Waiting For The Creaky, Squeaky Christian Book Cart
“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles.”
So much of prison life is about waiting. Every Wednesday morning, many of the 180 inmates housed on the eighth and ninth floors of Michigan’s Macomb County Prison are waiting for the cacophonous sounds of squeaky wheels in the distance. They signal the approaching book cart that will bring them new stories of lives once shackled like themselves, now freed by the power of Jesus.
These books, provided by Christian Library International, thanks to generous donors, bring hope to so many men and women behind bars. Chaplain Steven Malek can attest to CLI’s impact on the prison’s 850 inmates. “Inmates say the books have been life-changing. We literally can’t get enough of them. Just two months ago CLI sent us a box of books and they’re already gone. Our inmates are thirsty for the hope of God’s word and for the inspirational stories of these wonderful Christian authors.”
Steven and his wife Robin have been serving as co-chaplains at Macomb County Prison for the past six years. During that time, they have witnessed a transformation that has seen the prison population shrink from more than 1300 inmates to about 850 today. “Some of the prison guards who have been here for years are convinced, as am I,” said Steven, “that our ministry along with the help of CLI is the main reason for the change.”
Steven’s prison ministry, Gateway To Glory Ministries, offers inmates at Macomb County traditional church services throughout the week, one-on-one counseling and prayer sessions, and the weekly book carts that make their way through all 12 floors of Michigan’s largest prison under one roof. “None of this was available to me when I was in prison 23 years ago,” Steven recalled. “But God was preparing me for this ministry even then. I just couldn’t see it at the time.”
At the time, Steven was a $300-a-day cocaine junkie living in California with his wife Robin and their young daughter. His cocaine habit led to a 6-month prison term, forcing Robin to live out of the back of a van, which in turn led to the loss of custody of their daughter. After accepting Christ in prison, God healed and restored his family, eventually leading him to Michigan and his new life as a prison chaplain. “Now we’re here right where God wants us,” Steve related confidently, “here at Macomb County Prison. Our ministry is vibrant and alive. Even the guards can feel it because the Lord is in it. And our friends at CLI are in it, too. They’re here every week bringing light to these dark halls. Just listen for the sound of the creaky, squeaky Christian book cart.”