The prison that I used to visit was just a few miles down the road.  With other volunteers we went there every Wednesday evening, to meet the men who had gathered, to share coffee and tea, to chat to study the bible and to pray together. It was the highlight of my week. There was something special and refreshing about these times. We were able to talk about real things, about things that mattered about families, sorrow and regret, loneliness and fear, life and death, heaven and hell.  There was no need to pretend. One of the officers was very supportive of us and on the way in one night he took me aside and said.  “You know what you folk do is really good. What these guys need is religion”  I didn’t have the wit to respond to him then but I thought about it afterwards. Religion was the last thing these guys needed. They needed a Saviour. We need a Saviour. One of the amazing truths that this week reminds us of is that there is that Saviour.

Crawford Mackenzie