I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello and welcome
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to a very, very
special 3ABN Today program.
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My name is CA Murray,
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and allow me once again
to thank you for joining us
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and for sharing
your love with us
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these 33 plus years.
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Today's program is
just a very special program,
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so excuse me if I
seem a little giddy
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because of the subject
matter and because of...
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We use the term
special guest a lot here,
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but this is
really a special program
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with a very, very special guest,
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our good friend, Lemuel Vega.
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Lemuel, good to
have you here, man.
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It's a wonderful
blessing to be here once again.
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And you brought Donna
with you, your wife is here.
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Yup.
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This is a special program
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that deals with
Christmas Behind Bars.
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And when you
think of Lemuel Vega,
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they come in the same thought
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and almost in the same
sentence and the same breath.
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So it's a Christmas
Behind Bars program,
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and if you can see
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what's going on
behind us, it is a...
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We didn't go
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to Christmas
Behind Bars, Lemuel,
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we kind of brought Christmas
Behind Bars to us today.
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Absolutely.
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And there's an
important aspect of that is
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we want people to know that
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they can do
this in their church,
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in their fellowship hall
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that they can do
this in their area
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and bring hope to
those incarcerated
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in their community.
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Yeah, and it's kind of fun,
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you know,
everybody work together,
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it's kind of an
assembly line process.
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And as you see, behind
us, the folk are having fun.
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It's a little
chilly in the studio today.
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We kind of cooled it down
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so that the workers
wouldn't get too hot.
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Little cool for us
sitting here on set,
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but they're
having fun, aren't they?
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Absolutely. It's a
wonderful blessing.
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And the church that's
willing to get involved,
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it's going to grow their church
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those that come to speak
in the prisons and jails,
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it encourages
their lives as well,
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so it's more than just
putting the bags together.
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You know, talk to me a
little bit, Lemuel, about...
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I'm going to use a big
25-cent word reciprocity,
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the idea that
when you give, you get,
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you know, when you give out,
when you do this kind of work,
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it's tough work
because you're building bags,
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you're doing things
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but when you take
these gifts to prisons,
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there's something
that God gives you back
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that more than compensates
for the energy that you put in.
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Absolutely.
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That's what Celestine shared
that she goes to be a blessing,
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but she comes
home with a blessing.
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And that's how it is.
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And when someone
looks at your eyes,
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and they just shake
your hand, and they say,
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"Thank you, you made a
difference in my life,"
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or they might say
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that they've gotten
bags three years in a row,
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never paid any
attention to the literature,
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but now they read
the Desire of Ages
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or now, they
read Steps to Christ,
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and now it's made a
difference in their lives,
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so it's not about numbers
and results today currently,
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but it's for the
kingdom of heaven, amen?
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Yeah, yeah.
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Now for those who
may not know your history
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because there are those who,
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you know, we get a new
audience from time to time,
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you began this idea,
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I guess appeared to
you or occurred to you
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when you were prison yourself.
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Talk to us a
little bit about that.
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I was visited
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when I was in
jail, 18 years old,
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looking at 10 to
20 years in prison,
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a bond of $110, 000
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which is a lot of
money to bond out,
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6 or 7 people came to sing a
few songs to us in that jail.
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I went to prison
as a young man, CA,
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and prison
doesn't change one's life,
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but again the
volunteers that came to prison
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set the stage of the value
of someone giving up their time
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to those that are incarcerated.
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Sick and ready to die,
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free from prison for 12 years
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in a hospital room
from drug addiction,
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I kneeled down and I prayed,
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and I simply asked
God for help in my life,
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and I said, "Dear
Jesus, please help me.
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I want to quit, but I can't."
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The doctors and all
their education and medication,
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that's all fine and
good, but without Christ,
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there's no hope
for internal change.
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And I asked Christ
for help in my life,
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and it was the
pastor's wife idea
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at our local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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that had the idea making
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some packages for the
folks that are in jail.
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And so the light went on
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that these people
would really appreciate it,
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and so that's
what we began to do
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is make packages
for these people,
00:04:58.73\00:05:00.53
and it's continued to
grow across the country,
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and we'd like to visit
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more jails and more
prisons in different states.
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So you've been doing
this a good little while now.
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Probably over 20 years.
Twenty years, praise God.
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Right. This is your life?
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It is, in Christ, yeah.
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Because when we think
about Christmas Behind Bars,
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we think about Lemuel Vega.
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Now a couple of things,
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give me just some sense
of the number of prisons
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that you've been
in and the states
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and if you can
give me a round number
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about how many tens
of thousands of bags
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have you given out
over those 20 years?
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I don't have that number.
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But I do know
that my aunt told me
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that she makes the literature,
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she makes copies
of the literature
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that goes in the bag,
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and she said she
does about 50,000 a year.
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Fifty thousand a year?
That's the only number I have.
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All right, if we just
multiply that by 20 years,
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you kind of get a number.
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Well, I started
with a First County Jail
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with 350 inmates 20 years ago,
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and then it went to 2
jails and 5 jails and 10 jails,
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and probably about 12 years ago,
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we started with the first prison
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and that's the prison
where I was incarcerated,
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so about 12 years ago was
a prison of 2,000 inmates,
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and it was a blessing to go back
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because there's
still people in that prison
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that I remember
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when I was prison
that there are still there,
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and they didn't have
the opportunity to go home
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like I did.
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Wow. Wow. How many
states? Do you have any idea?
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Probably 12 to
15 different states.
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We just added North Dakota
and South Dakota this year
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for the first time.
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Minnesota, Arkansas, Alabama,
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Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia,
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Baltimore, Maryland, Ohio,
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Florida, Indiana, Illinois,
I don't know, many states.
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And you went down
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to Alabama fairly
recently, I recall?
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Yes, sir. Yeah,
yeah, praise the Lord.
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Give me sense, Lemuel,
of how the administrators
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in these various prisons receive
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what you are doing.
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Is it tough to get in?
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Do they see the value
of what you are doing?
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What kind of flavor do you get
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as far as the
administration is concerned?
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The administration
says Kathy Griffin,
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assistant
superintendent at the prison
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where I was imprisoned,
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said that it makes a
lasting impact for weeks
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after we're there,
the violence goes down,
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the assaults on staff
go down, and it's only God
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that gets the
honor and glory for that.
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So it makes a huge difference
in the jails and prisons.
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Actually, the
staff are glad, they say,
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"We're glad you're back,"
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because it makes
their job so much easier.
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The inmates are...
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They have a
sense of someone cared,
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there's hope for their life.
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All right.
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Tell me, in the Adventist
bag, what's in the bag?
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Maybe I can grab some
of that. Let's do this.
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Jeff, give us one of those bags.
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Let me have a
bag real quick. Okay.
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There's a lot of neat
things in those bags, CA.
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So this is the size of
the bag, very neatly done,
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taped across the
top, so inside this bag,
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give me an idea of
the kinds of things
00:07:44.43\00:07:46.09
that are in this bag.
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It starts at the
beginning of the line
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which will, CA, starts
with the Creation magazine,
00:07:48.96\00:07:50.97
it starts with Path to Peace.
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Do you want an open
one or a closed one?
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Opened one is
great. Yeah, thank you.
00:07:55.30\00:07:57.04
At the bottom of the bag,
we have a Creation magazine,
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we have an
envelope with Bible studies,
00:07:59.71\00:08:01.81
and then it goes
on down the line,
00:08:01.84\00:08:03.18
they have a Path to
Peace which is Steps to Christ,
00:08:03.21\00:08:05.75
and then they have a
Thinking of You card,
00:08:05.78\00:08:07.15
how many thinking of you card.
00:08:07.18\00:08:08.52
Oh, great.
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It's worth is greater
than gold because an inmate,
00:08:09.92\00:08:12.25
a lot of people
don't get letters,
00:08:12.29\00:08:13.62
they don't have no one to
call, they've been forgotten,
00:08:13.66\00:08:15.56
and then I have to look
at the line, we go on down,
00:08:15.59\00:08:17.93
they have cheese
curls, they have granola bars,
00:08:17.96\00:08:19.96
they have ramen noodles,
00:08:20.00\00:08:21.33
just things to bless
them in a physical way,
00:08:21.36\00:08:23.97
but there's a
spiritual application
00:08:24.00\00:08:25.47
that will give all year long.
00:08:25.50\00:08:27.47
Now these bags,
then are transferred to,
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if I can get
camera to go over here,
00:08:29.64\00:08:31.34
to those bags.
00:08:31.37\00:08:32.71
That's correct.
00:08:32.74\00:08:34.08
Those bags, and about
00:08:34.11\00:08:35.44
how many of these
bags fit into those bags?
00:08:35.48\00:08:36.81
There are six in each bag,
and then those bags are loaded
00:08:36.85\00:08:39.28
into a box truck
or a semi-trailer,
00:08:39.31\00:08:41.72
and then they're
transported off to the prison.
00:08:41.75\00:08:44.05
We unload them in the prison,
and then we have services
00:08:44.09\00:08:46.62
where the inmates
come out to get the bag,
00:08:46.65\00:08:49.12
but it's not just about the bag,
00:08:49.16\00:08:50.76
everyone wants the bag,
00:08:50.79\00:08:52.19
so you got every
culture in prison, 99.9%,
00:08:52.23\00:08:55.40
everybody, the whole
prison comes out for the bag,
00:08:55.43\00:08:57.23
but at that time,
00:08:57.27\00:08:59.33
we're able to share with
them the gospel messages,
00:08:59.37\00:09:00.97
hope for the life.
00:09:01.00\00:09:02.34
Amen, amen.
00:09:02.37\00:09:03.71
We don't preach down to them,
00:09:03.74\00:09:05.07
we don't condemn them
because it says in John 3:17,
00:09:05.11\00:09:07.18
maybe you can quote that.
00:09:07.21\00:09:08.78
"For God..."
00:09:08.81\00:09:10.15
"For God send not His Son
00:09:10.18\00:09:11.51
into the world to
condemn the world,
00:09:11.55\00:09:12.88
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:09:12.91\00:09:14.25
And we want to
connect them with Christ
00:09:14.28\00:09:15.62
that long after we leave
00:09:15.65\00:09:16.99
that it's Christ
that gets the props,
00:09:17.02\00:09:18.35
the honor and glory.
00:09:18.39\00:09:19.72
Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:09:19.75\00:09:21.09
But it's through
viewers' sponsorship
00:09:21.12\00:09:22.46
that makes it possible
00:09:22.49\00:09:23.83
or we couldn't get the
products to go in these bags.
00:09:23.86\00:09:26.06
This is one of those ministries
00:09:26.09\00:09:28.53
that is solely dependent upon
your support, your cooperation
00:09:28.56\00:09:33.64
because these
goodies, dare I say,
00:09:33.67\00:09:37.11
have to be purchased
and they have to be bagged.
00:09:37.14\00:09:39.67
This is all volunteer labor.
00:09:39.71\00:09:41.48
Today, it's all 3ABN labor,
but it is volunteer labor,
00:09:41.51\00:09:45.75
men and women are
volunteering their time,
00:09:45.78\00:09:47.68
and they do so
all over the country.
