“There’s nothing I want to remember about being in prison… except the day last year that blue sky nine came.”
The members of blue sky nine met Chaplain Dale Bailey at Ellsworth Correctional a year and a half ago while working a Bill Glass Weekend of Champions. A few months later, the band arranged to play a show at Ellsworth and a long-term relationship began. Now, the guys at Ellsworth know them and love them and want them back whenever they’re in the area.
Last week, blue sky nine returned to Ellsworth Correctional for performance # 3. Scott Naylor, lead guitar player, shared his story, which includes the gospel, and invited the guys to make a decision to begin a relationship with Christ. After the show, he spoke to “Frank,” a tall, clean-cut guy in his late twenties who looked slightly out-of-place in a prison. Scott had a conversation with “Frank” the last time blue sky nine played at Ellsworth.
“Frank” told Scott that since last year, he’d been walking with the Lord and he’d seen his life change incredibly. He said that he has a peace inside, and doesn’t get angry anymore. He reminded Scott that last year he sat “right over there” (pointing to where he sat) and said that he had come up to him after the show to tell him he’d decided to follow Christ!
“Frank” and Scott talked a bit more about how much “Frank’s” life was different because of his relationship with God. And then, “Frank” said, “There’s nothing I want to remember about being in prison… except the day last year that blue sky nine came.”
At that point, Scott hugged him. Amidst the crush of guys at the front of the stage wanting to talk, Scott squeezed out a few more minutes with “Frank,” ignoring the taps on the shoulder for autographs (the band gives the guys a leaving piece with a photo on one side and the gospel on the other and they sign them.) “Frank” thanked us for coming again, and thanked Scott for sharing his story. Scott thanked him for sharing his story, too!
Blue sky nine also performed at the Topeka Women’s Prison and El Dorado Correctional, a Level 5 ‘Supermax’ facility. During the three-prison tour, around 325 inmates heard the gospel and 13 of them indicated a first-time decision to begin a relationship with God. An additional 24 people said they wanted to talk with someone further about spiritual things.
This “mini-tour” to prisons in Kansas was a highlight for the members of blue sky nine and allowed even more connections with prison chaplains who are seeking ways to begin spiritual movements. While the inmates at these three prisons are still incarcerated, many of them have been set free in a spiritual sense. We can’t wait to see what God will do in the weeks, months and years to come!
For more stories from blue sky nine check out these blog posts:
Starting Over
Bucharest and Beyond
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