Prison Life (Shoes)
Our society prides itself on individualism and being unique. Young people, in particular, look for ways to dress that set them apart from others. Not so in jail.
When someone enters our prison, they are given “whites,” which are underwear, an undershirt, socks, and, of course, an orange jumpsuit. Everyone wears orange, the color of the institution. The exceptions are workers who wear green or red depending on their job location within the prison, but even those are the same as all the other workers.
How can someone distinguish themselves or stand out? Shoes!
Shoes are the one item you get to keep when you enter prison (unless they are dress shoes or steel-toed boots!). Everyone is issued hard, orange flip-flops that you can hear shuffling along 1,000 feet away, or you can buy tennis shoes right out of the 1980s.
Yet, I see a lot of different sneakers inside. Some guys know they will be arrested when they report to their probation officer on the outside, so they wear top-flight Nikes that day either to gain status or sell them on the inside. Shoes can be traded for commissary money. I—not me, the chaplain, but an inmate—give you my Nikes, and then you get your girl or family on the outside to put money in my account to complete the exchange.
If you have been a good friend to someone inside, they may leave you their shoes when they get out since they can replace them soon. You can wear your sneakers when you play prison basketball in the yard (the blacktop rec area outside) or walk around the block without wearing flip-flops to show who you are! The most valued shoes? Air Jordans, of course.
Chaplain Life
In some counseling sessions, it can seem like we are getting nowhere, or a guy is not really interested, while other times, men have clearly been touched by God even before we meet with them. It is hard to turn it around after a prison stint, but our God can do great things.
Thank you for your prayers for these men:
- Mr. K is very faithful to my Bible studies and has been wanting to talk for a while. He is getting out in two weeks and wants to join church, Bible studies, and anything else that points to God on the outside. We will have lunch when he gets out.
- Mr. F thought he was getting out last month but now hopes to be out in a few weeks. He got saved a couple of months ago in prison. He is open about his faith and faithful in Bible studies. Pray for his continued growth in Christian living, especially on the outside.
- Mr. V is on the outside. I was walking into Sam’s, and out of nowhere, there he was! He had been in our prison two years ago, got sentenced to go upstate, and recently got out. We hugged right there in the middle of the aisle. We were able to catch up earlier this week over coffee, and he says he knows he needs to keep God in life. He hopes to join me in church, so let’s pray that way and for his new life outside.
- Speaking of new life on the outside, pray for Mr. C. Jr. I met with Mr. C Jr over two years ago our prison, and he also was upstate for the past two years, getting out recently. We had lunch, and Mr. C Jr is ready to do it all—join a local men’s group with Chaplain Mike and come to church with me on Sunday. Pray that Mr. C Jr would stay connected with God and with us chaplains and that we would be able to connect him with more men who can help him live this new life in God on the outside.
Sometimes, I am struck by how hard it is for these men to change, yet I see change. It is slow but real. We must pray that it would stick and that these men would introduce a new way of living—living with God—into the lives of those around them. These are the front lines of where Satan has strongholds that need to be broken. God can do it.
Thank you for your prayers.
Because of Him,
Chaplain Paul Beliasov
York County Prison
York, PA