00:09:47.72\00:09:49.05
I remember several years ago,
00:09:49.08\00:09:50.42
we were in a
warehouse in February,
00:09:50.45\00:09:52.55
and we stayed there
from morning to night,
00:09:52.59\00:09:54.22
and we were all like
popsicles at the end of the day,
00:09:54.26\00:09:57.23
but the energy was so
strong and nobody complained,
00:09:57.26\00:10:00.70
nobody had any
negative thing to say
00:10:00.73\00:10:02.86
because they were
doing something for the Lord,
00:10:02.90\00:10:05.83
and that's what happens
when do this kind of work.
00:10:05.87\00:10:07.20
That particular day,
we bagged 15,000 packages.
00:10:07.24\00:10:10.04
We had over 300 volunteers
00:10:10.07\00:10:11.64
and that filled two
semi-tractor trailer full
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.74
along with the box truck.
00:10:13.78\00:10:15.11
So it's amazing.
00:10:15.14\00:10:16.48
God is doing great,
magnificent things in this time
00:10:16.51\00:10:18.35
which we live.
00:10:18.38\00:10:19.75
As you walk down the
quarters of your mind,
00:10:19.78\00:10:25.39
give me one story of a person
00:10:25.42\00:10:27.82
that received a
Christmas Behind Bars package
00:10:27.86\00:10:31.26
that it really had a
major impact on their life.
00:10:31.29\00:10:34.86
CA, I'll give you two.
00:10:34.90\00:10:36.33
There's a man
wrote to us and said
00:10:36.36\00:10:38.33
that he had a date
set to commit suicide
00:10:38.37\00:10:41.50
and he said when
he got the Christmas
00:10:41.54\00:10:42.87
Behind Bars package,
00:10:42.90\00:10:44.24
it gave him hope, and
he never committed suicide.
00:10:44.27\00:10:47.01
The other story
is there's a lady
00:10:47.04\00:10:48.38
that was
incarcerated in the county jail
00:10:48.41\00:10:50.38
and someone told
her about the Sabbath,
00:10:50.41\00:10:52.48
so she's in jail,
00:10:52.51\00:10:53.85
someone told her
about the Sabbath,
00:10:53.88\00:10:55.22
brand new, for some reason,
she got put in segregation.
00:10:55.25\00:10:57.85
So now she's in
a segregation cell
00:10:57.89\00:10:59.42
by herself, okay,
00:10:59.45\00:11:01.16
and on the wall was written
00:11:01.19\00:11:02.62
that the
Seventh-day Sabbath is Saturday,
00:11:02.66\00:11:05.26
and in her bag,
00:11:05.29\00:11:06.66
she received the book Ten
Commandments Twice Removed,
00:11:06.70\00:11:09.20
she wrote us a letter and said,
00:11:09.23\00:11:10.57
"I now know through
three different incidents
00:11:10.60\00:11:13.03
that the Sabbath is
holy and it's a Saturday."
00:11:13.07\00:11:15.94
So praise the Lord.
Amen? Praise the Lord.
00:11:15.97\00:11:17.44
That's exciting stuff.
00:11:17.47\00:11:18.97
We have a video roll
now that sort of walks you
00:11:19.01\00:11:23.08
through the process,
00:11:23.11\00:11:24.45
and this will
kind of let you know
00:11:24.48\00:11:25.81
that you can do
this in any church,
00:11:25.85\00:11:27.55
your church can do this,
00:11:27.58\00:11:29.35
your group in the
church can do this,
00:11:29.38\00:11:31.32
you can do this in
your home or garage.
00:11:31.35\00:11:33.86
This is a little easier
to do than you may think.
00:11:33.89\00:11:36.73
It's not as daunting
a task as you may think.
00:11:36.76\00:11:39.53
So we're going
to look at this roll
00:11:39.56\00:11:40.90
because it will give
you sort of Christmas
00:11:40.93\00:11:42.93
Behind Bars 101.
00:11:42.96\00:11:45.03
The basic idea of
what this is all about,
00:11:45.07\00:11:47.17
what happens
before, during, and after
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.97
a Christmas Behind Bars event.
00:11:50.01\00:11:55.14
Today,
00:11:55.18\00:11:56.51
we're at the
Correctional Industrial Facility
00:11:56.54\00:11:57.88
in Central Indiana.
00:11:57.91\00:11:59.25
We have a great
group of guys here.
00:11:59.28\00:12:00.72
This is phenomenal
because these guys here today
00:12:00.75\00:12:03.08
are actual putting
together 2,500 gift packages
00:12:03.12\00:12:06.09
for inmates in another
prison in a far away place.
00:12:06.12\00:12:09.22
In the journey of life
00:12:12.33\00:12:15.40
There are winding roads
00:12:15.43\00:12:20.70
Mountains high
00:12:20.74\00:12:24.47
Valleys low
00:12:24.51\00:12:29.34
Though the road ahead
00:12:29.38\00:12:32.85
May be unknown
00:12:32.88\00:12:36.75
I'm still focus on the prize
00:12:36.79\00:12:40.29
That worth pressing for
00:12:40.32\00:12:47.00
This is an amazing day,
00:12:47.03\00:12:48.56
Christmas Behind
Bars has been putting
00:12:48.60\00:12:50.13
packages
together for over 20 years
00:12:50.17\00:12:52.00
and bringing hope
to the incarcerated
00:12:52.03\00:12:53.94
across the country
00:12:53.97\00:12:55.30
through your help
and your sponsorship.
00:12:55.34\00:12:57.21
But today, these gentlemen
00:12:57.24\00:13:00.44
are in prison
putting packages together
00:13:00.48\00:13:03.65
for inmates in another prison.
00:13:03.68\00:13:05.31
How cool is that? God
is absolutely amazing.
00:13:05.35\00:13:08.62
It might be
turmoil across the country
00:13:08.65\00:13:10.69
and this world in which we live,
00:13:10.72\00:13:12.19
but God is
using your sponsorship
00:13:12.22\00:13:15.16
through items like this
00:13:15.19\00:13:16.93
to bring hope to
prisoners across the country.
00:13:16.96\00:13:22.53
You know, the way you
preach the gospel to people,
00:13:22.56\00:13:26.50
it's just so touching,
00:13:26.53\00:13:27.87
you know, and
that's when after you came,
00:13:27.90\00:13:30.51
I was baptized for
the first time in my life,
00:13:30.54\00:13:33.17
32 years old.
00:13:33.21\00:13:35.08
I already know that.
00:13:35.11\00:13:36.44
Yeah, and, you know, from there,
00:13:36.48\00:13:38.61
you know, I did my time,
00:13:38.65\00:13:40.02
and I kept
meeting you every year
00:13:40.05\00:13:42.08
and things that you do,
00:13:42.12\00:13:43.45
and it's just so
powerful, so moving,
00:13:43.49\00:13:45.05
I want to continue doing this.
00:13:45.09\00:13:48.36
What kind of time
did you bring the prison?
00:13:48.39\00:13:50.09
I got 121 years.
00:13:50.13\00:13:51.66
A hundred and twenty one
years, that's a lot of time.
00:13:51.69\00:13:53.03
Yes, it is.
00:13:53.06\00:13:54.40
You must've not been
walk in the right road?
00:13:54.43\00:13:56.10
I wasn't.
00:13:56.13\00:13:57.47
And I want to ask
you about the Bible.
00:13:57.50\00:13:58.83
Can you tell me
00:13:58.87\00:14:00.20
the value of an
inmate receiving the Bible?
00:14:00.24\00:14:02.30
Well, I mean,
just receiving a Bible
00:14:02.34\00:14:04.71
gives you a whole new insight
00:14:04.74\00:14:06.07
and bit of
motivation in life now.
00:14:06.11\00:14:08.68
And you committed
your life to Christ?
00:14:08.71\00:14:10.05
Yes, I have.
00:14:10.08\00:14:11.41
Yeah, you've been
wanting a study Bible
00:14:11.45\00:14:12.78
for a long time, haven't you?
00:14:12.81\00:14:14.15
Yes. And you don't have one?
00:14:14.18\00:14:15.52
No.
00:14:15.55\00:14:16.89
But today, by God's grace,
00:14:16.92\00:14:18.25
I'm going to
give you a study Bible
00:14:18.29\00:14:19.62
that's been given to us,
00:14:19.65\00:14:20.99
and I just pray
00:14:21.02\00:14:22.36
that you'll
utilize this and read this.
00:14:22.39\00:14:23.73
Thank you.
00:14:23.76\00:14:25.09
My desire
00:14:25.13\00:14:28.16
Passionately
00:14:28.20\00:14:31.93
Is to be
00:14:31.97\00:14:33.90
What you called me to be
00:14:33.94\00:14:39.11
That's what I'll be
00:14:39.14\00:14:45.28
Oh, Lord, if
any man be in Christ
00:14:45.31\00:14:50.19
He is a new creature
00:14:50.22\00:14:52.85
Old things are passed away
00:14:52.89\00:14:55.52
All things are become new
00:14:55.56\00:14:57.86
Oh, Lord, I'll
say yes to Your Word
00:14:57.89\00:15:02.56
Only Your Word is true, Lord.
00:15:02.60\00:15:08.64
Thank you very much.
00:15:08.67\00:15:11.77
And it really means a lot
for everybody to come together
00:15:11.81\00:15:16.95
as one whole to
do what we do here,
00:15:16.98\00:15:20.18
and do what Brother Vega
gets done, and the sponsors,
00:15:20.22\00:15:23.65
you don't even have a clue
how much we appreciate this.
00:15:23.69\00:15:28.92
So when you started to
talk about Christmas Behind Bars
00:15:28.96\00:15:31.99
and giving these packages,
prison is a dark place,
00:15:32.03\00:15:37.80
and it reminds me of
a story I read one time
00:15:37.83\00:15:41.10
where these scientists
want to test these animals
00:15:41.14\00:15:43.94
on a different
difficult circumstances.
00:15:43.97\00:15:46.04
So they took these rats
00:15:46.07\00:15:47.41
and put them in
glass jars of water
00:15:47.44\00:15:50.31
and put them in a room
of total darkness to see
00:15:50.35\00:15:52.51
how long they'd
swim before they gave up
00:15:52.55\00:15:54.35
and allowed themselves to drown.
00:15:54.38\00:15:56.08
They only lasted
for three minutes.
00:15:56.12\00:15:58.19
So they changed the scenario
by shining a ray of light
00:15:58.22\00:16:02.92
in those glass jars to
see how long they'd swim,
00:16:02.96\00:16:05.49
and they swam for 36 hours.
00:16:05.53\00:16:08.53
That's 700 times
longer than the ones
00:16:08.56\00:16:10.77
in the total
darkness because they...
00:16:10.80\00:16:12.60
What made the difference
between the two groups?
00:16:12.63\00:16:15.34
The light and dark.
00:16:15.37\00:16:16.71
One was in total
darkness, three minutes.
00:16:16.74\00:16:19.51
They shone a ray of light
and they lasted for 36 hours.
00:16:19.54\00:16:23.58
How would you say
00:16:23.61\00:16:24.95
that Christmas Behind Bars
is able to bring light and hope
00:16:24.98\00:16:28.32
into people's lives
that are incarcerated?
