Kairos Prison Ministries - Polunsky Unit

Kairos Prison Ministry International, Inc. (KPMI) is a Christian faith-based ministry which addresses the spiritual needs of incarcerated men, women, youth and, their families through Kairos Inside, Kairos Outside and Kairos Torch.

By sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, Kairos hopes to change hearts, transform lives and impact the world. As a ministry, Kairos embraces a diverse group of volunteers working together to fulfill Christ's call to action in Matthew 25:36 “… I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me.'

What is Kairos Inside about?

The primary objective of the 3-Day Short Course is to prepare specifically selected Residents (prisoners) for the ongoing Christian community of Kairos in the prison. Of great importance, KAIROS is a continuing ministry. Besides the 3-Day Short Course held twice a year, Kairos team members and Kairos Residents gather monthly, at the Wynne Unit on the 3rd Sunday, for a Resident-led Reunion program. On a weekly basis, Kairos Residents meet in the prison Chapel in Prayer and Share groups led by Resident leaders and supported by outside Kairos volunteers.

Why do inmates in a maximum-security prison participate in Kairos?

They hear stories about food; food that none have had since being in prison. Food like fresh fruit, hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza and homemade King Ranch Chicken to name a few. During the 3-Day Short Course in the Wynne Unit, two meals a day are prepared, brought into the prison and served by team members to the Residents. In addition, a bag of chocolate chip cookies is hand delivered by the Kairos team to all 2600 inmate residents and all the Correction Officers and staff.

 What is the impact of this ministry?

Even though prison sentences are long, most inmates will be returned to society. About 93 percent of all inmates will someday be released. National and state funds have been primarily used to build and operate prisons. There has been very little money for rehabilitating prison inmates. For a variety of reasons, 55 to 80 percent will return to prison again. Studies carried out in Florida, Texas, Colorado and California indicate a dramatic reduction in the recidivism rate among those residents who have experienced Kairos.