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 to
another 3ABN Today program.
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We're so glad
that you've joined us
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as you do each and every day.
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Thank you for allowing us
to come from our living room
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here at 3ABN
into your living room
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or maybe you're
driving in your car
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and listening to
3ABN Radio and just,
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we appreciate your support.
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We appreciate you
being a part of our family
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and as this open plays
which is all those graphics
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and the music you hear
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as just before
we say hello to you,
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that's what we call the open.
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It's powerful song,
mending broken people,
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and that's what the
ministry of 3ABN is all about.
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Amen.
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It's mending
broken people and today,
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we're talking about
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prison ministry, which is again.
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Yay!
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Mending broken people
and, oh, I'm looking forward
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to today's program very much.
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We have a dear,
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what I'm gonna
say, guest, right?
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Friend and family
member of the ministry of 3ABN.
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I just love prison
ministry. I do too.
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You know, I spent five
years going into our local jail
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with the women there
and just to see the impact
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that prison ministry
makes to see the need,
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people desperate,
lonely, longing for help
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and hope and Jesus.
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That's right.
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And to know that
we can have a part
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in reaching
people with the gospel,
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people when
there, you could say,
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at rock bottom or
need help the most.
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So I'm excited
about this program,
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and especially
about our family member.
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That's right.
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Lemuel Vega,
privilege to have you here.
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You're the founder of
Christmas Behind Bars.
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That's correct.
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And it wasn't my
idea, so I take no credit.
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So the Lord has made
the foundation possible
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that we can be of His
servants to share hope
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wherever we go in the world.
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So praise the Lord.
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Thank you for having us here
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and talking about
prison ministries.
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Oh, yeah, and
like Jill mentioned,
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3ABN also has a powerful
prison ministry outreach
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and thank you for your help,
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with helping 3ABN or
supporting, you know,
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3ABN's prison ministry as well
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and we in turn like
to support you as well.
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That's right.
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Your wife wasn't
able to be with us today
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but she's very
much partnered with you
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in Christmas Behind Bars.
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And.
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Lemuel, Christmas
Behind Bars is what,
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it sounds like
something to do with Christmas,
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but it's not
just Christmas time.
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So in case
someone's just joining us
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for the first time it says
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Oh, Christmas Behind Bars,
that's around Christmas time,
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it makes sense but
it's not just Christmas.
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The true meaning of
Christmas is we know it,
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biblical standpoint is
that it's a plan of salvation
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that Jesus came and
so we think of that gift
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and we think of the wise men,
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the shepherds and
the birth of Christ,
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and then we roll right on
to the crucifixion of Christ,
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the life of
Christ and that's what
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we want to focus on
as we share the hope
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with the inmates
is a life of Christ,
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and the resurrection of Jesus,
and the soon return of Jesus.
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So Christmas Behind Bars,
if anybody had a happy time
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in their life and inmate,
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we would hope it was
some point at Christmas.
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You know, you
think Christmas time,
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it's a loneliest
time of one's life
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when they're in prison.
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Wow 'cause
we're thinking family.
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Yeah. I can't be with my family.
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Family, friends, grandma,
any happy time Christmas,
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it weighs down on you
when you're an inmate.
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So what is
Christmas Behind Bars?
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Christmas Behind
Bars is a ministry
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that visits jails and prisons.
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We make gift packages,
the wrapping paper is not
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red and glittery and pretty
and it's a brown paper sack
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and we fill it with
essentials, granola bars,
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and chips, and cashews,
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and things to be a
blessing to reach them
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and let them know
there's hope for their life.
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Hygiene items,
soap, shampoo, deodorant,
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things like that to be
a blessing to their life.
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Toothpaste.
Toothpaste, yes, correct.
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Toothbrushes, we
have to cut them off.
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They can only be that big
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so we can make and so we take it
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and cut off a long
handled toothbrush,
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but Christmas
Behind Bars is a ministry
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that actually
started out of an experience,
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for I was a recipient
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when I was in jail as
a young person, you know,
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I was born into
a Christian home,
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but my life was unmanageable.
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It was hopeless.
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I was tied to my
seat in second grade
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with a jump rope,
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third grade I was kicked
out of a Christian School
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and a public school,
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so my whole life
seemed dysfunctional.
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And as a young person,
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I realized
alcohol could numb that.
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Alcohol could numb
that, mask that pain of life
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so I was a young
person, didn't want to live.
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How young when you
took your first drink?
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Probably fourth
grade, fourth grade.
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Oh, wow.
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You know, you stand
outside of 711 or a liquor store
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and you got enough money
you can buy two six packs
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somebody's
gonna, you buy them one,
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you take one, you
drink three or four,
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throw the rest away,
go home and you can sleep
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and life doesn't matter.
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I just want to go back a
moment because I'm stuck there,
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you're talking
out, but I'm stuck.
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Second grade tied in your chair?
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Yeah, tied in my chair
'cause I was up walking around
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and, you know, and
so it was dysfunctional.
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My life I guess
was just unmanageable.
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I didn't like school.
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I got bullied at school,
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I hated going to
school every day.
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I never got recess in school.
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I always had to stay
in and write sentences.
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You know, I will
not talk in class,
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you know 500 sentences
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and my mindset was teacher says,
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she wants 500 sentences,
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I will not talk in
class so I wrote those 500
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and then I had the idea,
I'll just write another 500,
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I tuck them in my desk.
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So next time she asked
for 500, so here they are.
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And that didn't go over so well.
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And then she
started changing the words.
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So homework didn't
get done. I didn't get it.
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And so now our heart goes out
to these people to help them,
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children to
understand try in school,
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you know, third grade kicked out
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of a Christian
school and a public school
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and so life was just a failure.
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So you took your first
drink, you're in fourth grade?
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Yeah, probably started drinking.
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Trying to numb
that? Yeah, mom was poor.
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We were poor and I thought that
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somehow money could
fix life's problems.
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So money, if we
have enough money,
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everything would be okay.
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But then I didn't use the money
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that I made selling
drugs to help at home,
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I just, so my
life was continually.
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Okay so went from alcohol
to drugs, to selling drugs?
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Alcohol, drugs, selling drugs
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and I made a lot of
money in the Chicago area.
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And by the time I was 18,
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I moved down to a
rural community in Indiana
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because I started
dealing with people
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that injected
drugs, heroin addicts,
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and they were
robbing drug stores
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and so now not just
selling little drugs,
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it was selling big drugs.
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And you know, I got robbed
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and then I know
who did it and...
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How old are you at this time?
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Seventeen. Oh, wow.
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I got robbed and so I
got a gun and then I realized
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that I knew who did it
and I went between the boy
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now in the currency exchange
and I knew their apartment.
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I said, you know, I had a gun
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and I walked away from it
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'cause I either
had to kill someone
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or I was gonna get
killed in that lifestyle.
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So I moved to
grandmother's house town,
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Bluffton, Indiana,
little rural community
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and it wasn't long
and there I was committed
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to jail facing 10
to 20 years in prison.
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I was 18 years old now
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facing 10 to 20 years in prison.
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Was it your past drug charges
00:08:02.18\00:08:03.58
that have caught
up with you or...?
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No, I brought all
kinds of new stuff with me
00:08:05.01\00:08:07.32
and just breaking
into people's houses
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not because you
needed the stuff,
00:08:09.12\00:08:10.62
we had lots of money.
00:08:10.69\00:08:12.02
We did it just to do
it, you know, just done,
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misguided energy, you know.
00:08:15.12\00:08:17.23
And so there you
are in the county jail
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facing 10 to 20 years in prison,
00:08:18.79\00:08:20.40
your friends don't come no more.
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Mail don't come.
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Phone call, just
there you are alone.
00:08:25.37\00:08:28.94
You know, you're alone.
You're looking at your past.
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And my desire at
that age 18 years old,
00:08:31.31\00:08:33.14
my desire was to reach
out to the 13 year olds.
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At 18 years of age? Yeah.
00:08:36.61\00:08:37.95
Really?
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It's like, man, if I
could just tell these people,
00:08:39.35\00:08:40.72
if I could just let them
know to do good in school
00:08:40.75\00:08:43.05
and to try and not give up.
00:08:43.08\00:08:44.45
And so I had that desire.
00:08:44.49\00:08:46.45
So you didn't want
them to walk the path
00:08:46.49\00:08:48.16
that you were walking?
00:08:48.19\00:08:49.52
Yeah, if they
could change a young,
00:08:49.56\00:08:51.19
it can save a lot of pain
00:08:51.23\00:08:52.56
'cause now my
future is going to prison.
00:08:52.59\00:08:54.30
And so there I am, and so I did.
00:08:54.33\00:08:55.83
You know, I wanted to
reach out to those people.
00:08:55.86\00:08:57.60
I went to prison, but
before I went to prison,
00:08:57.63\00:09:02.17
there was a group of
people that came into that jail.
00:09:02.20\00:09:04.67
Oh, wow.
00:09:04.71\00:09:06.57
And they came in to
sing a few songs to us.
00:09:06.61\00:09:08.34
They didn't tell us about Jesus.
00:09:08.38\00:09:09.74
They didn't give us a Bible.
00:09:09.78\00:09:11.25
They didn't tell us
they had been in prison.
00:09:11.28\00:09:12.61
They didn't tell us that
if we didn't change our ways,
00:09:12.65\00:09:14.45
we wasn't going to heaven.
00:09:14.48\00:09:16.28
They came and they simply sang
8, 10, 12 songs, and they left.
00:09:16.32\00:09:21.76
That was it?
00:09:21.79\00:09:23.12
And I had tears in my eyes
that these people would come
00:09:23.16\00:09:25.53
when all my friends don't come,
00:09:25.56\00:09:26.90
that these people would come,
that left an impact on my life.
00:09:26.93\00:09:30.50
Now the Gideon's would come,
00:09:30.57\00:09:32.73
and they would
have church in the jail,
00:09:32.77\00:09:35.37
I'd never go out and listen
to what the Gideon's had to say.
00:09:35.40\00:09:38.61
But I'd stand at
myself and I would listen
00:09:38.64\00:09:41.84
and so, even
though people might be
00:09:41.88\00:09:43.58
involved in jail
or prison ministries,
00:09:43.65\00:09:45.25
maybe you don't see a
lot of people come out,
00:09:45.28\00:09:47.32
but somehow you're sowing seeds
00:09:47.35\00:09:49.45
of hope at that
time in their life.
00:09:49.48\00:09:50.82
That's great.
00:09:50.89\00:09:52.22
So everyone in
our jails and prisons,
00:09:52.25\00:09:54.26
they're at a place
they don't want to be.
00:09:54.29\00:09:56.26
They want change,
00:09:56.29\00:09:58.56
even if it's for
an address change
00:09:58.59\00:10:01.00
to go home and be with
their children or family.
00:10:01.03\00:10:03.37
But you and I,
as Christians know
00:10:03.40\00:10:06.53
that it's the internal change
that they've been seeking for.
00:10:06.57\00:10:10.51
And so, if we can just
lift them up, encourage them,
00:10:10.54\00:10:14.98
and direct them to Christ.
00:10:15.01\00:10:16.34
You see there's a God sized hole
00:10:16.38\00:10:17.98
or that void right
inside of one's life
00:10:18.01\00:10:20.22
if you don't know Jesus,
00:10:20.25\00:10:21.58
so tell us the
conversion experience then?
00:10:21.62\00:10:23.49
So you're in jail, 18,
had a desire to share Jesus
00:10:23.52\00:10:26.86
or to share with young people?
00:10:26.89\00:10:28.22
Right.
00:10:28.26\00:10:29.59
I don't know your experience
with God at that point.
00:10:29.62\00:10:30.96
Where do you have that change?
00:10:30.99\00:10:32.36
Didn't have a change
there, went off to prison.
00:10:32.39\00:10:34.70
I OD'd on my way to prison,
00:10:34.73\00:10:36.10
overdosed I took
drugs on the way to prison.
00:10:36.13\00:10:38.37
How did you even get drugs?
00:10:38.40\00:10:40.04
Jails and prisons
have drugs and alcohol
00:10:40.07\00:10:42.50
and they have all that stuff.
00:10:42.54\00:10:43.91
And I knew I
was going to prison.
00:10:43.94\00:10:45.37
And I had saved all the...
00:10:45.41\00:10:47.58
Unbeknownst to your
officials maybe, but, yeah.
00:10:47.61\00:10:50.35
And so the morning they
told me to pack my stuff.