00:16:28.35\00:16:31.09
Well, God is light. Amen.
00:16:31.12\00:16:33.59
And He shines that light,
00:16:33.62\00:16:34.96
and you brought
that light into us
00:16:34.99\00:16:37.03
to help us keep swimming
and not allowing us to drown,
00:16:37.06\00:16:39.89
and that's the fabulous thing
about the Christmas Behind Bars
00:16:39.93\00:16:43.13
and shining that light
into our hearts to let us know
00:16:43.16\00:16:46.03
that it's going to be
okay, keep on swimming,
00:16:46.07\00:16:47.97
you're going to make it.
00:16:48.00\00:16:50.27
I've been receiving packages
since my time in the old batch
00:16:50.31\00:16:52.37
which had been
about 2003-2004 time.
00:16:52.41\00:16:54.88
So quite a few years
you've been receiving packages?
00:16:54.91\00:16:56.24
Quite a few years. Yes, sir.
00:16:56.28\00:16:57.61
What would you
say to our sponsors
00:16:57.65\00:16:58.98
literally around the world
00:16:59.01\00:17:00.35
that have helped
make this program possible
00:17:00.38\00:17:01.82
through both the materials
and the tangible blessings?
00:17:01.85\00:17:04.29
Your generosity has helped
00:17:04.32\00:17:06.25
reached thousands
of incarcerated people
00:17:06.29\00:17:08.52
who may not have
the heard the Word,
00:17:08.56\00:17:09.89
may not know
what the Word's about
00:17:09.92\00:17:11.36
and gives us hope.
00:17:11.39\00:17:12.73
And let me tell, I'm a
person who doesn't get visits,
00:17:12.76\00:17:14.80
I mean, very little
visitation with my family.
00:17:14.83\00:17:17.47
So anything that shows
people care means a lot,
00:17:17.50\00:17:20.70
it means a lot.
00:17:20.74\00:17:22.07
I want to thank everybody
00:17:22.10\00:17:23.44
who's donated and helped
out with this whole project.
00:17:23.47\00:17:26.88
I think it's been a
blessing to us everybody,
00:17:26.91\00:17:28.74
so I just thank you for
doing everything possible
00:17:28.78\00:17:31.21
that you can.
00:17:31.25\00:17:33.88
All my life
00:17:33.92\00:17:37.15
I've been called unworthy
00:17:37.19\00:17:41.16
Named by the voice of my shame
00:17:44.96\00:17:49.90
And regret
00:17:49.93\00:17:55.10
But when I hear You whisper
00:17:55.14\00:17:58.31
Child lift up your head
00:17:58.34\00:18:01.14
I remember, oh, God
00:18:01.18\00:18:03.75
You're not done with me yet
00:18:03.78\00:18:09.65
I am redeemed
00:18:09.68\00:18:15.09
You set me free
00:18:15.12\00:18:21.00
So I'll shake off
theses heavy chains
00:18:21.03\00:18:24.53
And wipe away every stain
00:18:24.57\00:18:27.24
Now I'm not who I used to be
00:18:27.27\00:18:31.64
I am redeemed
00:18:31.67\00:18:34.14
I don't have to be
the old man inside of me
00:18:34.18\00:18:38.11
'Cause his day is
long dead and gone
00:18:38.15\00:18:42.95
Because I've got a
new name, a new life
00:18:42.98\00:18:47.62
I'm not the same and a
hope that will carry me
00:18:47.66\00:18:51.99
Home
00:18:52.03\00:18:58.03
I'm an inmate here at CIF.
00:18:58.07\00:19:00.47
What Christmas
Behind Bars means to us,
00:19:00.50\00:19:03.37
I can't really
convey or communicate
00:19:03.41\00:19:05.57
what it means to the inmates.
00:19:05.61\00:19:07.18
Ever since I've been locked
up, for about seven years,
00:19:07.21\00:19:10.08
every year, it makes
such an impact on everybody.
00:19:10.11\00:19:13.01
They anticipate to
this ministry, the food,
00:19:13.05\00:19:17.55
the preaching, the message,
00:19:17.59\00:19:20.09
the spirit of friendliness
in giving that they convey...
00:19:20.12\00:19:24.23
I'm with an American legion,
00:19:24.26\00:19:25.59
we donated $1, 500
last year to Mr. Vega.
00:19:25.63\00:19:29.03
We're glad that that money
00:19:29.06\00:19:30.40
is able to
translate to some bags
00:19:30.43\00:19:33.84
for women's
prison we were informed.
00:19:33.87\00:19:35.94
So we're really
lucky and fortunate,
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.27
we thank you guys
in every possible way.
00:19:38.31\00:19:41.91
We're thankful and
we're grateful every day
00:19:41.94\00:19:43.98
and every time of the
year that this comes to us.
00:19:44.01\00:19:47.92
You now have been able to see
the value of how God is working
00:19:47.95\00:19:51.19
in the midst of this
world in which we live.
00:19:51.22\00:19:53.46
The Lord is using
those that are incarcerated
00:19:53.49\00:19:56.02
to put packages together
00:19:56.06\00:19:57.39
and bring hope to another prison
00:19:57.43\00:19:58.86
in a far away place.
00:19:58.89\00:20:00.46
And we're asking you today
00:20:00.50\00:20:01.96
to continue to
sponsor this ministry,
00:20:02.00\00:20:04.23
Christmas Behind
Bars, Free Indeed,
00:20:04.27\00:20:06.33
with your financial sponsorship,
00:20:06.37\00:20:08.67
your love, and your prayers.
00:20:08.70\00:20:10.37
We wish you God's blessings.
00:20:10.41\00:20:11.91
May god redeem
00:20:17.58\00:20:20.95
Wow, Lemuel,
00:20:31.66\00:20:32.99
that's kind of like
a walk down memory lane
00:20:33.03\00:20:34.66
from Free Indeed.
00:20:34.70\00:20:36.93
Now you've got a
letter from one of the persons
00:20:36.97\00:20:39.33
that we saw in that video clip.
00:20:39.37\00:20:41.10
Absolutely.
00:20:41.14\00:20:42.47
The mice continue to
swim longer, the rats,
00:20:42.50\00:20:45.01
when there was light,
00:20:45.04\00:20:46.37
and we want to bring light
and openness to dark places.
00:20:46.41\00:20:49.21
This letter came, it says,
00:20:49.24\00:20:50.58
"Thank you for shedding
some light in our dark times.
00:20:50.61\00:20:53.18
We are ever grateful for
the kindness of all those
00:20:53.21\00:20:55.78
who help set this up.
00:20:55.82\00:20:57.15
May God repay you for your work,
00:20:57.19\00:20:59.02
truly a blessing to know
00:20:59.05\00:21:00.59
there's good people
in our world today."
00:21:00.62\00:21:02.76
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:21:02.79\00:21:04.59
One of the things that
we see is that these gifts
00:21:04.63\00:21:07.63
are responded to in a
very, very positive way.
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.30
Tell me about this idea,
00:21:10.33\00:21:11.67
there are some
prisoners who get no letters,
00:21:11.70\00:21:13.54
who get no gifts
or get no visits,
00:21:13.57\00:21:15.20
they don't really
get too much of anything,
00:21:15.24\00:21:16.57
family kind of
steps away from them.
00:21:16.60\00:21:17.94
Absolutely.
00:21:17.97\00:21:19.31
And this is where
the rubber meets the road
00:21:19.34\00:21:20.71
to bring them hope
throughout the whole prison.
00:21:20.74\00:21:22.94
That's amazing. Praise the Lord.
00:21:22.98\00:21:25.25
One of the things we
saw in that video clip,
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.88
the group from
Pendleton, kind of our buddies,
00:21:28.92\00:21:31.35
that we saw in Pendleton,
that we saw on Free Indeed,
00:21:31.39\00:21:33.66
how are those guys doing?
00:21:33.69\00:21:35.02
Oh, they're doing
really, really good.
00:21:35.06\00:21:36.39
And we're looking forward
to season three, Free Indeed,
00:21:36.42\00:21:38.69
a lot of people
are asking about it,
00:21:38.73\00:21:40.06
our viewers are asking about it,
00:21:40.10\00:21:41.43
so we hope to get that up
and bring that to our viewers.
00:21:41.46\00:21:44.43
Yeah, yeah. It's coming.
00:21:44.47\00:21:45.80
Believe me, it's
coming, some editing issues.
00:21:45.83\00:21:49.50
Some of these programs
seem easy to put together,
00:21:49.54\00:21:51.51
but they are quite difficult
00:21:51.54\00:21:52.94
because we want to be authentic,
00:21:52.97\00:21:54.38
we want to get the whole flavor
00:21:54.41\00:21:55.74
what's going on in
these institutions,
00:21:55.78\00:21:59.21
so it's coming, so hold on.
00:21:59.25\00:22:01.65
It'll be very, very soon.
00:22:01.68\00:22:03.35
Now, Lemuel, we've talked about
00:22:03.39\00:22:04.85
how long you've been doing this.
00:22:04.89\00:22:07.59
If a person sees
this, they are inspired,
00:22:07.62\00:22:10.53
they want to
kind of bring this...
00:22:10.56\00:22:11.89
Well, two ways, they
may want to replicate this,
00:22:11.93\00:22:14.10
they may want to
do like a franchise
00:22:14.13\00:22:15.66
or Christmas Behind Bars
or they may want you to come
00:22:15.70\00:22:19.20
and help work with
their particular prison.
00:22:19.23\00:22:21.10
So how will they do that?
00:22:21.14\00:22:22.47
They can contact us
at Christmas Behind Bars
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.44
or if they want
to Mitch and Glenn
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.34
in Kentucky, Tennessee
or Debbie in Minnesota.
00:22:26.37\00:22:28.81
So absolutely, contact
us, and we'll try to walk them
00:22:28.84\00:22:31.41
through wherever
they're at in the process.
00:22:31.45\00:22:34.65
And we'll have that
contact information up
00:22:34.68\00:22:36.82
just a little bit
later in the program.
00:22:36.85\00:22:38.42
But just now,
00:22:38.45\00:22:39.79
we did some
interviews, Lemuel, you and I,
00:22:39.82\00:22:41.82
of individuals here,
again, all volunteer staff,
00:22:41.86\00:22:45.49
these are all
people who volunteered,
00:22:45.53\00:22:46.86
nobody's getting paid for this.
00:22:46.90\00:22:48.23
The payment is the joy
that you get from knowing
00:22:48.26\00:22:51.87
that you're being used of
God to touch people's lives.
00:22:51.90\00:22:55.00
And we've had
baptisms, haven't we,
00:22:55.04\00:22:56.44
in some of these institutions?
00:22:56.47\00:22:57.81
Absolutely.
00:22:57.84\00:22:59.17
So people have made
decisions, they received Bibles,
00:22:59.21\00:23:00.91
and down the road,
they made that decision
00:23:00.94\00:23:03.11
and it reflects on the ministry,
00:23:03.14\00:23:05.58
Christmas Behind
Bars, so we're grateful.
00:23:05.61\00:23:06.98
God gets the honor and
glory. Praise the Lord.
