I started my role as Chaplain of Oakhill Secure Training Centre in December and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It’s tough but very rewarding especially when days like today happen.

A few weeks ago one of the ‘long term’ trainees (young offenders) came to me asking if he could commit his life to God. After a few discussions and some prayers this young person was following the LORD.

However, that wasn’t enough for him. After a few days he asked: ‘Sarah – are you sure I am fully converted now?’ ‘Yes,’ I say.

He then asked me what I did when I fully wanted to follow Jesus, so I said, ‘I was baptised.’ He followed up with the words ‘I would like to do that.'

He said his mum had told him that when he was a baby he was baptised, but he was not aware of it. Now he wanted to do something in order to remember a moment when he committed his life to fully following Jesus.
 
He says that he knows Jesus has forgiven him, that’s a strong reality. He says to me he has to live with what he has done, but knows that God is with him.
 
Today in front of just a few trusted trainees this young man was baptised. Not by full immersion in a pool, but full immersion with three jugs of water. You have to improvise in such circumstances.
 
God is certainly moving among some of the young people here. I cannot wait for the next one and the next one. Please pray that our young offenders encounter Jesus and completely have their lives turned around.