00:10:50.38\00:10:52.18
I took a whole bunch of pills.
00:10:52.21\00:10:53.55
And I remember just,
it was over on the back
00:10:53.62\00:10:57.32
of the sheriff's car
on the way to prison.
00:10:57.39\00:10:58.75
I just passed out and I woke up
00:10:58.79\00:11:01.12
at Wishard Memorial Hospital
and the doctors asked me,
00:11:01.16\00:11:03.73
they said, "Why do
you try to kill yourself?"
00:11:03.76\00:11:06.13
I said, "I didn't." I
said, "Don't you understand?
00:11:06.16\00:11:08.40
I'm going to
prison and I'm scared."
00:11:08.43\00:11:09.76
Yeah.
00:11:09.80\00:11:11.13
And you know, so
my life was saved
00:11:11.17\00:11:12.50
at that point in
my life and in prison.
00:11:12.53\00:11:15.67
I tried to get my
GED, and I failed.
00:11:15.70\00:11:18.84
And so I just laid up
in my cell and I said,
00:11:18.87\00:11:21.21
"Look, I can't get it.
00:11:21.24\00:11:23.45
And so I got a job in prison
00:11:23.48\00:11:25.51
and so I worked in a
furniture factory there
00:11:25.55\00:11:28.12
and prison went on.
00:11:28.15\00:11:30.39
I mean, prison is a
life of dysfunction,
00:11:30.42\00:11:34.99
you know, so more dysfunction.
00:11:35.02\00:11:36.36
All my life I
felt like a failure.
00:11:36.39\00:11:38.76
But I'm in prison one day,
00:11:38.79\00:11:40.13
and I went to
the chapel service.
00:11:40.20\00:11:41.93
And I remember
sitting in the back,
00:11:41.96\00:11:44.63
third row in the back
third seat in, there I was,
00:11:44.67\00:11:47.94
and I don't remember
what the preacher preached.
00:11:47.97\00:11:49.67
I don't remember
the songs that were sung
00:11:49.70\00:11:51.14
or the prayers that was
prayed, but I remembered
00:11:51.17\00:11:53.21
bowing my head and I said,
00:11:53.24\00:11:54.58
"Dear Jesus, if
ever you can use me,
00:11:54.61\00:11:56.44
I want to be used
by you, you know."
00:11:56.48\00:11:59.58
And I left that chapel service,
00:11:59.61\00:12:01.25
there was a box of peanuts here
00:12:01.28\00:12:02.62
one and only time
never before, never after,
00:12:02.65\00:12:04.89
there's a box of peanuts
roasted salted in the shell.
00:12:04.92\00:12:07.16
And I love peanuts,
the real good peanuts,
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.26
the salted peanuts,
the real roasted peanuts,
00:12:09.29\00:12:11.39
and I filled my
state coat with peanuts.
00:12:11.43\00:12:13.16
And I am eating them all the way
00:12:13.19\00:12:14.53
back to my cell house.
00:12:14.56\00:12:15.90
Throwing the shells
on the ground said,"
00:12:15.93\00:12:17.27
Man, these are awesome."
00:12:17.30\00:12:18.63
These are good and
I got back to my cell.
00:12:18.67\00:12:20.04
I said, "Man, I can
never get these again."
00:12:20.07\00:12:21.47
And so I took out
the remaining peanuts
00:12:21.50\00:12:23.04
out of my pocket,
put them in my locker.
00:12:23.07\00:12:25.84
And every day I
would take out a peanut
00:12:25.87\00:12:27.71
and sit on my bunk
and eat that peanut.
00:12:27.74\00:12:29.98
One peanut a
day? One peanut a day.
00:12:30.05\00:12:31.68
Wow.
00:12:31.71\00:12:33.08
So people come in to
sing in the county jail
00:12:33.11\00:12:37.32
in prison receiving something
00:12:37.39\00:12:39.05
from the outside
world asking God,
00:12:39.09\00:12:41.49
said, if ever you can use
me, I want to be used by you.
00:12:41.52\00:12:44.56
I was released from prison
00:12:44.59\00:12:45.96
and I was released
with a desire to do right.
00:12:45.99\00:12:48.70
I want to do right
and you know Lemuel
00:12:48.73\00:12:51.90
self-improvement plan
didn't work very well.
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.24
Okay. So we can have a plan.
00:12:54.27\00:12:55.94
This is behavior modification,
like external modification
00:12:55.97\00:12:59.44
but not a heart change.
00:12:59.47\00:13:00.81
Yeah, it's good point.
00:13:00.88\00:13:02.21
Have you ever
thought about that?
00:13:02.24\00:13:03.58
Have you ever seen
people try to do that?
00:13:03.61\00:13:04.95
Absolutely.
00:13:04.98\00:13:06.31
Without Christ,
it just doesn't work.
00:13:06.35\00:13:07.68
And so, so I fell flat.
00:13:07.72\00:13:09.45
I started taking
drugs back to the prison,
00:13:09.48\00:13:11.32
I'd meet the
officers outside the prison,
00:13:11.35\00:13:13.12
and they would take
the drugs into prison,
00:13:13.15\00:13:15.22
and my friends would sell
them and money would come,
00:13:15.26\00:13:17.76
you know and so
for much of my life,
00:13:17.79\00:13:21.20
it was terrible.
00:13:21.23\00:13:22.60
I went to treatment for
the first time in my life
00:13:22.63\00:13:24.77
and I hate to tell people
that if your son or daughter's
00:13:24.80\00:13:28.70
ever been through treatment,
they haven't got anything.
00:13:28.74\00:13:31.81
Because if it's
not Christ centered,
00:13:31.84\00:13:33.68
a medication can't do it.
00:13:33.71\00:13:35.58
And so I went to treatment,
treatment couldn't help me.
00:13:35.61\00:13:38.71
But there was somebody
that came to my hospital room
00:13:38.75\00:13:41.55
the second time I
went to treatment,
00:13:41.58\00:13:43.72
and they had prayer with me
and it was an Adventist pastor
00:13:43.79\00:13:46.32
from the Marion
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:13:46.35\00:13:48.69
And he told me something.
00:13:48.72\00:13:50.06
He said, "Lemuel, I am
gonna tell you something
00:13:50.13\00:13:51.46
that I've never told
anybody before my life."
00:13:51.49\00:13:53.90
Christian, never been in
jail, never been in prison,
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.06
so I didn't think
he could understand me.
00:13:56.10\00:13:58.20
But he said that
when his mother died,
00:13:58.23\00:13:59.83
he said he got
addicted to cough syrup.
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.14
And I'm thinking, oh
man, I had 48 hours clean.
00:14:02.17\00:14:04.54
My drug was in
the parking lot still,
00:14:04.57\00:14:06.14
I threw them in the parking lot.
00:14:06.17\00:14:07.51
I walked into
treatment, I wanted help,
00:14:07.58\00:14:08.91
my mind was still
really, really confused.
00:14:08.94\00:14:11.01
And this guy
come in and he says,
00:14:11.05\00:14:13.01
he got addicted to cough syrup.
00:14:13.05\00:14:15.48
And I listened to
him out of respect.
00:14:15.52\00:14:16.89
He had prayer with me.
00:14:16.92\00:14:18.25
He said, "The Lord
helped him with that problem."
00:14:18.29\00:14:19.99
Oh, wow. And he left.
00:14:20.06\00:14:22.76
And I pushed my bed
up against the door,
00:14:22.79\00:14:24.39
I was in the valley of decision.
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.63
Do I want to try or not try?
00:14:26.70\00:14:28.06
I've tried for 35
years and I've always failed,
00:14:28.10\00:14:30.67
always come up
short, always hurt people.
00:14:30.70\00:14:33.34
And so there I was in
the valley of decision.
00:14:33.37\00:14:35.10
I walked over to
my picture window.
00:14:35.14\00:14:37.41
It was in the western sky.
It was on a Friday evening.
00:14:37.44\00:14:39.61
Wow.
00:14:39.64\00:14:40.98
And I saw the
most beautiful sunset
00:14:41.01\00:14:42.34
I've ever seen in my life.
00:14:42.38\00:14:43.85
You know, in third grade
00:14:43.88\00:14:45.21
I heard there
were no two snowflakes
00:14:45.25\00:14:46.58
ever created the same.
00:14:46.61\00:14:47.95
I don't know
whether it's true or not.
00:14:47.98\00:14:49.32
I said, "Man, if
God can paint that,
00:14:49.35\00:14:51.39
somehow He can help me."
00:14:51.42\00:14:52.75
Amen.
00:14:52.79\00:14:54.16
And I kneeled down
in that hospital room
00:14:54.19\00:14:55.52
for the first time
in my life and I said,
00:14:55.56\00:14:57.53
"Dear Jesus, please help me.
00:14:57.56\00:14:59.36
I want to quit but I can't."
00:14:59.39\00:15:01.46
He began to help
with the problem,
00:15:01.50\00:15:03.26
the symptom of sin,
00:15:03.30\00:15:04.63
the drug
addiction and the alcohol.
00:15:04.67\00:15:06.00
He began to help
with all those things.
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.64
But finally it came to a
heart surrender and a decision.
00:15:08.67\00:15:12.11
And as through
3ABN, we got a 3ABN dish.
00:15:12.14\00:15:16.08
Two or three
years into my clean,
00:15:16.11\00:15:17.88
my sobriety time, we begin to,
00:15:17.91\00:15:20.72
it wasn't just about
potlucks and ice cream socials,
00:15:20.75\00:15:23.89
3ABN represents the
gospel, the life changing gospel
00:15:23.92\00:15:27.16
of Jesus Christ 24
hours a day, seven days a week
00:15:27.19\00:15:29.89
and so we were able to
watch that in our homes.
00:15:29.92\00:15:31.83
What year would that have been?
00:15:31.86\00:15:33.19
Do you remember?
I don't remember.
00:15:33.23\00:15:34.56
Okay. You got married in...?
00:15:34.60\00:15:35.93
I got married in '84, I
have like 22 years clean.
00:15:35.96\00:15:39.43
So it would have
been in the '80s then?
00:15:39.47\00:15:40.94
Yeah. Okay.
00:15:40.97\00:15:42.30
Yeah, for sure.
00:15:42.34\00:15:43.67
So we had our own satellite dish
00:15:43.71\00:15:45.04
and begin to watch 3ABN
00:15:45.07\00:15:46.78
and so that was a great blessing
00:15:46.81\00:15:48.14
to our commitment
00:15:48.18\00:15:49.68
and we were
baptized through 3ABN,
00:15:49.71\00:15:52.38
so it's a great blessing.
00:15:52.41\00:15:54.02
So getting out of
prison, getting clean,
00:15:54.05\00:15:56.58
pastor came to the
hospital, prayed with me,
00:15:56.62\00:15:59.25
I asked Christ for help,
00:15:59.29\00:16:00.66
I was released from
the hospital that night.
00:16:00.69\00:16:02.99
I was supposed to be
there for 30 days for a program.
00:16:03.02\00:16:05.59
But the nurse came and she said,
00:16:05.63\00:16:07.00
"I need you to
sign this paperwork.
00:16:07.03\00:16:08.36
You've been dismissed."
00:16:08.40\00:16:09.73
I said, Ma'am, I said,
00:16:09.76\00:16:11.10
"What time did they dismiss me?"
00:16:11.13\00:16:12.47
She said, "At 3
o'clock this afternoon."
00:16:12.50\00:16:13.84
'Cause usually when you
go home from the hospital,
00:16:13.87\00:16:15.94
you have something
called a plan dismissal.
00:16:15.97\00:16:17.34
Greg, you're
going home tomorrow.
00:16:17.41\00:16:18.74
So you know, they
come and get you and go.
00:16:18.77\00:16:20.18
Yep.
00:16:20.21\00:16:21.54
She said, "You were released
at 3 o'clock this afternoon."
00:16:21.58\00:16:23.65
But I've had seven dismissals,
you are the last one,
00:16:23.68\00:16:26.15
and God's timing was perfect
00:16:26.18\00:16:27.85
between three in the
afternoon and sunset,
00:16:27.88\00:16:30.69
I'd asked Christ for help.
00:16:30.72\00:16:32.05
I was dismissed.
00:16:32.09\00:16:33.42
Friday evening, Sabbath morning,
00:16:33.46\00:16:34.79
I told my wife.
