Heaven Smiled Sunday

One of the things I enjoy most in my ministry is a class I facilitate each Monday evening in the prison called Father Accountability. Father Accountability is a 13-week class designed to enhance parenting skills and to encourage men to step up and be the dads God designed them to be. Because the majority of the inmates in the class have never had a dad in their own lives, it can be a challenging endeavor to simply get them to see that fatherlessness is not the norm and that being a good father to their children is not 'mission impossible' for them.

Week 8 of our 13-week journey together is always special and a lot of fun for all of us. On week 8, we move our class meeting to Sunday afternoon and invite the children of the inmates in the class to come and spend the afternoon with their dads. We call it "PlayDay", and that's exactly what we do: We play. From board games to cards to reading to our children, for one afternoon the surroundings are pushed into the background and its just families enjoying time with one another.

This past Sunday was PlayDay for the current group of dads in the class. As the families arrived there were the typical hugs and kisses as some greeted children they hadn't seen in up to two years. As the families settled in for the afternoon together there were smiling faces all around.
But I noticed one inmate, Derrick, seemed a bit reticent. He was worried his teenage son may not come. Maybe no one would bother to bring him. Or maybe he wouldn't even want to come. While others laughed and played, Derrick waited.

Thankfully, Derrick's son did come. An hour late. As they shared time together I found myself wondering what Derrick was thinking. I hoped the visit was going well.
When our time ended and the visitors filed out, the inmates thanked me repeatedly for arranging the afternoon for them. A few said it was the best time they could remember having with their children. Ever.

Last evening in class, Derrick shared a little bit about his visit with his son. It was hard at first. Awkward. But it went well. So well that his son has asked to be included on Derrick's regular visiting list.
Then Derrick said that as our PlayDay came to an end, he did something he'd never done before: He hugged his boy. He reached out and drew his son close, and hugged him. He said that was awkward, too. But it felt good. He felt like a father.

Something powerful happened here this past Sunday. A father hugged his son for the very first time. A son experienced the loving embrace of a dad who has missed most of his life.
And I think I know God well enough to say He smiled Sunday.