The Power of Innocence

The Unity Christian Ministry Singers, out of Greentown, Ohio, were coming to Polk C.I. on Thursday night for a worship service! Flyers with a photo of the trio, two women and a man, dressed in fancy attire like a Las Vegas Act, were posted on the chow hall and the prison chapel doors. Everyone was excited: the few, genuine Born Again Christian inmates due to the evangelistic opportunity; many others just because it was something different, a chance for entertainment in their dreary lives.

That night, the chapel was soon packed with two hundred Knuckleheads forced close together in the pews and chairs in the back, everyone as well-behaved as possible. They appreciated Polk's continued support of these programs and did their best to control themselves, but one never forgot that this was a prison population, usually removed from society for good reasons. After a few announcements from the Black Moslem chaplain, the crowd settled down to low, expectant mummerings as the Unity Singing Group entered at the side door.

This time Darrell, the lead singer, had brought along a surprise! With stunned disbelief, all eyes fell upon a pretty, eighteen-year-old girl as she walked slowly in. She was slender and graceful with long, curly, dark hair that framed an angelic, dimpled face. The surly crowd could not have been more shocked if the president of the United States had made a sudden appearance! She walked with her head bowed but showing a slight, beatific smile, obviously praying, but also aware of her surroundings. Like a roomful of Catholics confronted with a nun, the inmates weren't sure how to respond. How could this little girl be so brave as to come to this place to minister to these hardened men? It defied understanding.

I immediately began to earnestly pray for her. "Oh, Lord, please don't let anything mess this up! It must be important for some reason."

The young girl was introduced as Michelle, Darrell's niece from Ohio, who had asked to come along with his ministry team to Florida this winter. Darrell mentioned how unusual it was for a teenager, at this point in her life, to leave her friends and interests to selflessly minister to imprisoned men and women. It seemed more than unusual, even supernatural, especially when she took center stage and began to sing. How could such a young person be so self-assured and poised, composed and dignified in her presentation? Any lascivious temptations were immediately shamed into subjugation, ultimately destroyed by the powerful innocence that radiated from a young, beautiful face lifted toward heaven.

She sang several happy songs of faith while her dark eyes shone with joy and fearlessness, the smile never leaving her lips. Darrell and his backup singers then followed with several rousing songs of inspiration, very professionally done in a way that made you proud to be a Christian, intermixed with sermonettes from scripture.

Everyone's face was just expressing pleasure with the program that had lasted an hour and a half, when once again Michelle took the stage, this time alone. She knelt down with head bowed as a song began to play from the chapel speaker system. No one seemed to move or even breathe. She began to pantomime the words using sign language in flowing gestures that resembled an interpretive dance, elegant and dignified, something completely alien to the culture she performed before. The Christian artist on the CD sang about his own prodigal son story, analogous to the relationship between God and a repentant sinner. As he sang the words, "You're still my son no matter what you've done," and "He ran to me," Michelle stood to her feet with a sweeping embrace, and then, hands raised up, she praised God for everything. No words of her own were needed. Hardened hearts were broken at that moment. Tears flowed freely and were quickly wiped away. A shuddering of suppressed emotion moved through the audience like waves that broke upon a shore. Many allowed themselves to be swept up, and gratefully raised their hands during the invitation to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

It has been said that everything we say and do has an impact upon the world in ways we would never realize. This idea has been expressed in novels and movies like
"It's a Wonderful Life," "Six Degrees of Separation," and "The Butterfly Effect." That night in an old prison chapel, the power of one young woman's pure faith and courage, her decision to serve the Lord by sharing His love with the unloveable, in many lives changed everything. As in Daniel's day, the Lord shut the mouths of the lions in their den. His music soothed the savage beasts, and in this case, brought to them His salvation through an innocent heart.

J. Wallace