00:16:34.82\00:16:36.49
I said, "I'm going
to go to my church,
00:16:36.52\00:16:38.46
and you go to your
church because my parents
00:16:38.49\00:16:41.16
were Seventh-day Adventists."
00:16:41.20\00:16:42.53
And she said, "No, I
want to go with you."
00:16:42.56\00:16:44.07
So we begin that journey.
00:16:44.10\00:16:46.00
That was in November,
00:16:46.03\00:16:47.64
the following close to November,
00:16:47.67\00:16:51.47
the pastor's wife had the
idea of making some packages
00:16:51.51\00:16:54.28
for the folk down at
the local county jail.
00:16:54.31\00:16:56.58
I said, "That
would be a great idea."
00:16:56.61\00:16:58.15
And I'd already prayed.
00:16:58.18\00:16:59.51
I resigned from my factory job
when I got out of the hospital,
00:16:59.55\00:17:02.15
I prayed and I
asked God for a job
00:17:02.18\00:17:03.72
and I got this old rusty van
and I began selling groceries
00:17:03.79\00:17:06.19
door to door the Amish people.
00:17:06.22\00:17:07.82
So now I'm selling potatoes,
and apples, and oranges,
00:17:07.86\00:17:10.03
and chips, candy,
snacks, cookies, granola bars
00:17:10.06\00:17:12.46
and so when the
pastor's wife had this idea,
00:17:12.49\00:17:14.96
I already had this idea.
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.33
Yeah, you said,
"Hey, I've got stuff."
00:17:16.36\00:17:17.70
I said great.
00:17:17.73\00:17:19.07
So every year
the grocery business
00:17:19.10\00:17:20.74
funded the prison
ministry at the local church.
00:17:20.77\00:17:25.07
So that's kind of the journey
00:17:25.11\00:17:26.44
of why it's important
to reach these people,
00:17:26.47\00:17:29.48
the songs, the
thinking of you cards,
00:17:29.51\00:17:32.05
the things that they can't get,
00:17:32.08\00:17:34.02
the peanuts was
a blessing to me,
00:17:34.05\00:17:35.48
the people that
came was a blessing to me
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.39
and so, huge blessing.
00:17:37.42\00:17:40.16
Yeah, it's incredible, go ahead.
00:17:40.19\00:17:41.62
You know, we've
had the privilege
00:17:41.66\00:17:43.63
of doing some
prison ministry together,
00:17:43.66\00:17:46.23
up at the women's
prison in Illinois here.
00:17:46.26\00:17:49.93
And I don't
think I've ever heard
00:17:49.96\00:17:53.47
all of your
testimony just as much
00:17:53.54\00:17:54.97
as you just share just now.
00:17:55.00\00:17:56.34
I've heard bits and
pieces here and there,
00:17:56.37\00:17:58.01
but to see what
God did in your life
00:17:58.04\00:18:03.68
and to know where you came from,
00:18:03.75\00:18:05.81
and feeling like you
could never be good enough,
00:18:05.85\00:18:08.02
you could never,
you're not worth anything
00:18:08.05\00:18:10.19
and just walking,
00:18:10.22\00:18:11.55
we could say
Satan's road to destruction.
00:18:11.59\00:18:14.16
And then to see
what God did in your life
00:18:14.19\00:18:16.73
and to know God
can do that for you.
00:18:16.76\00:18:19.29
God can do that for anybody.
00:18:19.33\00:18:21.93
And through
Christmas Behind Bars
00:18:21.96\00:18:24.27
and through
this prison ministry,
00:18:24.30\00:18:26.60
God brings hope
and help and healing.
00:18:26.63\00:18:29.10
That's incredible
testimony, Lemuel.
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.84
Yeah, it is.
00:18:31.87\00:18:33.21
I had a
question for you, though.
00:18:33.24\00:18:34.58
You mentioned
about your local church
00:18:34.61\00:18:36.14
to the county jail.
00:18:36.18\00:18:37.55
Was it the jail by
chance you were in?
00:18:37.58\00:18:39.68
No, it was
probably 30 miles away.
00:18:39.71\00:18:41.28
Thirty miles away, okay.
00:18:41.32\00:18:42.65
So the first year we
made 350 little packages.
00:18:42.68\00:18:44.82
Through your local church?
00:18:44.85\00:18:46.19
Yeah, through local church,
00:18:46.22\00:18:47.56
You have grocery
business funding that.
00:18:47.59\00:18:48.92
Yeah, that's really neat, yeah.
00:18:48.96\00:18:50.33
But that was one
jail the first year.
00:18:50.36\00:18:51.99
We had an extra
hundred packages that night,
00:18:52.03\00:18:54.66
because we made extra,
we didn't want to run out,
00:18:54.70\00:18:56.23
we made for 450 I think.
00:18:56.26\00:18:57.70
So on the way home that night
00:18:57.73\00:18:59.07
I stopped by our
local county jail
00:18:59.10\00:19:00.87
and I said, "How
many inmates do you have?"
00:19:00.94\00:19:02.50
I mean, this is
11 o'clock at night
00:19:02.54\00:19:04.51
they said about 100 inmates.
00:19:04.54\00:19:05.87
I said, "Good."
00:19:05.91\00:19:07.38
I said,
00:19:07.41\00:19:08.74
"No I only had 50
packages left over."
00:19:08.78\00:19:10.55
They had 100 inmates.
00:19:10.58\00:19:12.31
And I said, "Look,
can I leave these packages
00:19:12.35\00:19:14.32
and each inmate
can share a package."
00:19:14.35\00:19:16.35
And so they approved it.
00:19:16.38\00:19:17.72
So the first year it
was really two jails.
00:19:17.75\00:19:19.55
Then the next year
it was 3, 5, 10, 12, 15.
00:19:19.59\00:19:22.79
So every year it
continued to grow
00:19:22.82\00:19:24.53
up until we were
probably 3000 packages,
00:19:24.56\00:19:27.50
3000 jails every year,
00:19:27.53\00:19:29.20
it would always
finished by Christmas.
00:19:29.23\00:19:30.77
Because I thought
Christmas was the only time
00:19:30.80\00:19:32.47
the sheriff's
heart would be soft
00:19:32.50\00:19:33.84
and the only time that
he's at home at Christmas
00:19:33.87\00:19:35.50
that he would allow his inmates
to have anything special.
00:19:35.54\00:19:37.74
I thought it would
only, so it kept growing,
00:19:37.77\00:19:39.81
it went to November-December,
00:19:39.84\00:19:41.51
it went to October-November,
every year we kept backing up
00:19:41.54\00:19:43.75
and so then we'd
finished by Christmas.
00:19:43.78\00:19:45.65
And then it is all year long so.
00:19:45.68\00:19:47.02
Now it's Christmas all year.
00:19:47.05\00:19:48.38
And now you do
Christmas all year.
00:19:48.42\00:19:49.75
All year long, well,
they call it Christmas Behind,
00:19:49.78\00:19:51.39
Christmas in July, they call it
00:19:51.42\00:19:52.99
and we want to share the gospel,
00:19:53.02\00:19:54.72
you know, the birth of Christ
and the true meaning of it.
00:19:54.76\00:19:56.59
3ABN's been working
with you and your wife
00:19:56.62\00:19:58.63
and Christmas Behind
Bars for a number of years.
00:19:58.66\00:20:00.60
Lemuel, I remember
this is just kind of
00:20:00.63\00:20:01.96
going back a little bit.
00:20:02.00\00:20:03.33
I was manager of the call center
00:20:03.37\00:20:04.70
and we had some
literature and I remember you
00:20:04.73\00:20:06.84
reaching out to
3ABN and when we said,
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.84
asking if we had any literature,
00:20:09.87\00:20:11.31
and we said,
"Yeah, we've got some."
00:20:11.34\00:20:12.94
And I remember
Lemuel, you come in with,
00:20:12.97\00:20:15.28
I don't know what that
van was, what was the van?
00:20:15.31\00:20:17.68
It was a 15 passenger van...
With a luggage box on top.
00:20:17.71\00:20:21.25
And we had
several pallets, you know,
00:20:21.28\00:20:23.42
we had different
leftover pieces of literature
00:20:23.49\00:20:25.15
and stuff through
the years and he said,
00:20:25.19\00:20:27.99
"Yeah, I'll come pick it
up, it's okay, it's good.
00:20:28.02\00:20:30.03
I'll meet you
such and such a time,
00:20:30.06\00:20:31.39
that's wonderful.
00:20:31.43\00:20:32.76
So he shows up in
his van, I didn't know
00:20:32.79\00:20:34.13
what he was bringing, I
had quite a bit and Lemuel.
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.87
He's so optimistic.
00:20:36.90\00:20:38.23
He's just like, "Oh, yeah,
let's just put it in here."
00:20:38.27\00:20:39.60
I said, "Okay."
00:20:39.63\00:20:40.97
And the van's like
this and as we loaded,
00:20:41.00\00:20:42.50
it's like this and like this.
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.47
Do you remember that,
Lemuel? Yeah, sure do.
00:20:44.51\00:20:46.61
And he left 3ABN, I don't
know, you couldn't have fit any,
00:20:46.68\00:20:50.18
I don't think
another piece of paper,
00:20:50.25\00:20:51.58
that's probably
exaggerating in there
00:20:51.61\00:20:52.95
but that van was
loaded with literature.
00:20:52.98\00:20:55.48
Tell us why literature
00:20:55.52\00:20:56.89
'cause we talked
about the snacks and stuff,
00:20:56.92\00:20:58.35
literature,
Bible truth literature
00:20:58.39\00:21:00.26
is very important to
Christmas Behind Bars as well.
00:21:00.29\00:21:03.83
Amen, because one of those books
00:21:03.86\00:21:05.19
could be read and
reread and we appreciated
00:21:05.23\00:21:07.80
3ABN's donation for that
and you continued to help.
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.30
Yes.
00:21:10.37\00:21:11.70
You know, the snacks
are going to be gone,
00:21:11.73\00:21:13.07
the love remains
but now there's material
00:21:13.10\00:21:15.14
that they can pick up and read.
00:21:15.17\00:21:16.64
They have time to read
00:21:16.71\00:21:18.04
and so we put a
multitude of books
00:21:18.07\00:21:20.68
whether it's Great
Controversy, Desire of Ages,
00:21:20.71\00:21:22.58
Ten Commandments Twice
Removed and so the books
00:21:22.61\00:21:25.28
that you donated went
00:21:25.31\00:21:28.05
to many different
jails and prisons.
00:21:28.08\00:21:30.99
You went down the road
and how far do you make it?
00:21:31.02\00:21:33.39
I probably made it
00:21:33.46\00:21:34.79
to the first rest area from 3ABN
00:21:34.82\00:21:36.83
and I stopped
and checked the tires
00:21:36.86\00:21:38.19
'cause they looked really low.
00:21:38.23\00:21:39.56
I felt them and
they were really hot
00:21:39.59\00:21:41.06
and so I called the
tire place back home
00:21:41.10\00:21:42.73
and I said if I put
more air in these tires,
00:21:42.76\00:21:44.57
I said does that make it better?
00:21:44.60\00:21:45.93
They said no. It's gonna blow.
00:21:45.97\00:21:48.10
They said, so I
went all the way home
00:21:48.14\00:21:50.11
unloaded those
books and ironically...
00:21:50.14\00:21:52.11
Did the tires
blow on the way home?
00:21:52.14\00:21:53.48
No, made it home,
went to the church,
00:21:53.51\00:21:55.31
unloaded them, come
back, got another load
00:21:55.34\00:21:58.75
and I think I probably
got about three or four van
00:21:58.78\00:22:00.62
loads of books from 3ABN
that went to jails and prisons.
00:22:00.65\00:22:03.99
Daniel and Revelations
was one of the books.
00:22:04.02\00:22:06.32
So...
00:22:06.35\00:22:07.69
And that, I
believe is we're trying
00:22:07.72\00:22:09.06
to calculate the time.
00:22:09.09\00:22:10.43
I think it was in the mid-2000s,
00:22:10.46\00:22:12.03
early 2000s when you came
to 3ABN and picked that up.
00:22:12.06\00:22:15.60
And I think about that
old van and I think about now
00:22:15.63\00:22:18.23
'cause this is also an
update on Christmas Behind Bars
00:22:18.27\00:22:21.00
and what God is
continuing to do.
00:22:21.04\00:22:22.57
Amen.
00:22:22.60\00:22:23.94
The Lord has blessed
you with some bigger trucks.
