The Roller Coaster

Working with prison inmates can be the most rewarding work on the planet. It can also be the most frustrating. And sometimes the highs and the lows come in waves, one after the other like a roller coaster ride. Up. Then down. Cresting one big hill, then suddenly the bottom falls out.

Here is the latest. I facilitate a class each week called Father Accountability. It is a thirteen week class which I put together myself over the past year and a half that is designed to enhance the parenting skills of the inmate participants. For the most part it is incredibly rewarding as I see it making an obvious difference in the lives of the inmates and their families. We spend a lot of time talking about things like involvement in our families' lives, awareness of our childrens' needs, nurturance, discipline, being consistent as parents and communication skills.
Yesterday was this class' eighth week together - A big day. Week eight is what we call "PlayDay." On PlayDay we bring in the children of the inmate participants for an afternoon of fun, getting to know our children better and practicing some of the skills we've been working on in class.

PlayDay went well and I was pleased with the interaction I saw between the inmates and their families. I went home thinking, "Okay, this group is turning the corner. We're on track and they're getting it."
Arriving at the prison today I have discovered that two of our participants are in administrative segregation and facing serious disciplinary infractions. They will be removed from the class and most likely returned to medium custody. How frustrating! Have they not been listening? I really thought they were getting it. Now, I'm not so sure.

There is a bottom line here, and this is probably the most frustrating part of all about the work I do as a prison chaplain: God's salvation, family restoration, the blessings of the Lord - I seem to want this for these men more than they want it for themselves.