There’s a core member of our KJM team who needs an organ transplant (both kidneys). This core member of our team is on a waiting list for the transplants. Today he was not in the jail at his assigned time due to having a cold. So, instead, I covered his wing. I was overjoyed to meet with dozens of men, many of which are absolutely on fire for Jesus, and seemingly all were believers. I felt so blessed that we have this KJM mission worker–the one who needs the transplant–on our team, helping the inmates on his wing know GOD.
So, at one point today, I was talking to several of these inmates in one particular cell, we were talking about this KJM mission worker who needs the transplant, and an inmate who was resting on his top bunk while he listened to us talk, suddenly interrupted and said:
“I will donate one of my kidneys to him… I am NOT kidding… I want to… I will do anything for him.”
“Ok brother,” I responded, contemplatively. “I will tell him,” I continued.
My heart was filled with warmth by this gesture of love. All love comes from the LORD (1 John 4:7-8), and I could really feel it streaming thru that inmate and then into me: GOD’s love radiating the men of that cell! (See Psalm 80:19.)
“Let’s get my blood type checked; I hope it’s the same,” the inmate continued. “You only need one [kidney],” he went on. And I added:
“Yes… I know of a woman who, when very young, donated a kidney to her dad–that was 30 years ago, and you’d never know it happened.”
Then another inmate added:
“Yah, and the kidney that remains gets bigger, to do the work of two.”
I am not sure if that is true (I’d have to research it), but the inmate seemed to believe he’d seen that scientific finding somewhere.
Anyway… It was a celebration of GOD’s love in that jail cell!
Then the inmate said again:
“Chap Jeff, I want to help him. I want to do it.”
WOW, I thought. This inmate who wanted to donate was pulled to Jesus while in jail, and had the fullness of the joy of Him (see Psalm 16:11). I believe he had no meaning in his life before that, and now his heart was exploding with meaning. Meaning only can exist in our lives via GOD; without Him we do not have it. And I believe this inmate wants to donate because it will give him meaning, in addition to giving him more closeness to Jesus.
Praise Jesus for His love being in this young man inside the Kalamazoo County Jail, who wants to give of himself to expres the highest love:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
Jesus puts his Spirit inside of sinners, saves them, and then shines like the sun (Son) out from within them and into others. Praise GOD!