00:22:24.01\00:22:26.98
Tell us about that
one truck I think you said
00:22:27.01\00:22:28.94
and it was a great
story about where you said no
00:22:28.98\00:22:32.38
and then you said yes.
00:22:32.41\00:22:33.75
Yeah, Christmas, we
always dealt with the vans
00:22:33.82\00:22:36.62
and the van was actually
00:22:36.69\00:22:38.05
a piece of
equipment that we use.
00:22:38.09\00:22:39.52
We sold groceries
to the Amish community
00:22:39.55\00:22:41.96
during school time
00:22:41.99\00:22:43.32
and the summertime we
take Amish people on tours.
00:22:43.36\00:22:45.86
So we had the 15 passenger van
00:22:45.89\00:22:47.43
so then we
started pulling trailers,
00:22:47.50\00:22:49.20
filling them with
packages and goods
00:22:49.23\00:22:51.00
and I drive around
parking lots and look,
00:22:51.03\00:22:53.77
I said we need a truck,
my wife and I would look at,
00:22:53.84\00:22:55.64
so why are we even
looking at parking lots.
00:22:55.67\00:22:57.11
We don't even have
any money to buy a truck
00:22:57.14\00:22:59.84
so we stopped
one day to get fuel
00:22:59.87\00:23:02.21
and there was an empty
truck sitting in this lot.
00:23:02.24\00:23:04.25
This guy said, "Yeah, you
can use that on Wednesday."
00:23:04.28\00:23:06.01
So I'm using their
truck on Wednesdays,
00:23:06.05\00:23:08.05
the guy asked me said,
"Are you paying for the fuel
00:23:08.08\00:23:09.75
or am I paying for the fuel?"
00:23:09.78\00:23:11.12
I said, "I don't
know, you fill it up."
00:23:11.15\00:23:12.49
And then, so they
paid for the fuel,
00:23:12.52\00:23:14.62
they gave us the
truck on Wednesday
00:23:14.66\00:23:16.46
and so I always had to
have it back by 5 o'clock.
00:23:16.49\00:23:19.23
Somebody said they
had a truck, they donate.
00:23:19.26\00:23:21.90
So I took it the
mechanic and they said, "No,
00:23:21.93\00:23:23.57
it has over 500,000 miles.
00:23:23.60\00:23:24.93
It's got a lot of blow by
and this trucks gonna cost you
00:23:24.97\00:23:27.14
a lot of money and you
don't want this truck."
00:23:27.17\00:23:29.17
So I told the guy
00:23:29.20\00:23:30.54
that wanted to
give us his truck.
00:23:30.61\00:23:31.94
I said, "No, we
better pass on that."
00:23:31.97\00:23:33.38
I said it's
pretty rough, you know
00:23:33.41\00:23:35.81
and then one day I was
using this borrowed truck
00:23:35.84\00:23:37.88
had to have it back by 5 o'clock
00:23:37.91\00:23:39.48
and I'm thinking,
here I am, hurrying,
00:23:39.51\00:23:41.82
and this guy's got this
truck and I called and said,
00:23:41.85\00:23:43.42
"That would be a great truck."
00:23:43.49\00:23:45.12
And that truck
is running, running,
00:23:45.15\00:23:46.55
it probably has
almost 600,000 miles on it.
00:23:46.59\00:23:48.19
Oh really?
00:23:48.22\00:23:49.56
The International
dealership cannot believe,
00:23:49.59\00:23:51.36
it's never been overhauled.
00:23:51.39\00:23:52.73
So it still has some blow-by.
00:23:52.76\00:23:54.10
It still has blow-by
00:23:54.13\00:23:55.46
but it keeps
running and running.
00:23:55.50\00:23:56.87
So praise the
Lord. So God is good.
00:23:56.90\00:23:58.87
So yeah, we have trucks
00:23:58.90\00:24:00.57
and we have some semi
trucks even and trailers.
00:24:00.64\00:24:04.64
But the ministry
is continued to grow
00:24:04.67\00:24:06.51
for the last 20 years.
00:24:06.54\00:24:08.11
It started in a
little church room.
00:24:08.14\00:24:09.68
It started with 350
packages, then five jail,
00:24:09.71\00:24:12.88
every year one
prison, two prison and now
00:24:12.91\00:24:16.15
it's not just
Indiana, it's not Illinois,
00:24:16.18\00:24:18.19
it's not just Arkansas,
it's not Alabama, Minnesota,
00:24:18.22\00:24:21.32
but it continues to
grow across the country.
00:24:21.36\00:24:24.13
Two ways it grows.
People take the idea.
00:24:24.16\00:24:27.00
They do it in their own area,
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.40
but the hub of
Christmas Behind Bars
00:24:28.43\00:24:30.40
is in Indiana and
we need help to package
00:24:30.47\00:24:35.54
with the packages together.
00:24:35.57\00:24:37.14
We have a lot of supporters,
Amish Mennonite people,
00:24:37.21\00:24:39.67
but our warehouse is too
small to put packages together
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.11
where we're at.
00:24:42.14\00:24:43.48
So we need help
00:24:43.55\00:24:44.88
as the ministry
continues to grow.
00:24:44.91\00:24:46.48
You've been using a warehouse
00:24:46.51\00:24:47.88
and you've been
renting a warehouse recently,
00:24:47.92\00:24:50.19
but the Lord is
opening up some opportunities
00:24:50.22\00:24:52.45
maybe to purchase.
00:24:52.49\00:24:54.26
Purchase a warehouse,
00:24:54.29\00:24:55.69
we moved from the
church to a warehouse,
00:24:55.72\00:24:58.03
small garage
area type warehouse.
00:24:58.06\00:25:00.30
That bit, that was sold
00:25:00.33\00:25:02.40
and then we moved
to another warehouse,
00:25:02.43\00:25:05.20
which was for sale
for quite a few years.
00:25:05.23\00:25:07.54
They let us use it,
00:25:07.57\00:25:08.90
they didn't
charged us to use it.
00:25:08.94\00:25:10.27
That property sold two years ago
00:25:10.31\00:25:13.01
so we had to find a warehouse.
00:25:13.04\00:25:14.58
So now we've leased one,
00:25:14.61\00:25:16.38
the Amish people have
come to help fix it up.
00:25:16.41\00:25:18.38
So it's fixed
up and ready to go.
00:25:18.41\00:25:20.02
We've leased it
for one full year.
00:25:20.05\00:25:22.65
Now we just, we told him,
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.35
Mack, actually we will
get our lease money back
00:25:24.39\00:25:26.52
for this year if the
purchase of the property goes,
00:25:26.55\00:25:29.09
so the guy said, "Hey,
I'll give you your money back
00:25:29.12\00:25:30.46
for this year's rent."
00:25:30.53\00:25:31.86
So there is a
warehouse available
00:25:31.89\00:25:33.23
and we need some help.
00:25:33.26\00:25:34.60
Amen. And that's what we need.
00:25:34.63\00:25:35.96
That's what we're
asking you today too is that
00:25:36.00\00:25:38.57
and Lemuel is gonna be
showing us some video too,
00:25:38.60\00:25:40.97
is that there's a real
need you have right here
00:25:41.00\00:25:42.87
because this
warehouse is not just
00:25:42.90\00:25:44.24
where you store stuff.
00:25:44.31\00:25:46.47
This is you use
it for many things
00:25:46.51\00:25:47.84
so explain how you use
the warehouse currently
00:25:47.88\00:25:49.61
and what your plans are?
00:25:49.64\00:25:50.98
There's a lot of
product that comes in,
00:25:51.01\00:25:52.35
we will get pretzels in
bulk and then we'll have
00:25:52.38\00:25:54.22
30, 40, 50 people
come to the warehouse
00:25:54.25\00:25:56.38
and we'll take and make
one pound packages of pretzels
00:25:56.42\00:25:58.82
and so we re-package
stuff there at the warehouse
00:25:58.85\00:26:01.52
and then we put the
bags together there.
00:26:01.56\00:26:03.19
And so it's a great
blessing to get people to come
00:26:03.22\00:26:05.56
and the Indiana
Academy students come
00:26:05.59\00:26:07.93
to the warehouse and help out.
00:26:07.96\00:26:09.60
I think we should actually start
00:26:09.63\00:26:10.97
showing some of
that video that we have.
00:26:11.00\00:26:12.33
And you can actually talk about
what we're seeing right now
00:26:12.37\00:26:13.94
because this is really
an incredible opportunity
00:26:13.97\00:26:16.04
for Christmas Behind bars.
00:26:16.07\00:26:17.41
Okay, so this is
one of your trucks.
00:26:17.44\00:26:19.54
So that's not the greeneries,
these are the buildings.
00:26:19.57\00:26:20.91
Oh, here's the warehouse. Yep.
00:26:20.98\00:26:22.31
This is the warehouse
here. The semis in the dock.
00:26:22.34\00:26:24.55
It's full of pretzels
that need to be re-bagged.
00:26:24.58\00:26:27.55
This is inside the
warehouse. Very nice.
00:26:27.62\00:26:29.58
Volunteers come, we
don't have enough room.
00:26:29.62\00:26:33.02
They were sorting product there.
00:26:33.05\00:26:34.86
The man there,
the black gentleman,
00:26:34.89\00:26:36.83
he was actually in
prison, got a package.
00:26:36.86\00:26:39.73
Donald Hatton was in
prison, he got a package.
00:26:39.76\00:26:42.33
So we get product in, we
have to sort out product,
00:26:42.36\00:26:45.00
make sure it
doesn't have anything
00:26:45.03\00:26:46.37
that the jail or
prison won't approve.
00:26:46.40\00:26:48.77
So this is a warehouse
00:26:48.80\00:26:50.14
and it's
actually full of product
00:26:50.21\00:26:51.61
but we have a
warehouse connected to it.
00:26:51.64\00:26:54.41
That was the other building
00:26:54.44\00:26:55.78
that we saw from the air, right?
00:26:55.81\00:26:57.15
Yes, that we
would be able to sort,
00:26:57.18\00:26:58.51
we'd be able to sort product in.
00:26:58.55\00:26:59.88
So right now you've leased
just one of these warehouses?
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.15
Yes, this is the only spot
that we have available to us.
00:27:02.18\00:27:05.29
Square footage?
00:27:05.32\00:27:06.65
Probably about 7000 square feet.
00:27:06.69\00:27:08.02
Right here that
we're looking at?
00:27:08.06\00:27:09.39
Yes, that's correct.
00:27:09.42\00:27:10.76
Well, you use every
little bit of space in there?
00:27:10.83\00:27:12.16
We sure do. We sure do. We
don't have no office space.
00:27:12.19\00:27:14.63
I mean we just
use, if you call me,
00:27:14.66\00:27:16.87
I'm probably on a fork
truck or driving a semi.
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.80
Donald actually got a package
00:27:18.83\00:27:20.24
so it's one of
the first packages
00:27:20.27\00:27:21.94
from Marion
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:27:21.97\00:27:23.74
Oh, really.
00:27:23.81\00:27:25.14
Yep, the first packages we made.
00:27:25.17\00:27:26.51
And here he is helping?
00:27:26.54\00:27:27.88
Yep, insulated garage
doors, stuff comes in.
00:27:27.91\00:27:30.58
Has a dock?
Well, it has two docks.
00:27:30.65\00:27:32.65
And so, we're able to
actually unload with fork trucks
00:27:32.68\00:27:35.35
as to where we never
were able to do that before.
00:27:35.38\00:27:37.92
It all had to be done by hand.
00:27:37.95\00:27:40.06
So this is one of Christmas
Behind Bars' fork trucks.
00:27:40.09\00:27:43.36
Yep.
00:27:43.43\00:27:44.76
I think Lemuel,
how God has blessed
00:27:44.79\00:27:46.13
They were
donated, that's for sure.
00:27:46.16\00:27:47.90
I remember calling
my wife the first time
00:27:47.93\00:27:49.46
we had a fork truck
and I said, "Come look."
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.37
I said, "We can
actually pull a pallet
00:27:51.40\00:27:53.03
to the back with a
chain and we can lift it off."
00:27:53.07\00:27:55.70
And so now here we're
able to drive on and off.
00:27:55.74\00:28:00.88
Oh, this is
packing the pretzels.
00:28:00.91\00:28:02.24
Yeah. Yeah.
00:28:02.28\00:28:03.61
And all this is getting
ready is to make packets.
00:28:03.65\00:28:04.98
Yep, that's correct.