00:23:07.02\00:23:08.62
Praise the Lord.
00:23:08.65\00:23:09.98
We did some interviews
with some of our staff here
00:23:10.02\00:23:12.89
and some of the volunteers
that came with Lemuel,
00:23:12.92\00:23:14.99
and we want to
go to that just now
00:23:15.02\00:23:16.36
so you can get
little flavor of the joy
00:23:16.39\00:23:18.46
that they have not
only from doing this work
00:23:18.49\00:23:20.70
but then going to the prisons
00:23:20.73\00:23:22.60
and distributing the
Christmas Behind Bars gifts.
00:23:22.63\00:23:25.90
Amen.
00:23:25.93\00:23:28.44
Christmas Behind Bars and
3ABN has a unique partnership.
00:23:28.47\00:23:32.87
Prison ministry
has grown here at 3ABN
00:23:32.91\00:23:35.21
since we've partnered together,
00:23:35.24\00:23:36.85
how can you share a
little bit about that?
00:23:36.88\00:23:38.95
Well, it all
started when someone
00:23:38.98\00:23:41.15
within my family
became incarcerated.
00:23:41.18\00:23:43.72
Okay.
00:23:43.75\00:23:45.09
And it opened my eyes to
a whole new area of ministry
00:23:45.12\00:23:48.12
that I had never
recognized before.
00:23:48.16\00:23:50.96
Now you've
traveled many, many miles
00:23:50.99\00:23:52.53
with Christmas
Behind Bars to share hope
00:23:52.56\00:23:54.56
with someone else's
children that's incarcerated,
00:23:54.60\00:23:56.90
and you've shared with them
00:23:56.93\00:23:58.27
that our world is incarcerated
because of a problem with sin.
00:23:58.30\00:24:01.80
That's right.
00:24:01.84\00:24:03.17
And we need help,
00:24:03.20\00:24:05.37
and we need someone who loves us
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.44
and shows us that He loves us,
00:24:07.48\00:24:09.34
and that's our
Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.
00:24:09.38\00:24:12.15
And Christmas Behind Bars,
00:24:12.18\00:24:13.52
I guess, is an exemplification
of that bringing hope
00:24:13.55\00:24:17.59
to those who are incarcerated.
00:24:17.62\00:24:18.95
That's exactly right.
00:24:18.99\00:24:20.32
It's been a
wonderful privilege to see
00:24:20.36\00:24:22.82
how this program
impacts so many people.
00:24:22.86\00:24:27.40
You know, we go in
services every week,
00:24:27.43\00:24:30.47
but we only impact
maybe 30 at a time.
00:24:30.50\00:24:34.04
This impacts a whole
prison, 2,400, 3,000 at a time.
00:24:34.07\00:24:39.74
Well, we want to
say thank you so much
00:24:39.77\00:24:41.94
for sponsoring
3ABN and the ministry,
00:24:41.98\00:24:44.95
Christmas Behind Bars
that these men and women
00:24:44.98\00:24:47.25
can actually be Free
Indeed in Christ Jesus, amen?
00:24:47.28\00:24:50.39
Amen. Amen.
00:24:50.42\00:24:51.75
In fact, they can
be freer on the inside
00:24:51.79\00:24:53.99
than many are on the outside.
00:24:54.02\00:24:55.52
Amen. Amen.
00:24:55.56\00:24:56.89
Thank you so much, Mr. Hamilton,
00:24:56.93\00:24:58.26
and God bless you.
00:24:58.29\00:24:59.63
God bless you, too.
00:24:59.66\00:25:01.00
Celestine Dickens
is a church secretary,
00:25:01.03\00:25:04.00
but she also is part of
00:25:04.03\00:25:05.43
the Christmas
Behind Bars ministry.
00:25:05.47\00:25:08.77
Celestine, when
did you get started?
00:25:08.80\00:25:10.17
How long have you been working
with Christmas Behind Bars?
00:25:10.21\00:25:13.48
Oh, wow, I think,
I remember, at 2012
00:25:13.51\00:25:17.88
if I'm not mistaken, 2012.
00:25:17.91\00:25:20.45
So that's been a
little while? Yes.
00:25:20.48\00:25:22.28
Now you also help...
00:25:22.32\00:25:24.19
You're the
singer, you're the angel
00:25:24.22\00:25:26.76
that does the
singing in the prisons.
00:25:26.79\00:25:28.49
Tell me the response
00:25:28.52\00:25:29.86
that you get when you minister
for the Lord using the gift
00:25:29.89\00:25:32.93
that God has
given you, your voice,
00:25:32.96\00:25:35.00
how is that received
when you go into the prisons?
00:25:35.03\00:25:38.33
Wow.
00:25:38.37\00:25:41.04
It's very touching and moving
00:25:41.07\00:25:45.37
when you're like just singing
00:25:45.41\00:25:48.58
and then
everybody is like crying
00:25:48.61\00:25:50.65
and then they're
like very thankful
00:25:50.68\00:25:56.25
that they hear the
Word of God through music.
00:25:56.28\00:25:59.55
And it's such a blessing to be
a part of the prison ministry,
00:25:59.59\00:26:04.93
I just love it,
to see smiling faces,
00:26:04.96\00:26:08.96
especially when they receive
the Word, the testimonies,
00:26:09.00\00:26:13.94
and the music, and the packages.
00:26:13.97\00:26:17.17
Man, you should see their faces,
00:26:17.21\00:26:18.94
it's just like lit up.
00:26:18.97\00:26:21.18
That's rewarding for me.
00:26:21.21\00:26:22.88
It's just
wonderful, wonderful ministry.
00:26:22.91\00:26:25.61
I'm going to toss a word at
you and the word is reciprocity,
00:26:25.65\00:26:29.52
and by that, I mean,
when you give, you also get.
00:26:29.55\00:26:32.59
Now you go into
the prisons to give,
00:26:32.62\00:26:34.76
you give the packages,
00:26:34.79\00:26:36.22
you give up your
voice, you give your ministry,
00:26:36.26\00:26:38.49
but isn't there an exchange
that when you give to them,
00:26:38.53\00:26:42.16
you also receive from them?
00:26:42.20\00:26:45.10
Yeah, it seems like we
go there to bless them,
00:26:45.13\00:26:50.07
but then we ended up
getting blessed more.
00:26:50.11\00:26:53.11
I don't know if
that's how you say it,
00:26:53.14\00:26:54.78
but that's I feel like,
"Man, I get more blessed,
00:26:54.81\00:26:59.41
you know, than I think
bless them or something."
00:26:59.45\00:27:04.89
That's it.
00:27:04.92\00:27:06.25
There's a lot of activity here,
00:27:06.29\00:27:07.62
but the bottom line is
you go in to give a blessing,
00:27:07.66\00:27:11.76
and you receive equal
or more than you give,
00:27:11.79\00:27:16.77
that's how the Lord does it.
00:27:16.80\00:27:18.27
When you go to give,
00:27:18.30\00:27:20.17
you also
receive, you are blessed.
00:27:20.20\00:27:22.24
That's why there
are so many volunteers
00:27:22.27\00:27:23.97
because they
know behind each box,
00:27:24.01\00:27:26.61
each bag, each
piece of literature
00:27:26.64\00:27:29.01
is a blessing that goes out
and a blessing that returns.
00:27:29.04\00:27:32.81
Amen.
00:27:32.85\00:27:34.22
Mitchell, I
want to say thank you
00:27:34.25\00:27:35.58
for taking the
time to make the miles
00:27:35.62\00:27:36.95
to come here to 3ABN Today.
00:27:36.99\00:27:38.32
Lemuel, it's a
blessing for us also.
00:27:38.35\00:27:39.79
We have traveled many
miles together to visit prisons.
00:27:39.82\00:27:42.66
Where all have we
traveled together?
00:27:42.69\00:27:44.46
Well, we've been to
Ohio, Indiana, Georgia,
00:27:44.49\00:27:47.33
South Carolina, and
mostly, all Kentucky.
00:27:47.36\00:27:50.83
So your ministry
is based at Kentucky,
00:27:50.87\00:27:52.57
and you do have
a prison ministry
00:27:52.60\00:27:53.94
there in
Kentucky with your church.
00:27:53.97\00:27:55.30
What Church are you part of?
00:27:55.34\00:27:56.87
Lafayette. Lafayette.
00:27:56.91\00:27:58.94
Lafayette.
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:27:58.97\00:28:00.31
Praise the Lord.
00:28:00.34\00:28:01.68
So your little
church has helped sponsor
00:28:01.71\00:28:03.08
many, many packages
to go across the country.
00:28:03.11\00:28:04.88
Praise the Lord. Yes, yes.
00:28:04.91\00:28:06.25
Now, you know, you have
00:28:06.28\00:28:07.62
a special interest
in prison ministries
00:28:07.65\00:28:08.98
because you started
basically a relationship
00:28:09.02\00:28:11.15
with the Lord where at?
00:28:11.19\00:28:13.69
Well, it actually
began at a graveyard, Lemuel.
00:28:13.72\00:28:15.39
A graveyard?
00:28:15.42\00:28:16.76
So you were
walking around a graveyard
00:28:16.79\00:28:18.13
and began to talk to Jesus.
00:28:18.16\00:28:19.53
No, I actually
crawled into the graveyard.
00:28:19.56\00:28:21.73
What happened there?
I was at a beer joint.
00:28:21.76\00:28:23.60
And we got into this fight,
and I got shot in both legs,
00:28:23.63\00:28:26.84
and by the time I
got to the graveyard,
00:28:26.87\00:28:28.90
I couldn't even run.
00:28:28.94\00:28:30.27
I started crawling.
00:28:30.31\00:28:31.64
And what made it
so bad was my wife
00:28:31.67\00:28:34.64
was in the hospital next
town over with our first child.
00:28:34.68\00:28:38.91
And I realized
leaving the graveyard
00:28:38.95\00:28:40.92
that I was in trouble.
00:28:40.95\00:28:43.15
I wasn't religious.
00:28:43.18\00:28:44.52
My mother was a
good religious lady.
00:28:44.55\00:28:46.79
And I made a pitiful cry.
00:28:46.82\00:28:48.89
My head was
spinning, and I said,
00:28:48.92\00:28:50.66
"Lord, if You get me
out of this situation
00:28:50.69\00:28:52.33
and let me get my
wife and child home,
00:28:52.36\00:28:53.83
I'll serve you forever."
00:28:53.86\00:28:55.20
So you're in a graveyard,
dark place, late at night...
00:28:55.23\00:28:57.87
2:00 in the morning.
00:28:57.90\00:28:59.23
So you tell these people
that are in jail and prison
00:28:59.27\00:29:01.77
that there's hope for their life
00:29:01.80\00:29:03.51
as you found Christ
in a hopeless situation,
00:29:03.54\00:29:06.37
that began a relationship.
00:29:06.41\00:29:07.94
How do you see that
Christmas Behind Bars
00:29:07.98\00:29:10.31
has been able to bring
hope in the dark places?
00:29:10.35\00:29:12.48
That's all it is, Lemuel.
It's not some great thing.
