About the Author
	In 1971, I was your average young, naive, self-righteous....minister.   My wife, four year old daughter and I had moved from West Texas to preach for a congregation in Grand Prairie (near Dallas). The news' FLASH reported a horrible crime.   It sickened me to read of the sexual assault and murder of a little girl by her mother's former boyfriend.  In my heart, I was hoping the sorry "so-and-so" was captured and given the Death Penalty!
Little did I know that shortly I would be asked to minister to this killer!  Yes, he wrote to the church asking for a Bible and study course.  I tried "passing the buck" to the elders.  They quickly inspected that hot horseshoe and pitched it back to me.  "Buck, you take care of this," they said. Faced with this nasty task, I tried to scheme a way to get it done without ME actually doing it!  I had promised my Mom as a child that I'd never go to jail.  I fully intended to keep my word.  Finally, I remembered a "good old buddy" - Fred Selby.  A deacon in a sister congregation, Fred visited Dallas County Jail weekly.   I promised to hand-deliver a Bible and study course to Fred's front-door.   Because we were deeply evangelistic, the church would even pay for it! Smile .... But, then it happened!  Fred asked me to go with him to the jail.   Being an ex-pigskin jock and macho, I didn't have the guts to tell Fred that I was chicken.  So. . .Fred and I went to jail!  I figured I'd just stand back, let Fred talk, and I'd depart with a faint "God bless you" (preachers say that, you know).  I had not counted on the severe mental anguish I would experience. When Ed snaked his hand through the bars to shake mine, I did not want to shake his!   I gave him my ugliest handshake.  Fred introduced us and since our stall was a 2-seater, I sat down.  It was hard for me to stay seated.  Every time I glanced at this guy. . .I saw him sexually assault my little girl and kill her with that tire tool!  I tried to drive those images away but they returned.  I privately prayed for Fred to hurry.  I was relieved when he finally said, "Well, I guess Buck and I had better go. . ." Then, Fred turned and said, "Buck, why don't you lead us in prayer?"  I could've killed Fred with a tire-tool at that moment!  I wasn't able to specifically pray about this situation.  Instead, I relied on the comfortable old clichés like: " "Be with the sick" and "Bless the orphans and widows in their afflictions" and "Help the missionaries overseas."  I don't remember much about it. . . it was a blur.  It seemed twice as long as those prayers that my Uncle Noah used to lead in church when I was a kid. When Fred and I "escaped" from the jail, I was elated!  I was glad I survived and confident I'd never be in that predicament again.  However, in less than a week this inmate asked us to bring his "cellie" a Bible and study course.   Again, I called Fred (I didn't even ask the elders this time).  Again, Fred asked me to accompany him and I did.  "While here," Fred said, "we ought to check on Ed again, too."  I didn't want to but agreed.  I was not happy about my feelings toward Ed and had hoped I would "work through" them by going back. Still, I returned depressed.  My nights were restless.  I had trouble getting to sleep.  I tossed and turned.  I felt guilty about my stinking attitude.   My prayers late in the night brought little relief.  Several days passed.   Then, Ed wrote asking us to help him be baptized into Christ!  I called Fred and told him.  Fred suggested that I "help" with Ed's baptism.  I really had trouble sleeping that night! How could I baptize Ed?  I didn't even want to shake his hand!  I had wanted him to get the Death Penalty. Finally, and buckets of tears later, I crossed the bridge every jail worker must cross if he is to be effective in this ministry.  I decided that even if Ed had sexually assaulted and killed my daughter, he should be given an opportunity to escape the fires of Hell forever!  And, who am I to deny it? Thus, we baptized him and, I felt great!  In a week or two, Ed's "cellie" was baptized too!  We were "off and running" with an exciting ministry.  Ed ended up leading several men to Christ.  His conversion motivated fellow prisoners to ask Ed questions about his faith.  In subsequent visits, we searched the sculptures for answers and this led to a tract entitled, "Questions Prisoners Ask." In time I learned Ed had written to the Burbank Gardens congregation in particular because he and his parents attended there when he was a youth.  He had even stood at my pulpit and tried his hand at song-leading.  His parents had been considered "faithful" members.  And to think . . . I was reluctant to shake his hand! Unfortunately, when I no longer wanted this man to get the Death Penalty, he got it!   I rejoice that Ed repented.  And I thank God for using Ed to open my eyes to see the ripe harvest of fields behind bars.  I have repented.  I've wept much but the tears have turned to joy!  This is an experience I shall never forget and . . . it drives me daily.