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Check! Innovative Evangelism
by Dr. Allen George, Peru
5 December 2007
Prisoners playing chess

I sponsor two chess clubs. One meets weekly at our home. The other meets under the stern eyes of armed guards in the towers of this region’s highest security prison. Some time ago I read that only two things positively reduce prison recidivism: true spiritual change and prison chess clubs. I decided to combine the two.

Over the past few years, I’ve led three chess tournaments in the prison at Christmas time, at the invitation of the local district attorney, who is a fellow chess player. Last Christmas, I was surprised to see Percy, a former member of the chess club in our home, serving a prison sentence. I was happy to learn that he’d become a Christian while in prison. Then a member of our church, who also plays chess at our house, became the new prison guard. It was time to launch our prison chess club!

Frisked, Yet Free to Minister

Every Monday morning the guard frisks me at the door and keeps my keys and Peruvian identity card. He lets me carry in a box containing chess pieces, boards, and Bibles. We play chess with the men for about an hour; then my partner Jaime leads a Bible study based on the book, New Life in Christ.

medical outreach
Dr. Jay Allison tends to a broken
leg that was never set.

Of the 150 prisoners, almost 50 have come to the Bible study and chess club. After attending three classes, they receive a New Testament; after ten times they get a Spanish NIV Bible. At first I was afraid they’d leave when the chess play was over, but instead we find that the group grows when the Bible study begins. Five have accepted Christ as their Savior.

The chess club and Bible study have now opened the door for medical ministry to the prisoners, many of whom suffer with long-neglected problems. (I came to Peru to serve as a medical doctor.) For our first campaign, a medical school classmate came to help me, and we treated about 25 patients. We trust that this display of Christ’s compassion will open prisoners’ hearts to Him.

Pray

  • that the prisoners will not lose their faith or their hope.
  • that we will continue to be safe.
  • that the guards who attend the study will come to Christ.

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