00:29:12.51\00:29:14.95
It's a small thing
that happens in your life,
00:29:14.98\00:29:16.75
you know what I mean?
00:29:16.79\00:29:18.12
And we see these prison inmates,
00:29:18.15\00:29:19.99
their eyes will glow.
00:29:20.02\00:29:21.52
These little gifts they
get, the packages they get,
00:29:21.56\00:29:23.99
and we tell them,
00:29:24.03\00:29:25.36
it's over $200 worth of material
00:29:25.39\00:29:27.76
they can receive
free, and these envelopes,
00:29:27.80\00:29:30.97
they get to see that some
might just cure out there.
00:29:31.00\00:29:32.97
So they get more
than just the snack item?
00:29:33.00\00:29:34.34
Oh, yeah, yeah...
00:29:34.37\00:29:35.70
For sure. If
they take advantage.
00:29:35.74\00:29:37.07
What would you share
with our churches and people
00:29:37.11\00:29:39.24
that are thinking
about going to a place
00:29:39.27\00:29:41.08
maybe like you
never was in prison
00:29:41.11\00:29:42.74
but yet you found
Jesus, and we all need Jesus.
00:29:42.78\00:29:44.95
Right.
00:29:44.98\00:29:46.31
What would you share
with our church people
00:29:46.35\00:29:47.68
and people contemplating
doing this in their area?
00:29:47.72\00:29:50.45
I would think that most
people are probably afraid,
00:29:50.49\00:29:52.62
but once you get your foot in
00:29:52.65\00:29:54.36
and see the
response of the people,
00:29:54.39\00:29:56.62
your church will be blessed.
00:29:56.66\00:29:57.99
It'll give a
sense to get involved,
00:29:58.03\00:30:01.26
and that's what our church
is lacking everywhere anyways,
00:30:01.30\00:30:03.63
getting involved, but
once you see one respond,
00:30:03.67\00:30:06.90
it just turns you on,
00:30:06.94\00:30:08.27
it just has a different meaning.
00:30:08.30\00:30:09.64
For real.
00:30:09.67\00:30:11.01
Your church has
helped raise funds
00:30:11.04\00:30:12.37
that we can continue to grow
00:30:12.41\00:30:13.74
not only in
Kentucky, in your area,
00:30:13.78\00:30:15.11
but other places as well.
00:30:15.14\00:30:17.05
What would you
share with our viewers
00:30:17.08\00:30:20.35
that it's worthwhile
to sponsor this ministry?
00:30:20.38\00:30:23.18
Seventh-day
Adventism is worldwide.
00:30:23.22\00:30:25.75
And that's when you
get a sense of a family
00:30:25.79\00:30:28.06
when you recognize
00:30:28.09\00:30:29.42
that you're sending
money over to Africa
00:30:29.46\00:30:31.33
or anywhere it goes
to, and you're helping
00:30:31.36\00:30:34.03
an individual
get to know Christ,
00:30:34.06\00:30:35.63
that gives you a
sense of identity,
00:30:35.66\00:30:37.47
you know what I mean,
and people really respect,
00:30:37.50\00:30:39.10
and it gives you
encouragement to continue on.
00:30:39.13\00:30:41.67
Mitch, in closing,
00:30:41.70\00:30:43.04
I would like you to
look into this camera,
00:30:43.07\00:30:44.41
this is your camera here,
00:30:44.44\00:30:45.77
I'd like you to
look into this camera,
00:30:45.81\00:30:47.14
and I would like
you to share hope
00:30:47.18\00:30:48.51
with that person
that maybe feels like
00:30:48.54\00:30:49.91
they're in that graveyard
or they're in prison today
00:30:49.94\00:30:52.21
that there's hope through Jesus,
00:30:52.25\00:30:53.58
what would you share with them?
00:30:53.62\00:30:54.95
My favorite text I'd
like to share is John 6:37,
00:30:54.98\00:30:58.32
"Him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out."
00:30:58.35\00:31:00.82
I don't care what
you've done in the past
00:31:00.86\00:31:02.49
or where you're going
or what you're been doing,
00:31:02.52\00:31:04.93
you can always come home
00:31:04.96\00:31:06.29
because Jesus Christ
has made it possible.
00:31:06.33\00:31:08.76
Mitch, thank you
for making the miles,
00:31:08.80\00:31:10.40
and God's rich blessings
to you until we meet again.
00:31:10.43\00:31:12.07
Thank you, brother.
00:31:12.10\00:31:13.44
I believer you
will see many people
00:31:13.47\00:31:14.80
in the kingdom of heaven
00:31:14.84\00:31:16.17
because of your
dedication for Christ.
00:31:16.20\00:31:17.54
Thank you. Amen.
00:31:17.57\00:31:18.91
I'm here with Jason
Bradley who works for 3ABN,
00:31:18.94\00:31:20.48
but he is also
intimately involved
00:31:20.51\00:31:22.91
with Christmas Behind Bars.
00:31:22.94\00:31:24.91
Jason, I want you to give me
00:31:24.95\00:31:26.28
some sense of how you
got started with this?
00:31:26.31\00:31:28.55
What was your motivation?
When did you get started?
00:31:28.58\00:31:31.29
Well, you know, God gave
me a second chance at life.
00:31:31.32\00:31:35.02
I got arrested like 10 years ago
00:31:35.06\00:31:37.59
or 11 years ago,
00:31:37.63\00:31:39.09
and that was a
turning point for me.
00:31:39.13\00:31:41.46
And so since then
and changing my life,
00:31:41.50\00:31:44.40
I remember coming to
3ABN, and then meeting Lemuel,
00:31:44.43\00:31:47.00
and I got a call from
Lemuel to go into a prison
00:31:47.04\00:31:50.97
which I thought I
would never go back
00:31:51.01\00:31:52.97
behind one of those doors
00:31:53.01\00:31:54.44
that locked you, but
I went to this prison,
00:31:54.48\00:31:58.41
and I had an opportunity
to speak to these ladies
00:31:58.45\00:32:01.45
and share what God
has placed on my heart.
00:32:01.48\00:32:04.59
And it was an
amazing experience,
00:32:04.62\00:32:08.76
one that you want more of.
00:32:08.79\00:32:12.16
You've been involved
00:32:12.19\00:32:13.53
in this aspect of the Christmas
Behind Bars experience,
00:32:13.56\00:32:17.20
but you've also been
involved in the delivery aspect.
00:32:17.23\00:32:20.10
Give me some sense of
the kind of response you get
00:32:20.14\00:32:22.90
when these bags are
taken in to men and women
00:32:22.94\00:32:25.84
who are incarcerated.
00:32:25.87\00:32:27.84
They're so
grateful to have us there
00:32:27.88\00:32:30.48
to see volunteers
00:32:30.51\00:32:31.95
because they
know that you're there
00:32:31.98\00:32:33.31
because you care about them.
00:32:33.35\00:32:35.38
You're not there to
take anything from them.
00:32:35.42\00:32:37.12
You know, a lot
of them have seen
00:32:37.15\00:32:39.82
just a take,
take, take relationship,
00:32:39.85\00:32:42.09
you know, where people
have constantly taken from them,
00:32:42.12\00:32:45.39
but they're
happy to see you there
00:32:45.43\00:32:47.03
and pouring into their lives
00:32:47.06\00:32:48.40
and bringing
them tangible gifts.
00:32:48.43\00:32:50.20
I mean, it's really
practical Christianity.
00:32:50.23\00:32:54.37
You are one of the
younger persons here,
00:32:54.40\00:32:55.90
when I look at the group,
they're a little bit older,
00:32:55.94\00:32:57.91
you're a young
person who could be outdoing
00:32:57.94\00:32:59.87
other kinds of
things during this time.
00:32:59.91\00:33:01.64
Talk to me about the value
00:33:01.68\00:33:03.01
of a young
person getting involved
00:33:03.04\00:33:04.98
in a ministry like
this, and then finally,
00:33:05.01\00:33:07.68
the addictive aspect of
service and ministry for those
00:33:07.72\00:33:11.12
who cannot help themselves.
00:33:11.15\00:33:12.65
Well, the only thing
that separates us from them
00:33:12.69\00:33:14.66
is the choice,
00:33:14.69\00:33:16.02
and this is what
Jesus would have us to do.
00:33:16.06\00:33:18.19
You know, faith
without works is dead,
00:33:18.23\00:33:20.03
so if we just see a need,
and we don't fulfill that need,
00:33:20.06\00:33:24.07
and we're able to do so,
00:33:24.10\00:33:26.20
then that's not
practicing Christianity.
00:33:26.23\00:33:29.57
That's not
practical Christianity.
00:33:29.60\00:33:31.54
We need to see, if we
see our brother suffering,
00:33:31.57\00:33:33.74
we need to meet those needs.
00:33:33.78\00:33:35.38
And so going in
there and speaking
00:33:35.41\00:33:37.38
and seeing them
touched by the messages
00:33:37.41\00:33:41.32
that are shared, the
gifts that they receive,
00:33:41.35\00:33:44.45
knowing that they're
getting spiritual gifts,
00:33:44.49\00:33:47.39
it's such a blessing
and it serves a purpose,
00:33:47.42\00:33:50.53
a higher purpose than ourselves.
00:33:50.56\00:33:52.19
So I mean, it definitely
is an addicting type of work.
00:33:52.23\00:33:58.23
Love it. Amen and thank you.
00:33:58.27\00:34:00.40
Thank you, Jason.
00:34:00.44\00:34:01.77
Lemuel's got someone
that he wants to talk to
00:34:01.80\00:34:04.01
and interview part
of this wonderful group
00:34:04.04\00:34:06.07
that is doing the
bagging preparatory
00:34:06.11\00:34:08.58
to the actual giving
00:34:08.61\00:34:09.94
at one of the
prisons in this area.
00:34:09.98\00:34:12.08
It sure is a blessing
to have people to travel
00:34:12.11\00:34:13.82
many, many miles.
00:34:13.85\00:34:15.18
Gwen has traveled all the way
from Kentucky, and she's here.
00:34:15.22\00:34:17.75
And, Gwen, we thank
you for coming here today
00:34:17.79\00:34:19.62
and helping us out.
00:34:19.65\00:34:21.19
How did you hear
about Christmas Behind Bars?
00:34:21.22\00:34:23.22
Well, we've been doing
jail ministry for about a year.
00:34:23.26\00:34:27.16
And I think the second year,
00:34:27.20\00:34:28.83
I came home after jail
ministry on the Sabbath,
00:34:28.86\00:34:30.83
I turned on 3ABN,
and there you were.
00:34:30.87\00:34:33.57
They were interviewing
you about prison ministry,
00:34:33.60\00:34:35.80
and I watched, and I
watched, and I thought,
00:34:35.84\00:34:37.61
"He needs to come to my jail."
00:34:37.64\00:34:39.37
So I called you
right then and there.
00:34:39.41\00:34:40.88
I mean, I didn't
even turn the TV off.
00:34:40.91\00:34:42.24
I got on the phone,
00:34:42.28\00:34:43.61
and I called you
and left a message,
00:34:43.65\00:34:44.98
and you called
me back, and I said,
00:34:45.01\00:34:46.35
"I need you to come to my jail."