00:28:05.01\00:28:06.35
We have to do all
that preparatory work.
00:28:06.38\00:28:08.28
Now tell us about the Bibles?
00:28:08.32\00:28:09.98
The Bibles, we just sent
out 35 study Bibles yesterday,
00:28:10.02\00:28:13.22
inmates request study
Bibles, and so we can use new
00:28:13.25\00:28:16.52
or used Bibles.
00:28:16.56\00:28:17.89
They can send them to us.
00:28:17.93\00:28:19.26
A used Bible it's
highlighted, it's underlined.
00:28:19.29\00:28:21.70
These are homemade
thinking of you cards,
00:28:21.73\00:28:23.30
that children have made,
books, we need devotional books.
00:28:23.37\00:28:27.44
Remnant Publication has given us
00:28:27.47\00:28:29.04
great pricing on books.
00:28:29.07\00:28:30.41
There's all the 3ABN books.
00:28:30.44\00:28:31.77
If they'd like
to help with that.
00:28:31.81\00:28:33.14
So we need
books, we need Bibles,
00:28:33.17\00:28:35.04
we need literature but
we need a place to go home
00:28:35.08\00:28:38.38
for Christmas Behind Bars.
00:28:38.41\00:28:39.75
We moved for the
last X number of years.
00:28:39.78\00:28:42.32
We moved from
one place to another,
00:28:42.35\00:28:43.92
this has been fixed
up, the Amish people
00:28:43.99\00:28:45.72
have donated
concrete and efforts.
00:28:45.75\00:28:47.46
That's not the truck
that had 600,000 miles, is it?
00:28:47.49\00:28:49.36
No, no. Okay,
yeah, just beautiful.
00:28:49.39\00:28:53.03
Yeah.
00:28:53.06\00:28:54.40
So what, okay, so
give us a little more
00:28:54.43\00:28:55.76
'cause there's gonna
be some people at home
00:28:55.80\00:28:57.17
like okay, this is great.
00:28:57.20\00:28:58.53
I want to donate.
00:28:58.57\00:28:59.90
Others have a
few more questions.
00:28:59.93\00:29:01.27
Okay. So you've
got one building.
00:29:01.30\00:29:02.64
There's one
building we're leasing.
00:29:02.67\00:29:04.01
Okay, but what we're
looking at purchasing here?
00:29:04.04\00:29:05.77
3.7 acres. 3.7 acres.
00:29:05.81\00:29:07.94
There's three
buildings, one would be
00:29:07.98\00:29:09.84
for a mechanical shop
00:29:09.88\00:29:11.21
and they'll be
able to drive trucks in,
00:29:11.25\00:29:12.58
the other would for packaging.
00:29:12.61\00:29:14.15
So we'd have
about 15,000 square feet
00:29:14.22\00:29:17.19
of usable space.
00:29:17.22\00:29:18.55
And right now you're
currently just leasing one.
00:29:18.59\00:29:20.56
Yeah, about 7000 square feet.
00:29:20.59\00:29:21.99
It is air conditioned,
insulated, and heated.
00:29:22.02\00:29:24.39
So that way we keep the product
00:29:24.43\00:29:26.53
'cause when you get product,
00:29:26.56\00:29:27.90
close dated
product at a good price,
00:29:27.93\00:29:29.63
you want to keep it
so it's all fixed up
00:29:29.66\00:29:31.63
and ready to go.
00:29:31.67\00:29:33.00
Yeah, yeah, I mean,
what a fantastic opportunity
00:29:33.03\00:29:35.44
and the nice thing is that
you're already located there.
00:29:35.47\00:29:37.74
It's not like, okay, we
found a piece of property
00:29:37.77\00:29:40.18
but it's another state
away or it's 300 miles away.
00:29:40.21\00:29:44.05
It's right where
you're currently located
00:29:44.08\00:29:45.41
and it's come for sale.
00:29:45.45\00:29:47.12
So what it's been at,
what has it been appraised
00:29:47.15\00:29:49.88
at that whole 3
point some acres.
00:29:49.92\00:29:51.65
285,000. Okay.
00:29:51.69\00:29:53.25
Oh, yeah 285,000 and
so it's durable to build,
00:29:53.29\00:29:58.06
what we want would
probably be 500,000.
00:29:58.09\00:30:00.50
That's what
they're asking. Oh, yeah.
00:30:00.53\00:30:01.86
Plus you need the property,
plus you need the driveway,
00:30:01.90\00:30:03.97
plus you need so
this is already functional
00:30:04.00\00:30:06.37
and it's been
home for us, it's cozy.
00:30:06.40\00:30:09.07
Tell us about the location
00:30:09.10\00:30:10.44
'cause someone's
asking about that,
00:30:10.51\00:30:11.84
so is this in the sticks?
00:30:11.87\00:30:13.21
Oh, it's out in the country,
it's probably seven miles
00:30:13.24\00:30:15.51
from our community, Bluffton.
00:30:15.54\00:30:17.55
It's probably three
miles from an interstate
00:30:17.58\00:30:19.48
so when we get on
the highway or whatever,
00:30:19.51\00:30:21.68
and it is right on a main road,
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.22
we're about a
quarter mile off main road.
00:30:23.25\00:30:25.92
So it's a real blessing.
00:30:25.95\00:30:27.59
And what a blessing to
be able to have facility
00:30:27.66\00:30:30.03
to be able to have volunteers
come in and assist as well.
00:30:30.06\00:30:32.89
We have lots of
Amish Mennonite people.
00:30:32.93\00:30:36.20
Lots of people come
to make the packages.
00:30:36.23\00:30:38.00
You guys have helped with
bagging's right here at the...
00:30:38.03\00:30:39.90
Oh, yeah, we have.
00:30:39.93\00:30:41.27
We set up a whole assembly line
00:30:41.30\00:30:42.64
at our Thompsonville
Christian School at the gym.
00:30:42.67\00:30:44.14
And in the studio.
00:30:44.21\00:30:45.54
And in the studio
and we did a whole,
00:30:45.57\00:30:46.91
we did a program on that
00:30:46.94\00:30:48.28
and maybe you
caught that program
00:30:48.31\00:30:49.84
where we did the assembly
line and helped to package
00:30:49.88\00:30:52.25
and put those together.
00:30:52.28\00:30:53.62
I just had a lady call
me from the Chattanooga area
00:30:53.65\00:30:56.32
and they want to do
a bagging in their area
00:30:56.35\00:30:59.65
because what they saw here,
so we're looking at bagging
00:30:59.69\00:31:02.36
$4000 or $5000 in that area.
00:31:02.39\00:31:04.23
And I don't know,
00:31:04.26\00:31:05.59
if you're
catching the vision here
00:31:05.63\00:31:06.96
so what actually
and you can correct me
00:31:07.00\00:31:08.33
if I'm wrong on this,
but this is where, okay,
00:31:08.36\00:31:09.70
the warehouse is so critical,
00:31:09.73\00:31:11.07
so they get product is donated,
he needs a place to store it.
00:31:11.10\00:31:14.80
But not only that,
they also pack bags
00:31:14.84\00:31:18.07
for the prison
ministry, you know,
00:31:18.11\00:31:19.61
different prisons, jails,
in multiple different states
00:31:19.64\00:31:23.35
and that's where that's
done is they make packets there.
00:31:23.38\00:31:26.01
They've got to
load it into a truck.
00:31:26.05\00:31:28.12
That truck usually
driven by you, right?
00:31:28.15\00:31:30.92
He does everything, not
only is he the president
00:31:30.99\00:31:32.72
but he does
everything as you saw him
00:31:32.75\00:31:34.39
cleaning the
mirrors and all that,
00:31:34.42\00:31:35.76
that's Lemuel gets in there
00:31:35.79\00:31:37.13
and does
whatever needs to be done.
00:31:37.16\00:31:38.76
So okay, so then
they take the truck
00:31:38.79\00:31:40.83
and you'll drive
to a prison or jail
00:31:40.90\00:31:42.80
and you help
load, you help unload.
00:31:42.83\00:31:44.77
That's correct.
00:31:44.80\00:31:46.13
He speaks too, if
you get the opportunity
00:31:46.17\00:31:47.64
to go in jail with him or prison
00:31:47.67\00:31:49.34
to hear him
minister it's phenomenal,
00:31:49.37\00:31:52.24
but that's where this
warehouse is so beautiful,
00:31:52.27\00:31:53.98
because storage, a
good area to spread out.
00:31:54.01\00:31:58.25
Pack everything,
have it better organized,
00:31:58.28\00:32:00.95
load it right into the truck
00:32:00.98\00:32:02.75
and take off to the
next jail or prison.
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.59
Yeah, just
phenomenal opportunity.
00:32:04.62\00:32:06.19
And this is 12
months out of the year.
00:32:06.22\00:32:07.56
That is correct.
00:32:07.59\00:32:08.92
We're not talking just December
or just November, December,
00:32:08.96\00:32:11.26
as you said, or
October, November, December.
00:32:11.29\00:32:13.63
We're looking at
12 months of the year,
00:32:13.70\00:32:16.00
this full time
ministry takes place
00:32:16.03\00:32:18.73
and with volunteers,
00:32:18.77\00:32:20.34
but we need your help,
3ABN stands with the ministry
00:32:20.37\00:32:24.34
of Christmas Behind Bars.
00:32:24.37\00:32:26.14
We believe in
what God is doing in
00:32:26.17\00:32:28.84
and through Lemuel and Donna,
00:32:28.88\00:32:30.65
and each member
of the team who come
00:32:30.68\00:32:32.58
and the volunteers who come.
00:32:32.61\00:32:34.32
So at the end of this program,
00:32:34.35\00:32:36.05
we're gonna put up
contact information
00:32:36.08\00:32:38.25
for Christmas Behind Bars.
00:32:38.29\00:32:40.06
We want to encourage you
to just pray and say God,
00:32:40.09\00:32:42.29
what would you have me
do to support this ministry,
00:32:42.32\00:32:46.09
to help them get the warehouse
00:32:46.13\00:32:48.16
and the needs
that they have here
00:32:48.20\00:32:49.66
because that's an
incredible opportunity.
00:32:49.70\00:32:52.30
You know, what's phenomenal
about Christmas Behind Bars
00:32:52.33\00:32:54.50
is every inmate
receives the package.
00:32:54.54\00:32:56.40
Yes.
00:32:56.44\00:32:57.77
So whether they're
Muslim, atheist, Hindu,
00:32:57.81\00:33:00.28
whatever
Christian, non-Christian,
00:33:00.31\00:33:02.11
so when you think of a
prison of having 2000 inmates,
00:33:02.14\00:33:05.05
you're putting a Desire of Ages,
00:33:05.08\00:33:06.51
a Great
Controversy, a Steps to Christ,
00:33:06.55\00:33:08.62
Amazing Facts Bible study,
00:33:08.65\00:33:10.22
in every bag along
with some necessities.
00:33:10.29\00:33:13.59
Talk to us a moment
about some of the speaking
00:33:13.66\00:33:17.03
that takes place and
the worship services?
00:33:17.06\00:33:19.36
I know you don't do it
at every facility you go to,
00:33:19.39\00:33:21.63
but some of them
00:33:21.66\00:33:23.00
don't just
receive a care package,
00:33:23.03\00:33:24.73
you actually go
in or bring a team in
00:33:24.77\00:33:27.14
and have a service.
00:33:27.17\00:33:28.50
So talk to us about
what that looks like?
00:33:28.54\00:33:30.84
Westville Correctional Facility,
00:33:30.91\00:33:32.24
3500 inmates, the prison's
divided into three groups,
00:33:32.27\00:33:35.11
a 1000, 1000, 1000, they
have three recreation areas.
00:33:35.14\00:33:38.05
We show up at 3
o'clock in the morning.
00:33:38.08\00:33:39.78
We unload 3500 packages,
00:33:39.81\00:33:41.82
a whole semi
tractor trailer full,
00:33:41.85\00:33:43.62
we unload them, they go
a 1000, 1200 in this gym,
00:33:43.69\00:33:46.45
1000, 1200 and so then
we go and we have services.
00:33:46.49\00:33:49.49
They bring the
population out in groups
00:33:49.52\00:33:51.56
of 2, 3, 400 at a time,
depending on the facility
00:33:51.59\00:33:55.66
and then we have an
hour, we have an hour,
00:33:55.70\00:33:57.77
an hour to sing a few songs
00:33:57.80\00:33:59.13
as they're coming in,
10 minutes to share hope,
00:33:59.17\00:34:01.47
five minutes of a scripture
somehow to connect with them
00:34:01.50\00:34:04.64
that we've been where you is.
