Winning them with Candy

Over 35 years ago, Carol McCraw listened with sympathy as Bro. John Yoder, an Amish preacher, begged people to get involved in prison ministry.  He needed help and she was touched with his

 Over 35 years ago, Carol McCraw listened with sympathy as Bro. John Yoder, an Amish preacher, begged people to get involved in prison ministry.  He needed help and she was touched with his passion to reach those in jail.  She began in the early 1970s at the Christian County, KY at a time when  the facility was merely a large house partitioned off so that the middle of it was akin to a box-shaped area for the prisoners, not knowing her first day was the beginning of about 10 years there and many more down the road.  She went on to the Green River Correctional facility in the early 80's.  She learned she could pay the keyboard and sing, so from just visiting the prisoners, she began working in the chapel service.   In the 90s, she also began to go to the KSP prison at Eddyville and occasionally to a prison in Eastern KY.  Over the years, she has been shot at, held hostage, worked with the prisoners, one-on-one in the Chaplain's office, participated in prison invasion, A Day with Dad, and other programs.  Her passion is for the prisoners, though they are behind bars, to be free of the bars in their hearts.  She now conducts the chapel services with her anointed music and song.  To entice the prisoners to attend chapel, she offers them a piece of candy, such a small instrument to save a soul.  The "guys," she calls them, can smell the candy through the boxes when she arrives to get her stash  approved and x-rayed before it is allowed in the prison. Chocolate is premium.After Christmas and other holidays, she buys up all the leftover candy and counts the number of pieces in each bag. Then she adds up all the numbers and divides by 1000, the number of prisoners she is required to supply. Sometimes they only get 7 or 8 pieces.  This year was a good year; they received 20 pieces each.   She buys paper by the ream and divides it up in 25 to 50 sheets apiece for each prisoner.  Also included in her Christmas gifts are Ramen noodles, socks, pens/pencils, etc.  Though Carol is part of a larger ministry umbrella, in all these years, she has personally paid the cost of the items she takes with her as well as her own round trip expenses.  Many prisoners have come to the Lord through her efforts.  Her face lights up when she tells her stories of redemption especially when she sees one come out of prison reformed and a preacher of the Gospel.  She is beloved by the guys at the prison. They know she cares.  Though Carol believes "if they do the crime, they do the time," she has a future goal to minister to the families who, in actuality, are imprisoned also because their breadwinner is incarcerated.  Another goal is to make a CD to be sold to help fund her efforts.   She is an example of what one person can do if they have the passion and bravery to step out and make a difference.   Carol and her husband, Leon, have a daughter, Tammy, and son, J.T.  She is a member of Westview Assembly of God, 400 Pyle Lane, Hopkinsville, KY where she is the worship leader.  

Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos

Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great. Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.

 Start Uploading Now!

 

Discuss this Article