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Kairos Prison Ministry announces that Louisiana Department of Corrections has approved expansion of the Kairos Inside Program to include inmates on death row

Debary, Florida – Kairos Prison Ministry International, Inc. (“Kairos”), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, announces the first ever Kairos Inside Weekend for ten inmates on death row at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola (“Angola”), to be held February 5th – 7th. Kairos has been active at Angola for 25 years, and now the Louisiana Department of Corrections has made the innovative decision to allow the program to be conducted for the death row inmates at Angola.

Kairos Inside is a ministry program whose mission is to develop a Christian community inside the prison. Ten death row inmates will participate in a 3.5 day program based on a series of talks, discussions, prayer, and chapel meditations with the aim of creating or continuing a desire for spiritual growth. The result is an improvement in prison living environment and personal transformations. The Weekend will be followed up with Continuing Ministry of Reunions and Prayer and Share groups which provides an authentic and vital Christian community for accountability and encouragement.

Secretary James M. Le Blanc of the Louisiana Department of Corrections, said, “We have seen great impact in Louisiana State facilities where Kairos programs have been implemented, and this has been especially true for Angola. We are pleased to open the program now to the inmates on death row at Angola and look forward to continued improvement in morale and the prison environment as a result.”

Kairos has participated in prison ministry at other death row facilities across the U.S. This first Weekend for ten of the death row inmates at Angola will be led by a team of experienced Kairos volunteers. Also in attendance will be Chaplain Gary Sumrall who has seen the dramatic impact of Kairos in Angola first-hand.

“Our volunteers share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ with the program Participants,” said Evelyn Lemly, CEO of Kairos, “They come together to bond for many weeks before a Weekend occurs; they are then able to concentrate on conducting the program so that it might touch an inmate’s heart and transform their life. We believe that no person is beyond the reach of God’s power. We look forward to this opportunity and want to thank Secretary Le Blanc, as well as Warden Vannoy and Chaplain Sumrall for their support.”

About Kairos Prison Ministry
Kairos Prison Ministry International, Inc. is a lay-led, interdenominational Christian ministry in which men and women volunteers bring Christ’s love and forgiveness to prisoners and their families through three programs: Kairos Inside, for incarcerated men and women; Kairos Outside, for female relatives/friends of the incarcerated; and Kairos Torch, for incarcerated youth. From simple beginnings as a short course in Christianity inside a Florida prison in 1976, Kairos has grown to serve more than 500 prisons and communities in 10 countries and 37 states. Each year, more than 30,000 volunteers donate 3 million hours of service with an estimated dollar value of $36 million. To learn more, visit kairosprisonministry.org.

About Louisiana Department of Corrections
The mission of Corrections Services is to enhance public safety through the safe and secure incarceration of offenders, effective probation/parole supervision and proven rehabilitative strategies that successfully reintegrate offenders into society, as well as to assist individuals and communities victimized by crime.