00:34:04.67\00:34:06.21
And we know you
don't want to be here.
00:34:06.24\00:34:07.91
And by God's grace, your
life can become different
00:34:07.94\00:34:10.78
and we just want to
leave with them the hope
00:34:10.85\00:34:12.41
to try one more time,
00:34:12.45\00:34:13.82
because 35 years of
failure in that hospital,
00:34:13.85\00:34:15.88
in Charter Beacon Hospital,
had that pastor not come,
00:34:15.92\00:34:18.32
had he not prayed,
00:34:18.35\00:34:19.69
had God not met
me through a sunset,
00:34:19.72\00:34:21.22
had I not been
willing to try one more time,
00:34:21.26\00:34:23.43
I would have
went back to prison,
00:34:23.46\00:34:24.79
I was suicidal,
or I was gonna die.
00:34:24.83\00:34:26.46
And so we just want to
encourage those people to try.
00:34:26.49\00:34:30.10
We want to direct them to Christ
00:34:30.17\00:34:31.60
in the best way we can.
00:34:31.63\00:34:32.97
So that's what it's about.
00:34:33.00\00:34:34.34
So sometimes in the county jail,
00:34:34.37\00:34:35.70
we have 15 minutes with them,
00:34:35.74\00:34:37.11
you walk into a pod,
there's 20-30 people there.
00:34:37.14\00:34:39.01
What do you say to them?
00:34:39.04\00:34:40.48
We have people come
in and we say, well,
00:34:40.51\00:34:42.04
we don't know what to say.
00:34:42.08\00:34:43.45
Well, tell them what
Jesus has done for you.
00:34:43.48\00:34:44.81
Amen.
00:34:44.85\00:34:46.18
Tell them that how your
life began to be encouraged
00:34:46.21\00:34:47.75
and so we want to
tell them what faith is,
00:34:47.78\00:34:50.19
we want to tell them that
00:34:50.22\00:34:51.55
maybe you can see a
spot of sun ray on the floor,
00:34:51.59\00:34:55.42
you can't see the sun
00:34:55.46\00:34:56.83
but you can see
the reflection of it,
00:34:56.86\00:34:58.26
so we pray they can see
the reflection of Christ
00:34:58.29\00:35:00.93
and that they'd
be willing to try.
00:35:00.96\00:35:02.53
That's what
Christmas Behind Bars is.
00:35:02.56\00:35:03.90
That's beautiful.
00:35:03.97\00:35:05.30
I know I was even touched
and this isn't being crude
00:35:05.33\00:35:06.84
but you were there
I remember in the...
00:35:06.87\00:35:08.97
You're talking
the one through Logan.
00:35:09.00\00:35:10.51
Yeah, correctional facility.
00:35:10.54\00:35:11.87
Yeah, in Illinois and Jill and I
00:35:11.91\00:35:13.88
and several others
had the opportunity to be
00:35:13.91\00:35:15.24
in there with you.
00:35:15.28\00:35:16.61
And you were there
was like several layers
00:35:16.64\00:35:18.65
I know different
floors but you can see down
00:35:18.68\00:35:21.25
and you stood up
on that second floor
00:35:21.28\00:35:23.59
talking down to the people
that were in the cells below
00:35:23.62\00:35:26.35
and those that are
on the same level as you
00:35:26.39\00:35:27.89
and you had a
roll of toilet paper.
00:35:27.92\00:35:30.03
Not being crude,
but you take the things
00:35:30.06\00:35:32.36
and explain how you
would use that and, you know,
00:35:32.39\00:35:34.23
you found toilet paper there
in the jail that prison Yeah.
00:35:34.30\00:35:37.90
And you gave a
powerful lesson about that.
00:35:37.93\00:35:39.60
Well, see they can lock us up,
00:35:39.63\00:35:41.00
they can put us in prison
to try to change our behavior
00:35:41.04\00:35:43.24
on the outside but you know,
00:35:43.27\00:35:44.61
they can put you in
solitary confinement,
00:35:44.64\00:35:46.14
which I was put in
solitary confinement
00:35:46.17\00:35:47.71
when I was in prison.
00:35:47.74\00:35:49.08
They'll strip you
naked, put you in a cell,
00:35:49.11\00:35:50.45
give you one blanket,
00:35:50.48\00:35:51.81
a roll of toilet
paper and that's it.
00:35:51.85\00:35:53.18
Can they make
you use toilet paper?
00:35:53.21\00:35:54.55
Nope.
00:35:54.58\00:35:55.92
The hardest,
biggest, no, they can't do.
00:35:55.95\00:35:57.29
No, you're absolutely right.
00:35:57.32\00:35:58.65
But you know, I bet that
99.9% of you choose to use that.
00:35:58.69\00:36:01.16
Why? Why do you
choose to use that?
00:36:01.19\00:36:03.73
Because it cleans up
messy external situations.
00:36:03.76\00:36:06.80
With Christ, if
you'll just open your heart
00:36:06.83\00:36:09.53
and allow him to come
in, that's where the change,
00:36:09.56\00:36:12.40
because what's gonna happen
is the external unmanageability
00:36:12.43\00:36:15.84
is going to come into conformity
00:36:15.87\00:36:17.61
with what's
going on in the heart.
00:36:17.64\00:36:19.17
So if they'd be willing to try
00:36:19.21\00:36:20.58
and realize that all their life,
00:36:20.61\00:36:21.94
they haven't been a failure,
they have never realized
00:36:21.98\00:36:23.98
that there's hope for their life
00:36:24.05\00:36:25.38
and so just
simple analogies I mean,
00:36:25.41\00:36:27.78
if you take like a...
00:36:27.82\00:36:29.65
I brought this
with me this morning.
00:36:29.68\00:36:31.19
I have $100 bill here.
00:36:31.22\00:36:32.55
In the prisons, you
can only use 10 or 20's
00:36:32.59\00:36:34.32
and you ask the
inmates, you say,
00:36:34.36\00:36:35.69
"How many of you
would want this?"
00:36:35.72\00:36:37.06
Well, they raise their hand.
00:36:37.13\00:36:38.46
And then you
crumple it all up and say,
00:36:38.49\00:36:40.10
"Well, how many of
you still want it?"
00:36:40.13\00:36:41.53
They still raise their hand
and you throw it on the ground
00:36:41.56\00:36:43.47
and you step on it?
00:36:43.50\00:36:44.83
How many of you
still want it? Why?
00:36:44.87\00:36:46.60
Because it's
worth something. Amen.
00:36:46.63\00:36:49.54
That's how it is with Christ.
00:36:49.57\00:36:50.91
In the beginning, God created
the heaven and the earth.
00:36:50.94\00:36:52.94
We were created in God's image.
00:36:52.97\00:36:54.78
So we want to let them know
that their DNA is mapped back
00:36:54.81\00:36:57.25
to the beginning of
time that even though sin
00:36:57.28\00:36:59.45
entered in the life,
we're born with a handicap,
00:36:59.48\00:37:01.68
it's not called drug
addiction or alcoholism.
00:37:01.72\00:37:03.69
We're born with a
handicap and it's called sin.
00:37:03.72\00:37:06.12
And if they can
just realize that
00:37:06.15\00:37:08.09
and invite Christ in that
their value is still the same
00:37:08.12\00:37:12.93
even more so because Jesus died
00:37:12.96\00:37:15.00
on the cross of
Calvary to buy us back.
00:37:15.03\00:37:17.60
So if we can just
let them know to try
00:37:17.63\00:37:19.27
so that's what
Christmas Behind Bars is.
00:37:19.30\00:37:21.64
It's not about I
think 30, 40, 50,000 people
00:37:21.67\00:37:24.94
were served last year.
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.31
It's not about Minnesota
needs 5000 packages this year.
00:37:26.34\00:37:29.74
North Dakota last year
called for the first time
00:37:29.78\00:37:32.18
they're doing, they
want 1000 packages there,
00:37:32.21\00:37:35.15
South Dakota needs
a 1000, 2000 packages.
00:37:35.18\00:37:37.85
The Alabama is
waiting on 7000 packages.
00:37:37.89\00:37:40.56
You know, the Logan
Correctional Facility
00:37:40.59\00:37:42.72
we need 3500 packages,
00:37:42.76\00:37:44.83
this 2000
packages I think Logan,
00:37:44.86\00:37:47.40
the Statesville
Correctional Facility
00:37:47.43\00:37:48.80
here in Joliet,
Illinois 3600 inmates.
00:37:48.83\00:37:51.70
Why are we at Statesville?
00:37:51.73\00:37:53.44
Because one of your
viewers saw a program
00:37:53.47\00:37:55.67
and said we
would like to reach out
00:37:55.70\00:37:57.21
and their church is
raising funds to sponsor
00:37:57.24\00:37:59.47
the Statesville
Correction Facility
00:37:59.51\00:38:00.88
which will be
delivered in a couple weeks.
00:38:00.91\00:38:02.81
So churches can sponsor
this in their local area?
00:38:02.84\00:38:04.45
They can sponsor, they can help,
00:38:04.48\00:38:06.28
or we can come there
and get them involved.
00:38:06.31\00:38:08.12
They can make
thinking of you cards,
00:38:08.15\00:38:09.48
they can help collect
Bibles and send Bibles.
00:38:09.52\00:38:11.69
So there's a multitude of ways
that people can be involved.
00:38:11.72\00:38:14.92
God has brought this platform
00:38:14.96\00:38:16.66
that many people can be involved
00:38:16.73\00:38:18.36
in active missionary service.
00:38:18.39\00:38:20.20
But we need a hub,
we need a foundation,
00:38:20.23\00:38:22.53
we need a warehouse that
we can continue to put stuff
00:38:22.56\00:38:24.67
and grow out of there
to help other ministries.
00:38:24.70\00:38:27.70
You know, and
this is what we've seen
00:38:27.74\00:38:29.07
time and time again,
00:38:29.10\00:38:30.44
Lemuel, is that the
viewers and listeners at 3ABN,
00:38:30.51\00:38:32.97
you know, they stand
for projects and ministries,
00:38:33.01\00:38:36.01
and we know God's
gonna provide the funds.
00:38:36.04\00:38:38.95
Amen, for the
warehouse. This isn't live.
00:38:38.98\00:38:40.65
And we haven't talked about this
00:38:40.72\00:38:42.05
but you were
supposed to forth too.
00:38:42.08\00:38:43.49
Absolutely, I was
just thinking that, I said,
00:38:43.52\00:38:45.22
3ABN is set forth to doing that.
00:38:45.25\00:38:46.86
Because this is
really important.
00:38:46.89\00:38:48.22
I think about the many
souls that are being touched
00:38:48.26\00:38:50.53
and it's not just the snacks,
there's literature in there,
00:38:50.56\00:38:52.69
and we see even the
requests coming through
00:38:52.73\00:38:54.83
because you
pass that along to us
00:38:54.86\00:38:57.17
as well for literature,
00:38:57.20\00:38:58.70
we get letters from the inmates
00:38:58.73\00:39:00.84
from all over the United States.
00:39:00.87\00:39:03.17
So it just doesn't
stop at the snacks,
00:39:03.20\00:39:05.04
it goes deeper and
that's the spiritual part,
00:39:05.07\00:39:06.78
which means so very much.
00:39:06.81\00:39:08.14
I want to say, it's
not always a smooth road
00:39:08.18\00:39:10.95
because when the chaplains,
00:39:10.98\00:39:12.41
they don't want
literature about the Sabbath
00:39:12.45\00:39:14.82
or the state of the
dead or issues like that.
00:39:14.85\00:39:16.82
So we get
oppositions, but the Lord,
00:39:16.89\00:39:18.85
we've seen Him move
people out of the way
00:39:18.89\00:39:20.79
and move chaplains
and move superintendents.
00:39:20.86\00:39:22.89
So there's opposition on the way
00:39:22.92\00:39:24.49
because the truth going forward.
00:39:24.53\00:39:25.86
Oh, yeah.
00:39:25.89\00:39:27.23
And so, we pray
and through prayer,
00:39:27.30\00:39:28.93
it continues to grow.
00:39:28.96\00:39:30.67
Our conference president
00:39:30.70\00:39:32.23
actually went to
the prison last year,
00:39:32.27\00:39:35.07
where I was in prison at
and help distribute the bags.
