Prison ministry and outreach are challenging. Sometimes you are dealing with hardened criminals, but redemption can still be possible. A choir of older folks understands this quite well. That’s why they took their show to the Hampshire County Jail.
The Young@Heart Chorus is comprised of members who are at least 70 years old. Some of these senior citizens are professional entertainers while other just simply love to sing. The group launched a prison project in 2014. They love using their voices to lift worries from the prisoner’s minds.
78-year-old chorus member Sara Lee Bartley loves singing at the prison. “Most of them have had a challenge and got off track, but haven’t we all had challenges?” the singer said.
These thoughtful men and women likely had no idea how touching their performance would be to the prisoners. The faces in the crowd told the tale. Being behind bars can be depressing. Prisoners may feel nobody cares, but these singers certainly do.
The chorus sang Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” in honor of a member who died that very same day. Perhaps that message is what really resonated with the prisoners. You only have one life to live. It’s time to get living. These people just lost their friend that very day, but they still showed up to sing for these men.
Watch the expressions on the faces of the inmates in the video below. The end of the video shows how powerful this performance was to the men in the crowd.
Maybe these singers reminded the inmates of their own grandparents or maybe it was the song, but it’s evident that they certainly appreciated it all!
Sometimes just showing people that you care is exactly what they need to lift their spirits. The Young@Heart Chorus certainly cares about these men!
Source: Faith Tap
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