No, it wasn’t a really bad riot.
But last month there was a riot at Crossroads Correctional, a maximum-security prison forty-five minutes from my home. This is one of the institutions that I preach in regularly, and have for almost a decade.
You may read a news report about the event by CLICKING HERE.
On April 1 all the Missouri prisons went “smoke-free.” Some say this contributed to this particular riot. Perhaps.
But Crossroads, like all Missouri prisons (and most country-wide) is tremendously understaffed. Thus many programs and activities are curtailed. Several years ago Crossroads officials shut down all weekend activities. Since then “Christian call-out” (church) is, for most, on Wednesday mornings.
It is reported there were no serious injuries during the event.
But the prison was “locked-down,” and it remains that way as I type.
All programs (from Narcanon to GED to various group therapy sessions to WICCA to Islam to Christian etc) are shut down.
The chaplain told me this afternoon there is no projected date for things to change.
I’d ask you to pray that God would literally and figuratively open doors for ministry behind the walls of Crossroads. Pray for peace in a place that is always tense, and I’m certain is even more “tight” now.
Pray for the brothers-in-Christ doing time (as well as Christian correctional officers) to use this dark time to shine brightly and vocally for the Lord Jesus and His gospel.
Thank you!