00:39:35.10\00:39:38.24
And this year, he
said, "What date can we go?"
00:39:38.27\00:39:40.61
And he's bringing 10 or 12
of his pastoral staff to help
00:39:40.68\00:39:45.05
because he said,
00:39:45.08\00:39:46.41
"It's gonna be a
good experience for them."
00:39:46.45\00:39:48.12
Lemuel, tell us your needs.
00:39:48.15\00:39:49.48
Well, it's
obviously the warehouse
00:39:49.52\00:39:50.89
that's been
appraised at $285,000
00:39:50.92\00:39:52.59
and God's gonna
provide those funds.
00:39:52.62\00:39:54.09
Yeah, no shadow
of a doubt there,
00:39:54.16\00:39:55.49
what an opportunity,
00:39:55.52\00:39:56.86
it's come for sale,
you can purchase that.
00:39:56.89\00:39:58.23
What other needs do you have?
00:39:58.26\00:39:59.59
We need some
volunteers, we need people
00:39:59.63\00:40:01.76
who are willing to help.
00:40:01.80\00:40:05.70
We had some people and
think Christmas Behind Bars
00:40:05.73\00:40:07.90
is just all going
to jails and prisons.
00:40:07.94\00:40:10.21
There's bags to fold,
there's envelopes to stamp.
00:40:10.24\00:40:12.67
There's all kinds of work.
I mean, there's lawns to mow.
00:40:12.71\00:40:15.91
And so there is some
housing that's available.
00:40:15.94\00:40:18.55
And we need,
00:40:18.58\00:40:20.75
there's a three
bedroom mobile home.
00:40:20.82\00:40:22.42
The Amish have put
brand new cabinets in it,
00:40:22.45\00:40:24.42
it's been fixed up
and so we need some people
00:40:24.45\00:40:26.96
that would say, "Hey,
00:40:26.99\00:40:28.32
I would like to
help with ministry,
00:40:28.36\00:40:29.69
I'd like to get my CDDL license
00:40:29.72\00:40:32.06
or I'd like to
help drive a truck
00:40:32.09\00:40:33.50
or I'd like to,
it's just simple stuff."
00:40:33.53\00:40:36.03
To do like a year commitment
00:40:36.06\00:40:37.77
or you are just talking
a couple of weeks, a month?
00:40:37.80\00:40:40.24
A year
commitment would be great.
00:40:40.27\00:40:41.60
Oh, absolutely.
00:40:41.64\00:40:42.97
I mean, something you
know, we at least get funded
00:40:43.00\00:40:44.34
and, you know.
00:40:44.37\00:40:45.71
Could you use some
short term volunteers as well?
00:40:45.74\00:40:47.78
People who can just come in
00:40:47.81\00:40:49.14
for a day or a
weekend or something?
00:40:49.18\00:40:50.95
Yeah, as far as the
travel I don't know.
00:40:50.98\00:40:52.85
And I guess if they
have unlimited airline miles,
00:40:52.88\00:40:55.35
they could fly into Fort
Wayne we could pick them up
00:40:55.38\00:40:57.19
and then they come to
the warehouse and then,
00:40:57.22\00:40:59.39
so, no we need
all kinds of help.
00:40:59.42\00:41:01.36
Okay. What about Bibles?
00:41:01.39\00:41:02.76
Talk to us about
your need for Bibles?
00:41:02.79\00:41:04.46
Bibles, you know, to
give an inmate a Bible is,
00:41:04.49\00:41:08.40
especially used Bible is
because it's already broke in,
00:41:08.43\00:41:11.27
it's
highlighted, it's underlined.
00:41:11.30\00:41:13.00
So we need Bibles.
00:41:13.03\00:41:14.97
So whether it's
a nice study Bible,
00:41:15.00\00:41:17.21
or whether it's a regular Bible,
00:41:17.24\00:41:18.94
we just ask that
they people told me said
00:41:18.97\00:41:21.14
why don't you go
to the Dollar Store
00:41:21.18\00:41:22.51
and buy Bibles?
00:41:22.54\00:41:23.88
Well, there's three columns,
they already can't hardly read,
00:41:23.95\00:41:26.72
It ain't very good lighting,
00:41:26.75\00:41:28.08
and you got
this newspaper print.
00:41:28.12\00:41:30.52
And so we want
to give them a Bible
00:41:30.59\00:41:32.85
that we would want to read
00:41:32.89\00:41:34.66
or so nice Bible
is a real blessing.
00:41:34.69\00:41:36.36
So people can send
Bibles to your ministry?
00:41:36.39\00:41:37.96
They can send
Bibles, we are a 501c3,
00:41:37.99\00:41:40.40
so if they want to, you know,
00:41:40.43\00:41:41.96
get a tax credit
for that or whatever,
00:41:42.00\00:41:44.10
if they want to
buy Bibles from Remnant
00:41:44.17\00:41:45.60
or however I don't
know, but we need Bibles
00:41:45.63\00:41:47.64
and devotional materials.
00:41:47.67\00:41:49.10
Talk to us a moment,
I see we have a home,
00:41:49.14\00:41:50.71
I'm going to lean forward here.
00:41:50.74\00:41:52.07
We have a whole
bunch of cards here.
00:41:52.11\00:41:54.11
Talk to us about the cards here?
00:41:54.18\00:41:55.68
You know, people
send cards, the inmates,
00:41:55.71\00:41:59.48
that's their way of
telling us thank you.
00:41:59.51\00:42:02.05
I mean, the man
drew this with pencil
00:42:02.08\00:42:04.39
and it was all you could tell it
00:42:04.42\00:42:05.89
was a hand drawn thing
and so he was in Arkansas.
00:42:05.92\00:42:09.22
And so we just want
to, that's the only way
00:42:09.26\00:42:12.36
we have to send
stuff to our sponsors.
00:42:12.39\00:42:14.33
Look at that,
isn't that amazing?
00:42:14.36\00:42:16.00
When people write
to us, or they donate,
00:42:16.03\00:42:18.60
we send them some letters,
00:42:18.63\00:42:20.54
we make copies of
the inmates letters
00:42:20.57\00:42:22.37
and their
drawings, their artwork
00:42:22.40\00:42:24.31
and so that's the only thing
we can give back to people.
00:42:24.34\00:42:27.28
And when we go to the
jails and prisons, we tell them,
00:42:27.31\00:42:29.71
if you appreciate anything
about this ministry at all,
00:42:29.74\00:42:32.41
thank God, number one.
00:42:32.45\00:42:34.42
Number two, thank
your administration
00:42:34.45\00:42:36.79
and I said last but not least,
00:42:36.82\00:42:38.59
you can write a
letter or draw a picture,
00:42:38.62\00:42:40.89
whatever, I said,
that's what we give
00:42:40.96\00:42:42.59
to the sponsors
because it's not us.
00:42:42.62\00:42:44.53
Yeah.
00:42:44.56\00:42:45.89
I'm just looking here
at the inside of this card
00:42:45.93\00:42:47.30
we held up.
00:42:47.33\00:42:48.66
It says, "There
isn't enough words
00:42:48.70\00:42:50.03
to express all the appreciation
00:42:50.07\00:42:51.40
we hold in our hearts
for you and the volunteers
00:42:51.43\00:42:53.34
who come into our world
00:42:53.37\00:42:54.70
and brought us
the best Christmas
00:42:54.74\00:42:56.07
that so many of us
have had in so many years."
00:42:56.10\00:42:59.27
Amen.
00:42:59.31\00:43:00.68
What does that do for you,
00:43:00.71\00:43:02.04
when you read
something like that,
00:43:02.08\00:43:03.41
and you see
that God is using you
00:43:03.45\00:43:07.02
and the team of
Christmas Behind Bars
00:43:07.05\00:43:09.65
to touch
someone's life for eternity?
00:43:09.68\00:43:14.09
I never dreamed that my
life would be about anything.
00:43:14.16\00:43:17.63
I never dreamed
that I'd be able to,
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.00
I can't preach and I don't know
00:43:20.03\00:43:21.50
where all the
scriptures are in the Bible.
00:43:21.53\00:43:23.97
But if we could just
share hope with one more person,
00:43:24.00\00:43:28.07
it's all worth it.
00:43:28.10\00:43:29.44
Yeah, amen.
00:43:29.47\00:43:30.81
Because that one
person is going to get it,
00:43:30.84\00:43:32.74
one person is going
to have that relationship
00:43:32.77\00:43:34.34
and it's gonna continue
to grow and that one person
00:43:34.38\00:43:36.31
is gonna share
hope with somebody else
00:43:36.34\00:43:38.51
and that's what we've
commissioned these people
00:43:38.55\00:43:40.12
is don't wait until
you get out of prison.
00:43:40.15\00:43:42.12
It starts now.
00:43:42.15\00:43:43.49
Because their
sphere of influence,
00:43:43.52\00:43:44.99
their children,
their wife, their husband,
00:43:45.02\00:43:46.76
their sphere of influence,
00:43:46.79\00:43:48.12
will start now to
bring hope for the kingdom.
00:43:48.16\00:43:51.06
What I think was
powerful to, Lemuel, you got it
00:43:51.09\00:43:53.09
and you think
about now the influence
00:43:53.13\00:43:54.46
that you have
00:43:54.50\00:43:55.83
with Christmas
Behind Bars is phenomenal.
00:43:55.86\00:43:58.27
You know, when you
think about that pastor
00:43:58.30\00:44:00.14
and that team that went in,
what a difference it's made.
00:44:00.17\00:44:04.74
And I'll tell you,
out of the kindness
00:44:04.77\00:44:06.57
of how much
time do we have left?
00:44:06.61\00:44:08.14
We have about seven minutes.
00:44:08.18\00:44:09.81
You know, when
we're in the county jail,
00:44:09.84\00:44:12.61
we were bad.
00:44:12.65\00:44:14.02
My brother was
with me, we were bad.
00:44:14.05\00:44:15.38
We'd set the jail on fire,
00:44:15.42\00:44:16.75
we'd stole most of the
drugs out of the evidence room.
00:44:16.79\00:44:18.69
I was a trustee.
00:44:18.72\00:44:20.39
So we were in
solitary confinement,
00:44:20.46\00:44:22.56
we lost all of our
privileges and for the sheriff
00:44:22.59\00:44:26.09
to allow these people to come in
00:44:26.13\00:44:27.70
and sing to us at that time,
was just absolutely amazing.
00:44:27.73\00:44:32.60
That was God. That was God.
00:44:32.63\00:44:34.57
The prison where
I was incarcerated,
00:44:34.60\00:44:38.01
we went to the superintendent,
00:44:38.04\00:44:39.37
we ask him, we said, "Look,
00:44:39.41\00:44:41.01
can we bring this
program to your prison?"
00:44:41.04\00:44:43.35
He said, "No."
00:44:43.38\00:44:45.15
We asked the program
director, he said, "No."
00:44:45.18\00:44:48.45
So then I went to the chaplain.
I said, "Okay, I get it."
00:44:48.48\00:44:50.49
You don't want the big package.
00:44:50.52\00:44:51.99
I said, "What
about the quart baggie
00:44:52.02\00:44:55.59
filled with peanuts?"
00:44:55.62\00:44:56.96
Because that's what I
got. Yeah, that's right.
00:44:57.03\00:44:58.46
So I was willing to
downsize quote baggie
00:44:58.49\00:45:00.90
filled with peanuts with
a Bible study application
00:45:00.93\00:45:04.17
and the program
director or the chaplain asked
00:45:04.20\00:45:06.03
the superintendent and
the word come back was no
00:45:06.07\00:45:08.47
and don't ask no more.
00:45:08.50\00:45:09.84
Wow.
00:45:09.87\00:45:11.21
But we continue to pray
every morning at worship.
00:45:11.24\00:45:12.84
And we said, "Lord, we
know you can make a way."
00:45:12.87\00:45:14.58
That's right.
00:45:14.61\00:45:15.94
Chaplain got a
job somewhere else,
00:45:15.98\00:45:17.35
program director was
moved out to recreation,
00:45:17.38\00:45:19.78
and the superintendent
was moved to another prison
00:45:19.81\00:45:21.85
way across the
state and every prison
00:45:21.88\00:45:24.65
the state of Indiana was done,
00:45:24.69\00:45:26.86
Lord opened the door but
one, it was that one over there.
00:45:26.89\00:45:29.42
We asked him
again. He said, "No."