00:34:46.38\00:34:47.88
And you said, "Okay,"
and that's how we started.
00:34:47.92\00:34:50.29
And how that starts
for viewers at home,
00:34:50.32\00:34:52.79
we find out how many people
00:34:52.82\00:34:54.16
are in your jail
or in your prison,
00:34:54.19\00:34:55.86
and then we talked,
and we made packages,
00:34:55.89\00:34:57.59
and we came down to your jail.
00:34:57.63\00:34:58.96
That's right.
00:34:58.99\00:35:00.33
How was that received
and what was your thought
00:35:00.36\00:35:01.70
from what you saw on 3ABN
00:35:01.73\00:35:03.06
to where it's actually
we began to work together?
00:35:03.10\00:35:05.47
Well, you know, in that area,
00:35:05.50\00:35:07.24
there had been
no kind of program
00:35:07.27\00:35:08.84
like that ever, ever.
00:35:08.87\00:35:10.34
And when we talked
to Sergeant Rackie,
00:35:10.37\00:35:12.14
who was over the...
00:35:12.17\00:35:13.51
One of the first
jail we started at,
00:35:13.54\00:35:15.74
she couldn't believe
it, and she just loves us,
00:35:15.78\00:35:18.51
and she gives us
extra special care,
00:35:18.55\00:35:20.75
and lets us do things.
00:35:20.78\00:35:22.12
She doesn't let anybody else
00:35:22.15\00:35:23.49
just because she sees how
good we are to the prisoners,
00:35:23.52\00:35:25.65
how faithful we are
every week to be there,
00:35:25.69\00:35:28.02
and how it's impacted the jail.
00:35:28.06\00:35:29.82
So Christmas Behind
Bars came to your jail,
00:35:29.86\00:35:33.46
how many inmates
did you have to come out
00:35:33.50\00:35:34.83
to your services
00:35:34.86\00:35:36.20
'cause you were
going on a regular basis?
00:35:36.23\00:35:37.77
Did you see it increase?
00:35:37.80\00:35:39.13
Well, it's kind of often
and when we first started,
00:35:39.17\00:35:41.10
we just filled
the room they gave us.
00:35:41.14\00:35:43.34
They gave us a big
room and it was filled
00:35:43.37\00:35:45.24
and then, you know,
there's people would go home.
00:35:45.27\00:35:47.04
It might be a small group,
00:35:47.08\00:35:48.41
and it's just
always up and down.
00:35:48.44\00:35:49.78
You can't count
on numbers really.
00:35:49.81\00:35:51.15
So the staff
appreciates your ministry there
00:35:51.18\00:35:53.45
and Christmas
Behind Bars as well?
00:35:53.48\00:35:54.82
They do.
00:35:54.85\00:35:56.18
And since that time,
00:35:56.22\00:35:57.55
you know, we
started off with one jail,
00:35:57.59\00:35:58.92
we have four jails.
00:35:58.95\00:36:00.29
And we're just a
small church of 30 members,
00:36:00.32\00:36:01.99
and we take care of
these jails every Saturday.
00:36:02.02\00:36:05.19
So you go once a week
to four different jails?
00:36:05.23\00:36:07.36
No, we got
different people who break up.
00:36:07.40\00:36:10.10
Oh, praise the Lord.
00:36:10.13\00:36:11.47
Can you share with our viewers
00:36:11.50\00:36:13.03
if they'd be thinking
about doing this program,
00:36:13.07\00:36:14.90
how evangelism
is going to continue
00:36:14.94\00:36:17.11
to grow their church?
00:36:17.14\00:36:18.61
Well, if you're a dead church
00:36:18.64\00:36:19.97
and a lot of churches
are out there dead today,
00:36:20.01\00:36:21.88
you need
something to get you going.
00:36:21.91\00:36:23.31
And I'll tell you,
00:36:23.35\00:36:24.68
prison ministry
can do that for you,
00:36:24.71\00:36:26.08
and it can bring you together
and give you a common goal,
00:36:26.11\00:36:28.78
and I just encourage you.
00:36:28.82\00:36:30.15
If you're not
involved, be involved.
00:36:30.19\00:36:31.99
You know, except
00:36:32.02\00:36:33.69
for the grace
of God, go there...
00:36:33.72\00:36:35.32
You know, these
people are in prison
00:36:35.36\00:36:36.69
because they
made a wrong choice.
00:36:36.73\00:36:38.19
You know, we
could've done the same thing.
00:36:38.23\00:36:39.69
So we need to care about them
00:36:39.73\00:36:41.40
and go and show them God's love
00:36:41.43\00:36:42.76
so maybe they can
get on a better path.
00:36:42.80\00:36:44.93
Maybe there's some people today
00:36:44.97\00:36:46.30
that maybe physically can't
go to a jail or to a prison,
00:36:46.33\00:36:48.84
what would you share
00:36:48.87\00:36:50.21
if they'd like to
help sponsor this ministry?
00:36:50.24\00:36:52.27
You know, give money
to Christmas Behind Bars,
00:36:52.31\00:36:54.28
you know, they supply
00:36:54.31\00:36:55.64
all of these things, free books,
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.41
Bible studies, you know,
00:36:57.45\00:36:58.78
all these
little snacks they get.
00:36:58.81\00:37:00.68
And, you know, they
need the funds to keep going,
00:37:00.72\00:37:02.88
and going to different
jails in different states,
00:37:02.92\00:37:05.82
and without funds
from people like you,
00:37:05.85\00:37:07.36
they can't keep doing it.
00:37:07.39\00:37:09.09
Well, as it continues to grow,
we wish you God's blessings,
00:37:09.12\00:37:11.59
and we pray that
you'll see many people
00:37:11.63\00:37:13.06
in the kingdom of heaven
00:37:13.09\00:37:14.43
because you're willing to
help, you're willing to go,
00:37:14.46\00:37:16.70
you're willing to
give Bible studies,
00:37:16.73\00:37:18.47
and you're willing
to sponsor the ministry,
00:37:18.50\00:37:20.27
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:37:20.30\00:37:21.64
Thank you and God bless you.
00:37:21.67\00:37:23.00
Gwen, thank you
for making the miles,
00:37:23.04\00:37:24.37
and God bless you.
00:37:24.41\00:37:25.74
We sure appreciate
you and your ministry.
00:37:25.77\00:37:27.11
Jill Morikone
00:37:27.14\00:37:28.48
is an
administrator here at 3ABN,
00:37:28.51\00:37:29.84
but she also finds time to serve
00:37:29.88\00:37:32.28
at Christmas Behind Bars.
00:37:32.31\00:37:34.52
Jill, I know just recently,
you went into a women's prison,
00:37:34.55\00:37:37.69
give me some
sense of the response
00:37:37.72\00:37:40.16
that this kind of giving elicits
00:37:40.19\00:37:44.03
from the inmates and
those who are incarcerated.
00:37:44.06\00:37:47.16
Absolutely, pastor.
00:37:47.20\00:37:48.53
We went in just over a year ago
00:37:48.56\00:37:49.90
to the Logan
Correctional Institution.
00:37:49.93\00:37:51.83
It was here in Illinois,
and it was a women's prison.
00:37:51.87\00:37:54.40
I have heard about the ministry
of Christmas Behind Bars
00:37:54.44\00:37:56.64
for many years
00:37:56.67\00:37:58.01
because 3ABN has had
the privilege of partnering
00:37:58.04\00:38:00.28
with Christmas
Behind Bars for many years
00:38:00.31\00:38:02.58
with Free Indeed
and many other programs,
00:38:02.61\00:38:04.81
but it was my first time
to experience it first hand,
00:38:04.85\00:38:08.45
to see what happened,
00:38:08.48\00:38:10.35
we had all of the gifts
packaged in their paper bags
00:38:10.39\00:38:13.36
and they're set
there, and the women came in.
00:38:13.39\00:38:15.62
And to see, it was
a freezing cold day.
00:38:15.66\00:38:17.59
I think it was December,
and it was freezing cold,
00:38:17.63\00:38:20.40
and they are outside
waiting in line so excited.
00:38:20.43\00:38:23.37
And when they walked in,
and they got their package,
00:38:23.40\00:38:26.70
and it was close
to Christmas time,
00:38:26.74\00:38:28.34
and they are
away from their kids
00:38:28.37\00:38:30.01
and they're away
from their family.
00:38:30.04\00:38:32.34
And they received something,
and it's a gift of love.
00:38:32.37\00:38:34.84
It's a gift that shows
00:38:34.88\00:38:36.21
"someone loves me,
someone cares for me."
00:38:36.24\00:38:39.35
And it was an
incredible experience.
00:38:39.38\00:38:40.72
They would grab it.
00:38:40.75\00:38:42.08
They would hug us,
they would hug the bag,
00:38:42.12\00:38:44.35
many would break down in tears.
00:38:44.39\00:38:46.12
Yeah, praise the Lord. Yeah.
00:38:46.15\00:38:47.49
Now we've got all
of these goodies here.
00:38:47.52\00:38:49.49
But I want you to talk to me
00:38:49.52\00:38:50.86
for just a moment about
those boxes there on the end
00:38:50.89\00:38:55.00
which hold the
religious material,
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.43
which hold the Steps to
Christ and the other books.
00:38:57.47\00:39:00.14
Talk to me about the value
of putting this in with this.
00:39:00.17\00:39:04.84
These things that
they're looking for,
00:39:04.87\00:39:06.44
and these things
00:39:06.47\00:39:07.81
which they may
not be looking for
00:39:07.84\00:39:09.18
but which they certainly need.
00:39:09.21\00:39:10.78
Absolutely.
00:39:10.81\00:39:12.15
You know, I mean,
the goodies are fun
00:39:12.18\00:39:13.52
and the goodies are nice,
00:39:13.55\00:39:14.88
but the
spiritual things last long
00:39:14.92\00:39:17.42
after something is eaten,
00:39:17.45\00:39:19.15
long after something is
already thrown in the trash,
00:39:19.19\00:39:21.39
and they still have that.
00:39:21.42\00:39:23.09
They hang onto that.
00:39:23.12\00:39:25.43
They have the
Bible correspondence
00:39:25.46\00:39:27.76
so they can
reach out to someone,
00:39:27.80\00:39:29.40
and they can sit down,
00:39:29.43\00:39:30.77
and they can read
spiritual material
00:39:30.80\00:39:32.87
because they're all alone.
00:39:32.90\00:39:34.40
I remember
walking down those halls,
00:39:34.44\00:39:36.24
and we went into lockup,
00:39:36.27\00:39:37.81
and the girls are behind
the doors and you can't...
00:39:37.84\00:39:40.38
They can't even get out.
00:39:40.41\00:39:41.74
They can't even
get that human contact,
00:39:41.78\00:39:43.71
and yet they can sit,
00:39:43.75\00:39:45.08
and they can
read, "Jesus loves me.
00:39:45.11\00:39:47.55
He died for me."
00:39:47.58\00:39:48.92
And what an incredible thing
to be able to reach spiritually
00:39:48.95\00:39:53.02
into the lives
and hearts of people
00:39:53.05\00:39:55.09
who are hurting so much.
