front

Cameron - I've not talked to Cameron for a few weeks, nor he and his friends could afford his cell phone bill, but the last communication was through his friend Hunter, on October 11th, who told me Cameron was back in rehab. Please pray Cameron will come to the full realization his ways of decisions and choices to deal with life's trials are not the way to continue to journey, but fully giving his life to Jesus Christ will bring forth the life he desires. Pray for the salvation of Cameron and his friends, Hunter and Amy. Permanent sobriety for Cameron and Amy.

Michelle (aka my lovely bride) - Her co-workers and she have a major upgrade this coming week. Please pray the upgrade is without major issues and that she gets the proper rest during the upgrade. Praise the latest cortisone injections have been effective against her RA flare-ups of swollen knees.

Self - God bless my fundraising efforts for His glory. This new term will have minimal, if not any, lockdowns, that I present the Gospel clearly throughout the term, and those who are not believers will come to saving faith, and those who are believers will be sanctified.

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