00:45:29.46\00:45:30.83
He was moved from that
prison to central office.
00:45:30.86\00:45:33.23
And so God
continues to be in control.
00:45:33.26\00:45:36.23
And we just need
help at this time
00:45:36.26\00:45:37.87
as we continue to grow.
00:45:37.90\00:45:39.77
You have a story of an inmate,
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.17
I know you have so many stories,
00:45:41.20\00:45:42.54
something that just one
that you would like to share
00:45:42.57\00:45:45.54
of someone that's
maybe life has been touched.
00:45:45.57\00:45:47.41
I know yours of course.
00:45:47.48\00:45:48.81
Lady in the county
jail, she was locked up
00:45:48.84\00:45:51.21
and she was in a group
of pod with other women
00:45:51.25\00:45:53.11
and someone told
her about the Sabbath.
00:45:53.15\00:45:55.28
She was like, it was new to her.
00:45:55.32\00:45:57.22
And then she got
put in segregation,
00:45:57.29\00:45:58.75
solitary
confinement all by herself
00:45:58.79\00:46:00.66
and it was written on the wall
00:46:00.69\00:46:02.02
about the Sabbath of
the Bible is Saturday.
00:46:02.06\00:46:04.89
Oh, wow.
00:46:04.93\00:46:06.26
And then in her bag out of about
00:46:06.29\00:46:07.70
30 different books we use,
00:46:07.73\00:46:09.26
she got the
book Ten Commandments
00:46:09.30\00:46:10.67
Twice Removed
00:46:10.70\00:46:12.03
by Danny Shelton
and Shelley Quinn.
00:46:12.07\00:46:14.30
And she wrote
that letter she said,
00:46:14.34\00:46:15.67
"I now know
without a shadow of a doubt
00:46:15.70\00:46:18.41
that the Sabbath of
the Bible is Saturday."
00:46:18.44\00:46:20.18
So someone wrote it on the wall.
00:46:20.21\00:46:22.14
In solitary confinement?
00:46:22.18\00:46:23.55
Yeah, some about
the Sabbath I don't know
00:46:23.58\00:46:25.35
what was written on the
wall, but it was written
00:46:25.38\00:46:27.15
so someone told her,
she got moved to segregation
00:46:27.22\00:46:29.48
probably for being
bad, there it was written
00:46:29.52\00:46:31.42
again so now seed been planted,
00:46:31.45\00:46:32.95
seed been sown and
now she got the book,
00:46:32.99\00:46:35.32
and it resonated in her life.
00:46:35.36\00:46:37.33
Through Christmas Behind
Bars, she got the packet.
00:46:37.36\00:46:39.13
Through Christmas
Behind Bars. Go ahead.
00:46:39.16\00:46:41.80
Talk to us a moment about
your vision for the future?
00:46:41.83\00:46:44.73
It's good.
00:46:44.77\00:46:46.10
If you were to say,
and I know this is looking
00:46:46.13\00:46:48.87
down the road a bit,
but if you were to say,
00:46:48.90\00:46:51.11
in the next five years
I want to see us get into,
00:46:51.14\00:46:54.28
I don't know
what your vision is,
00:46:54.31\00:46:55.64
but so many
states or I want to see
00:46:55.68\00:46:57.35
so many inmates reached
or what would be your vision
00:46:57.38\00:47:00.42
for the future?
00:47:00.45\00:47:01.78
Our vision for the
future would be that
00:47:01.82\00:47:03.39
we would like to see more people
00:47:03.42\00:47:05.52
invest not
financially just here today,
00:47:05.55\00:47:08.86
but we'd like to see
them invest in their time
00:47:08.89\00:47:11.29
and that prison
ministries would have more
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.70
of a precedence in churches.
00:47:13.73\00:47:15.66
Like a presence.
00:47:15.70\00:47:17.07
A presence,
would be a budget line
00:47:17.10\00:47:18.53
in churches that more people
00:47:18.57\00:47:20.74
because it's hard for
us when we call far away,
00:47:20.77\00:47:22.80
a pastor won't go
and baptize somebody
00:47:22.84\00:47:24.84
'cause they're busy
and that's, that's okay,
00:47:24.87\00:47:27.08
they're busy, but 3ABN is able
to come in through the airwaves
00:47:27.11\00:47:30.45
and on the TV
and music and stuff.
00:47:30.48\00:47:32.31
So that's a blessing.
00:47:32.35\00:47:33.72
Somehow the Lord
still gonna make a way.
00:47:33.75\00:47:35.18
Our vision is that more
people would take this idea.
00:47:35.22\00:47:38.19
That was the original purpose
00:47:38.22\00:47:39.55
of sending a little bag to 3ABN.
00:47:39.59\00:47:41.62
We didn't even want to come.
00:47:41.66\00:47:43.36
We wanted them to
show that your church
00:47:43.43\00:47:45.69
can put together
300 bags and go down
00:47:45.73\00:47:47.60
to your local county jail...
00:47:47.63\00:47:48.96
And hand them
out. And hand them out.
00:47:49.00\00:47:50.37
And if your local
county jail say no,
00:47:50.40\00:47:52.00
go to the next
county next to you,
00:47:52.03\00:47:53.64
and if they say
no go to next one
00:47:53.67\00:47:55.00
'cause someone gonna say yes,
00:47:55.04\00:47:56.47
Jesus isn't going to take
00:47:56.50\00:47:57.84
someone's
willingness to not use it.
00:47:57.87\00:47:59.24
So we'd like to
see more churches
00:47:59.27\00:48:00.78
get involved with
their local county jail
00:48:00.81\00:48:02.61
because that's a pivotal
point in that person's life
00:48:02.64\00:48:05.38
that's been seemingly forgotten,
00:48:05.41\00:48:07.32
and they can
introduce him to Christ.
00:48:07.35\00:48:08.85
Do you know I have a figure
on how many are incarcerated
00:48:08.88\00:48:10.82
in the United States?
00:48:10.89\00:48:12.22
I don't. Could it
be in the thousands?
00:48:12.25\00:48:13.59
I don't.
00:48:13.62\00:48:14.96
I know, I looked up a
thing, just the other day.
00:48:14.99\00:48:17.23
And they said that
most that 90% I think
00:48:17.26\00:48:21.63
that might be wrong of
males that are incarcerated,
00:48:21.66\00:48:24.20
people that are incarcerated
00:48:24.27\00:48:25.90
don't have a father
figure in their home.
00:48:25.93\00:48:27.47
Oh, wow.
00:48:27.54\00:48:29.00
So you know what, if
we can introduce them
00:48:29.04\00:48:31.11
to our Heavenly Father.
00:48:31.14\00:48:32.77
It doesn't matter
if they're confined
00:48:32.81\00:48:34.28
in solitary confinement, so.
00:48:34.31\00:48:35.64
If they can be introduced
to our Heavenly Father,
00:48:35.68\00:48:37.28
they can know that they're
sons and daughters of God
00:48:37.35\00:48:39.75
and their part to
inherit the kingdom of heaven.
00:48:39.78\00:48:42.12
That's what this
ministry is about.
00:48:42.15\00:48:43.72
Amen. You are a preacher.
00:48:43.79\00:48:46.42
I know you said,
"I'm not a preacher."
00:48:46.45\00:48:48.19
But as soon as you said that,
00:48:48.22\00:48:49.56
I've been
thinking the entire program
00:48:49.59\00:48:51.49
that the Lord has
blessed you with the ability
00:48:51.53\00:48:54.63
to share your testimony of
what He's done in your life
00:48:54.66\00:48:57.57
and to share
His love with others
00:48:57.60\00:49:00.27
and to share the
Scripture with others.
00:49:00.34\00:49:01.90
So you are a preacher.
And we've been privileged.
00:49:01.94\00:49:03.64
We haven't even
mentioned this yet,
00:49:03.71\00:49:05.34
working together
with Free Indeed,
00:49:05.37\00:49:07.61
which is a
program that airs on 3ABN,
00:49:07.64\00:49:10.78
and we've partnered
with you producing that
00:49:10.85\00:49:12.81
for many years.
00:49:12.85\00:49:14.22
Oh, yeah, Free
Indeed was recorded.
00:49:14.25\00:49:15.82
It's been a number of
years ago but what a blessing.
00:49:15.85\00:49:18.09
I know that's
touched many people.
00:49:18.12\00:49:19.85
And what we want to do right now
00:49:19.89\00:49:21.86
is we want to get ready to
go to our little address role.
00:49:21.89\00:49:24.99
Again, this would be
for contact information
00:49:25.03\00:49:27.30
for Lemuel and
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:49:27.33\00:49:29.13
We're talking specifically today
00:49:29.16\00:49:31.03
about the special opportunity
he has of purchasing.
00:49:31.07\00:49:34.90
Let's talk about this again.
00:49:34.94\00:49:36.27
We're putting the
picture up right now.
00:49:36.30\00:49:37.64
It is three
buildings. Three buildings.
00:49:37.67\00:49:40.01
One would be
mechanical shop. Yep.
00:49:40.08\00:49:42.08
Two warehouses, has a
dock, concrete, beautiful.
00:49:42.11\00:49:45.18
3.7 acres.
00:49:45.21\00:49:46.55
3.7 acres, three
miles off the interstate,
00:49:46.58\00:49:49.55
insulated on the inside.
00:49:49.58\00:49:50.92
Already air conditioned.
00:49:50.99\00:49:52.32
Climate controlled,
00:49:52.35\00:49:53.69
beautiful
concrete on the inside.
00:49:53.72\00:49:55.06
Don't have to do a
lot to fix it up at all.
00:49:55.09\00:49:56.42
Yep, it's ready to go.
00:49:56.46\00:49:57.79
Yep and it's being
appraised at $285,000,
00:49:57.83\00:50:02.23
God is providing that
those funds right now.
00:50:02.26\00:50:04.60
I know he is, Lemuel,
00:50:04.63\00:50:06.23
the work that you and your team,
00:50:06.27\00:50:08.20
you don't have
many, it's you, your wife.
00:50:08.24\00:50:10.94
A lot of our volunteers
have either been in prison
00:50:10.97\00:50:14.08
or their community service
or they have so on probation,
00:50:14.11\00:50:17.55
but it's a blessing
to work with everyone.
00:50:17.58\00:50:20.42
So there's contact
information would be ways that
00:50:20.45\00:50:22.52
you can either if
you want to support
00:50:22.55\00:50:24.35
the special project
00:50:24.39\00:50:25.72
as far as the
warehouse, you can do that.
00:50:25.75\00:50:27.86
Or you can if you're
interested in volunteering
00:50:27.89\00:50:30.16
or being a part of helping
out Christmas Behind Bars.
00:50:30.23\00:50:32.89
And I also know
00:50:32.93\00:50:34.30
because this is
a blessing to 3ABN,
00:50:34.33\00:50:35.76
if you want to
become a monthly supporter
00:50:35.80\00:50:37.67
of Christmas Behind Bars.
00:50:37.70\00:50:39.03
I know that's critical for 3ABN
00:50:39.07\00:50:41.14
as well to get that
consistent monthly donation
00:50:41.17\00:50:43.84
to help fund the ministry.
00:50:43.91\00:50:45.31
The same I know would be
true for Christmas Behind Bars,
00:50:45.34\00:50:47.61
so we want to go to
that address role right now.
00:50:47.64\00:50:52.51
Christmas Behind Bars has
a variety of ministry needs
00:50:52.55\00:50:54.88
and you can make a difference.
00:50:54.92\00:50:56.55
Visit their website
to find all the ways
00:50:56.58\00:50:58.22
you can help
including donations for Bibles,
00:50:58.25\00:51:00.76
gift packages,
transportation needs
00:51:00.79\00:51:02.82
or assistance for inmates
00:51:02.86\00:51:04.23
and their families upon release.
00:51:04.26\00:51:05.63
Their website is
ChristmasBehindBars.org.
00:51:05.66\00:51:08.30
That's ChristmasBehindBars.org.
00:51:08.33\00:51:11.03
You can also email
Contact@ChristmasBehindBars.org
00:51:11.07\00:51:14.90
or call them at (268) 827-8835.
00:51:14.94\00:51:19.34
That's (268) 827-8835
00:51:19.37\00:51:23.35
or write them at
Christmas Behind Bars,
00:51:23.38\00:51:25.31
PO Box 474,
Bluffton, Indiana 46714.
00:51:25.35\00:51:30.39