Inmates sing I will raise you up

A Kolbe retreat  was held Nov. 11 through Nov. 13 at the Mark W. Stiles Unit, a Texas correctional facility near Beaumont. Inmates sing “I will raise you up,” with their hands reaching for God. They stand shoulder to shoulder, arms around each other, and joyously sing out loud from a place where you would least expect it.

The scene is inspirational. The love in the room is not what most would expect in a prison gym. Together they sing God’s praises  and don’t want to stop. They keep asking for “one more song,” because they don’t want this feeling to end.