Twice a month volunteers from The Order of St. Luke Healing Ministry come to the prison to offer healing prayer to the inmates. Recently, I sat in their prayer circle and was blessed to share in prayer with the volunteers and the men who had gathered. The prayer leader explained to the group that each of us would share our name and prayer request, then the person to our right would pray for the person to their left as we went around the circle.
There was one particular inmate who did not feel comfortable praying out loud and shared that he was new to the faith. The group was extremely supportive of him, and I had the honor of praying for his request. After the prayer circle, we broke into two smaller groups where the volunteers anointed each person with blessed oil, laid hands, and prayed for each individual.
While the overall experience was powerful for everyone (including me), I took special note of the young man who was afraid to offer prayers at the beginning. He was so impacted by the time of prayer that tears started streaming down his face. Clearly, the Holy Spirit was actively at work in this man’s heart – healing was taking place. I don’t know what physical, spiritual, or emotional wounds that man brought into that prayer circle, but I believe that through the laying on of hands, he left healed.
This is why the Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries exists – to help bring healing into the lives of those who have been broken.
Tejado Hanchell, Chaplain