00:39:55.12\00:39:57.56
What would you say
in closing to a person
00:39:57.59\00:39:59.93
who may be a
little lethargic there?
00:39:59.96\00:40:01.70
Their spiritual life
may be a little down,
00:40:01.73\00:40:03.70
could this kind
of ministry jumpstart
00:40:03.73\00:40:06.10
their own spiritual walk?
00:40:06.13\00:40:07.54
Oh, absolutely.
00:40:07.57\00:40:09.40
It's revolutionary to feel like
00:40:09.44\00:40:11.21
you can go out and
you can have an impact,
00:40:11.24\00:40:12.91
and you don't have to
know how to give a sermon,
00:40:12.94\00:40:15.11
you don't have to know
how to give Bible studies,
00:40:15.14\00:40:17.25
but yet you can partner
with Christmas Behind Bars,
00:40:17.28\00:40:20.28
and you can help get the gospel,
00:40:20.32\00:40:22.22
get this truth into people
00:40:22.25\00:40:23.95
who may not have
any other opportunity.
00:40:23.99\00:40:27.19
And I just want to
say a shout-out to Lemuel
00:40:27.22\00:40:29.69
and his wife Donna.
00:40:29.72\00:40:31.09
You know, when we were
there, behind the bars,
00:40:31.13\00:40:33.90
you know, there in
the prison system itself,
00:40:33.93\00:40:36.36
just to watch God work
through this man to see
00:40:36.40\00:40:40.34
the anointing of the Holy Spirit
00:40:40.37\00:40:42.70
as he reached out
and as he ministered.
00:40:42.74\00:40:44.84
At 3ABN, we really stand
00:40:44.87\00:40:46.44
behind the ministry
of Christmas Behind Bars.
00:40:46.47\00:40:48.78
Praise the Lord. Thank
you. Back to you, Lemuel.
00:40:48.81\00:40:51.71
CA, I want to say
thank you so much.
00:40:51.75\00:40:53.25
It's been a
blessing to work with you
00:40:53.28\00:40:54.62
and your crew here at 3ABN.
00:40:54.65\00:40:56.45
I have a volunteer
coordinator here Debbie.
00:40:56.48\00:40:58.39
Debbie, where are
you from? Minnesota.
00:40:58.42\00:41:00.39
Minnesota.
00:41:00.42\00:41:01.76
How long have you been
doing prison ministries?
00:41:01.79\00:41:03.86
I've actually been
doing it for 35 years,
00:41:03.89\00:41:06.56
but I had 22 years
00:41:06.59\00:41:08.00
that I've been going
inside of the state prisons.
00:41:08.03\00:41:10.87
So 35 years,
00:41:10.90\00:41:12.23
you've never been
incarcerated yourself?
00:41:12.27\00:41:13.60
No.
00:41:13.64\00:41:14.97
But you have an opportunity
to reach out those inmates.
00:41:15.00\00:41:16.34
Can you tell me how long
have we been working together,
00:41:16.37\00:41:18.87
Minnesota
Adventist Prison Ministries?
00:41:18.91\00:41:21.31
Since...
00:41:21.34\00:41:22.68
Well, it was
actually the first contact
00:41:22.71\00:41:24.05
I had with you was
in 2010, December, 2010.
00:41:24.08\00:41:27.18
So many years ago? Yes.
00:41:27.22\00:41:29.15
And you brought in the
first packages to Minnesota
00:41:29.18\00:41:31.55
in December of 2011.
00:41:31.59\00:41:35.06
Can you tell us how working
with Christmas Behind Bars
00:41:35.09\00:41:37.83
that your prison,
00:41:37.86\00:41:39.19
your already existing
prison ministry has grown?
00:41:39.23\00:41:41.76
Yes, we were able
to get opening doors
00:41:41.80\00:41:45.27
to two different
jails and one state prison.
00:41:45.30\00:41:48.74
So it opened doors
00:41:48.77\00:41:50.11
that we could not
have opened otherwise,
00:41:50.14\00:41:51.47
plus we've had more
requests for Bible studies
00:41:51.51\00:41:54.71
by mail that have come
because of these packages.
00:41:54.74\00:41:57.55
Now how many county jails
00:41:57.58\00:41:58.91
did we do this
year in Minnesota?
00:41:58.95\00:42:00.95
Thirty-two county jails,
plus we had a homeless shelter,
00:42:00.98\00:42:06.92
we had two youth group
homes, and two state prisons
00:42:06.96\00:42:12.39
which included one
was the intake place
00:42:12.43\00:42:14.70
and one was the
maximum security.
00:42:14.73\00:42:16.40
Also North
Dakota and South Dakota,
00:42:16.43\00:42:18.30
through your
ministry in Minnesota
00:42:18.33\00:42:19.73
has now been added,
00:42:19.77\00:42:21.10
what would you
share with our viewers
00:42:21.14\00:42:22.60
that this is a
worthwhile ministry
00:42:22.64\00:42:24.07
to be involved in?
00:42:24.11\00:42:26.64
It is such a valuable ministry.
00:42:26.68\00:42:29.01
I just get breath
taking away from me
00:42:29.04\00:42:32.75
because it has
grown our ministry
00:42:32.78\00:42:35.82
in Minnesota tremendously.
00:42:35.85\00:42:38.19
We were at St. Cloud prison
00:42:38.22\00:42:40.16
after the
packages were delivered,
00:42:40.19\00:42:42.22
and the guys just clapped.
00:42:42.26\00:42:43.66
They were so
thankful for those packages.
00:42:43.69\00:42:47.90
And when I read those letters,
00:42:47.93\00:42:49.26
those thank you letters
that come back saying about
00:42:49.30\00:42:53.03
that they cried and
that, "We were not forgotten."
00:42:53.07\00:42:56.47
They just impact me so much,
00:42:56.50\00:42:58.17
"And we're also
getting literature out
00:42:58.21\00:43:02.01
where we would
not get it elsewhere,"
00:43:02.04\00:43:03.98
and it's like
the light shining out
00:43:04.01\00:43:05.58
between all those
different counties.
00:43:05.61\00:43:07.88
So those prisons
are being saturated,
00:43:07.92\00:43:10.29
every inmate receives a
package, is that correct?
00:43:10.32\00:43:12.35
Yes, that is correct.
00:43:12.39\00:43:13.72
We have to have one for everyone
00:43:13.76\00:43:16.16
that is in the facility.
00:43:16.19\00:43:17.53
You cannot just do it
for part of the inmates.
00:43:17.56\00:43:21.60
It has to be for
the whole facility.
00:43:21.63\00:43:23.43
Can you tell us
how it's been received
00:43:23.47\00:43:24.93
by the staff and
prison officials?
00:43:24.97\00:43:27.30
Yes.
00:43:27.34\00:43:28.67
I was just at
the St. Cloud prison
00:43:28.70\00:43:30.91
for appreciation dinner,
00:43:30.94\00:43:32.47
and I had the program director
that I deal with came up to me
00:43:32.51\00:43:36.44
and gave me a hug,
00:43:36.48\00:43:37.81
and that's the place
00:43:37.85\00:43:39.18
where we've had
him in since 2011.
00:43:39.21\00:43:41.52
And he's so totally onboard.
00:43:41.55\00:43:43.35
He said it just makes
00:43:43.39\00:43:44.72
such a difference
there in the facility
00:43:44.75\00:43:46.79
and at the Albert Lea jail,
00:43:46.82\00:43:49.96
we've had, where she said,
00:43:49.99\00:43:52.13
the program
director, for three weeks,
00:43:52.16\00:43:55.76
it was just
quieter in that jail.
00:43:55.80\00:43:57.43
So that makes a
difference? Makes a difference.
00:43:57.47\00:43:59.03
And Jesus says,
00:43:59.07\00:44:00.40
"As you've done it unto
one of the least of these,
00:44:00.44\00:44:02.74
my brethren,
you've done it unto Me."
00:44:02.77\00:44:05.14
Debbie, thank you
for driving through this,
00:44:05.17\00:44:06.94
for the terrible weathers
00:44:06.98\00:44:08.58
that you've
experienced coming here,
00:44:08.61\00:44:10.15
thank you so much for coming
all the way from the Minnesota.
00:44:10.18\00:44:12.61
And we want to
come to your state
00:44:12.65\00:44:13.98
wherever you are located
00:44:14.02\00:44:15.35
and bring the
ministry, Christmas Behind Bars,
00:44:15.38\00:44:17.19
and bring hope to
those who are incarcerated.
00:44:17.22\00:44:18.95
God bless you and thank you
for being part of this program.
00:44:18.99\00:44:22.12
We are really grateful
to be here at 3ABN Today,
00:44:22.16\00:44:24.29
and I'd like to
introduce to you my wife,
00:44:24.33\00:44:26.53
which maybe
you're not familiar with.
00:44:26.56\00:44:27.96
We've been married for over...
00:44:28.00\00:44:29.43
Thirty-three
years. Thirty-three years.
00:44:29.46\00:44:31.10
It's been a joy
to work for Christ.
00:44:31.13\00:44:33.50
We've been doing Christmas
Behind Bars now for how long?
00:44:33.54\00:44:35.87
I think 20 years.
No, over 20 years.
00:44:35.90\00:44:39.07
Can you share with our viewers
how Christmas Behind Bars
00:44:39.11\00:44:41.98
can be an active
part of their church?
00:44:42.01\00:44:46.41
Yes. It's very easy.
00:44:46.45\00:44:48.48
As you see all these
people putting bags together.
00:44:48.52\00:44:52.62
If you just go
down to your county jail
00:44:52.65\00:44:54.92
and make a day,
put some bags together,
00:44:54.96\00:44:58.59
and go and tell the inmates
00:44:58.63\00:45:01.83
that God loves
them, they have purpose.
00:45:01.86\00:45:05.50
Now you tell the
inmates on a daily basis
00:45:05.53\00:45:07.54
that there's hope for their life
00:45:07.57\00:45:08.90
and that they have purpose?
00:45:08.94\00:45:10.27
Yes. How do you do that?
00:45:10.31\00:45:11.64
I write letters to
inmates. Hundreds of letters.
00:45:11.67\00:45:14.31
But that's not all you do.
00:45:14.34\00:45:16.24
Donna is taking
care of all the paperwork
00:45:16.28\00:45:18.71
for Christmas Behind Bars,
00:45:18.75\00:45:20.28
we volunteer our
time for this ministry,
00:45:20.32\00:45:23.08
and we want to say
thank you for your sponsorship
00:45:23.12\00:45:24.85
because without it,
00:45:24.89\00:45:26.22
we don't get
paid for what we do,
00:45:26.25\00:45:27.59
but yet God blesses
just in numerous ways,
00:45:27.62\00:45:29.99
and we're very grateful.
00:45:30.03\00:45:31.36
Numerous ways, yes.
00:45:31.39\00:45:32.73
What would you
share with our sponsors
00:45:32.76\00:45:34.10
that may be
would like to help out?
00:45:34.13\00:45:37.90
It's a
blessing. It's a blessing.
00:45:37.93\00:45:41.10
When you help a ministry,
when you help an inmate know
00:45:41.14\00:45:46.57
that God loves
them, that they matter,
00:45:46.61\00:45:49.74
so many think
that they're worthless.
00:45:49.78\00:45:53.15
Now we have trucks and trailers,
00:45:53.18\00:45:55.02
but we're in need of
something really special,
00:45:55.05\00:45:57.09
what would that be?
00:45:57.12\00:45:59.19
We come to the point that
we need our own warehouse.
00:45:59.22\00:46:02.86
So we need a warehouse.
00:46:02.89\00:46:04.23
You know, it's been a
blessing to serve Christ
00:46:04.26\00:46:08.73
and we're grateful
to be a part of 3ABN
00:46:08.76\00:46:10.73
and Christmas Behind
Bars and Free Indeed,
00:46:10.77\00:46:12.83
and we want to say thank you
to all of you around the world
00:46:12.87\00:46:16.60
for bringing hope to
those who are incarcerated,
00:46:16.64\00:46:18.71
seemingly forgotten
without hope or purpose,
00:46:18.74\00:46:22.01
but we know that
lasting positive changes
00:46:22.04\00:46:24.48
is not only available,
00:46:24.51\00:46:26.65
but it certainly is attainable.
00:46:26.68\00:46:28.95
That's right, in
Jesus. That was fun.
00:46:28.98\00:46:32.42
You can see the joy
that is given to those
00:46:32.45\00:46:36.56
who are giving out,
they're getting joy back,
00:46:36.59\00:46:38.56
and everybody's excited
about what they're doing.
00:46:38.59\00:46:40.10
Amen.
Absolutely. Praise the Lord.
00:46:40.13\00:46:41.46
It's a fun time.
00:46:41.50\00:46:42.83
Lemuel, search your
mind a little bit and give us
00:46:42.86\00:46:44.20
just one more story of someone
that stands out in your mind
00:46:44.23\00:46:47.24
that this program has
been a particular blessing too.
00:46:47.27\00:46:50.94
You know, CA, over
3,000 inmates in a prison,
00:46:50.97\00:46:54.44
suicide attempts are prevalent,
00:46:54.48\00:46:57.65
I mean, people get
despaired, discouraged,
00:46:57.68\00:46:59.85
feel like given
up, there's no hope.
00:46:59.88\00:47:01.78
Over 3,200
inmates in this prison,
00:47:01.82\00:47:04.25
and they said that
once they knew Christmas
00:47:04.29\00:47:06.22
Behind Bars was
coming to their prison
00:47:06.25\00:47:08.99
that there was no
suicide watches initiated
00:47:09.02\00:47:11.56
during that time.
00:47:11.59\00:47:12.93
And the reason
00:47:12.96\00:47:14.30
is because they
were looking forward
00:47:14.33\00:47:15.66
to Christmas Behind Bars.
00:47:15.70\00:47:17.03
They were looking
forward to something.
00:47:17.07\00:47:18.40
They were looking
forward to receiving a gift,
00:47:18.43\00:47:19.77
and there were
no suicide watches
00:47:19.80\00:47:21.14
'cause they
were looking forward.
00:47:21.17\00:47:22.50
Amen? Praise the Lord.
00:47:22.54\00:47:23.87
So one of the great advantages
of Christmas Behind Bars,
00:47:23.91\00:47:25.24
it changes the
culture, the feel,
00:47:25.27\00:47:27.08
the texture of what's
going on in the prison.
00:47:27.11\00:47:28.54
The flavor, absolutely.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, well said.
00:47:28.58\00:47:30.91
And the staff
really appreciate it.
00:47:30.95\00:47:32.85
You quoted and
texted me 1 John 1:9,
00:47:32.88\00:47:35.38
"If we confess our sins,
00:47:35.42\00:47:36.75
He is faithful
and just to forgive."
00:47:36.79\00:47:38.12
But I want to quote a text
00:47:38.15\00:47:39.49
that is just two
verses before that,
00:47:39.52\00:47:40.86
1 John 1:7 says,
00:47:40.89\00:47:42.86
"If we walk in the
light as He is in the light,
00:47:42.89\00:47:45.89
we have
fellowship one with another."
00:47:45.93\00:47:47.80
See that's what
you're seeing behind us.
00:47:47.83\00:47:49.46
You're seeing
fellowship. This is fellowship.
00:47:49.50\00:47:51.67
They're
fellowshipping one with another.
00:47:51.70\00:47:53.44
They're building memories.
00:47:53.47\00:47:55.07
They're increasing friendship,
00:47:55.10\00:47:56.91
and they're working
together for a common cause.
00:47:56.94\00:47:59.41
The text says,
00:47:59.44\00:48:00.78
"We have
fellowship one with another
00:48:00.81\00:48:02.14
and the blood of Christ
cleanses us from all sins."
00:48:02.18\00:48:05.01
So you get the
cherry on the sundae,
00:48:05.05\00:48:06.38
you get
fellowship here on earth,
00:48:06.41\00:48:08.02
and you get your sins cleansed
by the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:48:08.05\00:48:11.82
Now hopefully,
00:48:11.85\00:48:13.66
you have been
impressed and inspired
00:48:13.69\00:48:16.62
by what you
heard and seen today.
00:48:16.66\00:48:19.69
Again, you can do
this in your own church,
00:48:19.73\00:48:23.20
in your own home,
in your own community,
00:48:23.23\00:48:26.13
you can make
these kinds of contacts
00:48:26.17\00:48:27.77
and that will be great or
you can ask Lemuel to come
00:48:27.80\00:48:31.61
or you can
facilitate what he is doing.
00:48:31.64\00:48:35.18
The needs are...
00:48:35.21\00:48:36.54
And we'll talk about
this over and over again.
00:48:36.58\00:48:38.05
The needs are Bibles,
00:48:38.08\00:48:39.88
the needs are a
new permanent warehouse
00:48:39.91\00:48:42.68
because they're in sort
of a vagabond situation,
00:48:42.72\00:48:45.49
and going from
place to place to place,
00:48:45.52\00:48:47.46
and he would like to
have a permanent structure
00:48:47.49\00:48:49.92
that he can work out of,
and then we need literature.
00:48:49.96\00:48:52.86
There's never...
00:48:52.89\00:48:54.23
You can never have
too much literature.
00:48:54.26\00:48:55.60
It is a good thing.
00:48:55.63\00:48:58.57
Lemuel, the vendors
have been very kind here.
00:48:58.60\00:49:01.70
Absolutely.
00:49:01.74\00:49:03.07
There's tons and
tons and tons of things
00:49:03.10\00:49:05.37
to give away, and that's good.
00:49:05.41\00:49:06.98
But getting good
solid Christian literature,
00:49:07.01\00:49:10.05
you can't go every place
for that because, first of all,
00:49:10.08\00:49:12.41
you want
doctrinally sound literature,
00:49:12.45\00:49:14.38
you want things
that they can read
00:49:14.42\00:49:15.78
that would draw them to Christ.
00:49:15.82\00:49:17.15
There's a lot of
spurious things going around,
00:49:17.19\00:49:18.99
so I know you check
00:49:19.02\00:49:20.36
and go over
everything that you pass out.
00:49:20.39\00:49:21.72
Absolutely.
00:49:21.76\00:49:23.09
And even Bibles, you
want a Bible that is solid,
00:49:23.12\00:49:26.46
that is doctrinally pure,
00:49:26.49\00:49:28.36
doesn't have a lot of
excess commentary on it.
00:49:28.40\00:49:30.47
You want them to get
the truth, the whole truth,
00:49:30.50\00:49:32.60
nothing but the truth.
00:49:32.63\00:49:33.97
And we need Jesus,
00:49:34.00\00:49:35.34
you know, we're
sharing hope in these bags
00:49:35.37\00:49:37.94
about Jesus Christ.
00:49:37.97\00:49:39.31
And wherever you
are in the world today,
00:49:39.34\00:49:40.91
how is your
relationship with Jesus?
00:49:40.94\00:49:42.68
You may not be in
prison, but today,
00:49:42.71\00:49:44.38
we're asking you to contemplate
your own life personally,
00:49:44.41\00:49:47.52
and there's hope
only through Christ,
00:49:47.55\00:49:49.48
and you'll grow in the wisdom
and knowledge of the truth.
00:49:49.52\00:49:51.85
So thank you so much for
your sponsorship with 3ABN
00:49:51.89\00:49:54.52
and Christmas Behind Bars.
00:49:54.56\00:49:55.89
And, CA, it's just
been a joy to be here.
00:49:55.92\00:49:57.93
Oh, it's been
fun. It's good fun.
00:49:57.96\00:49:59.29
It's a joy.
00:49:59.33\00:50:00.66
I can hardly
think of a better way
00:50:00.70\00:50:02.50
to spend your money
than to support a ministry
00:50:02.53\00:50:06.94
that is doing what
this ministry is doing.
00:50:06.97\00:50:10.61
So many of these
men and women feel
00:50:10.64\00:50:12.91
that they are thrown away,
00:50:12.94\00:50:14.28
they are left, no
one cares about them,
00:50:14.31\00:50:15.94
but when Lemuel Vega
and Christmas Behind Bars
00:50:15.98\00:50:18.55
makes their entrance
00:50:18.58\00:50:19.91
into that
prison, into that jail,
00:50:19.95\00:50:21.78
into that correctional facility,
00:50:21.82\00:50:23.52
they know something
good is going to happen,
00:50:23.55\00:50:25.89
they know they're going
to get something good to eat.
00:50:25.92\00:50:27.69
What they may not know
00:50:27.72\00:50:29.06
is they're also
going to get the gospel,
00:50:29.09\00:50:31.13
the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
00:50:31.16\00:50:33.83
Now you've heard the
pitch, and now you need to know
00:50:33.86\00:50:37.33
where you can
contact Lemuel Vega,
00:50:37.37\00:50:40.00
so the address roll is coming.
00:50:40.04\00:50:41.80
This will give
you the information
00:50:41.84\00:50:43.17
that you need to support
00:50:43.20\00:50:44.91
or to get him to come
to speak to your group,
00:50:44.94\00:50:46.98
and he will be
glad to do just that.
00:50:47.01\00:50:51.25
Christmas Behind Bars
00:50:51.28\00:50:52.61
has a variety of ministry needs,
00:50:52.65\00:50:54.68
and you can make a difference.
00:50:54.72\00:50:56.38
Visit their website
00:50:56.42\00:50:57.79
and find all the
ways you can help,
00:50:57.82\00:50:59.75
including donations
for Bibles, gift packages,
00:50:59.79\00:51:03.06
transportation needs,
or assistance for inmates
00:51:03.09\00:51:05.83
and their families upon release.
00:51:05.86\00:51:07.90
Their website is
ChristmasBehindBars.org.
00:51:07.93\00:51:11.47
That's ChristmasBehindBars.org.
00:51:11.50\00:51:15.04
Call them at (260) 827-8835
00:51:15.07\00:51:20.18
or toll free at (888) 536-8342.
00:51:20.21\00:51:26.41
You can write them at
Christmas Behind Bars,
00:51:26.45\00:51:29.45
PO Box 474,
Bluffton, Indiana, 46714.
00:51:29.48\00:51:35.42