I want to spend my
life, mending broken people.
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I want to spend my life,
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I want to spend my life.
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Mending broken,
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I want to spend my life.
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Hello and welcome to 3ABN
Today, Thursday Night Live.
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I am so excited for this Power
Pack two hours that we have in
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store for you.
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I believe God is going to do
incredible things this evening.
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We have Christmas Behind Bars
and Christmas Behind Bars is no
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stranger to you at home.
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I'm sure that you are
familiar with Lemuel Vega.
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I've known Lemuel for
probably close to 11 years.
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And one thing I can say about
Lemuel is he is very consistent.
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He's been consistent
throughout the years.
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He's passionate about spreading
the gospel and taking it to
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those brothers and
sisters that are incarcerated.
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But before I jump in and talk to
Lemuel for a second, I want to
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share this Bible verse with you.
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This is taken from
Matthew chapter 25.
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We'll begin in verse 34.
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The righteous will answer him,
saying, Lord, when did we see
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you hungry and feed you or
thirsty and give you drink?
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When did we see you a stranger
and take you in or naked and
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clothe you?
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And the king will answer and say
to them, assuredly I say to you,
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inasmuch as you did it to one of
the least of these my brethren,
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you did it to me.
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Christmas Behind Bars is
doing an incredible work.
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And it is truly the Lord's
work as outlined here in Matthew
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chapter 25.
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So Lemuel,
welcome to the program.
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It's great to have you here.
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Thank you, Jay.
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inmates many times, Jesus says,
as you've done it unto the least
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of these my brethren.
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So he equated himself
with the least of the least.
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But yet his message was
for the highest of the high.
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And it covers all spectrums.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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It's great to have you here.
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Thank you for having me.
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Yes, sir.
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I can't wait to hear your story.
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You've got a powerful story and
we're looking forward to hearing
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that.
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Next to you, we have
someone really official.
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We've got sheriff, the sheriff
of Henry County in Indiana, John
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Sprouls.
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It's great to have you here.
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Good to be here.
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Thank you.
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Yes, sir.
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And sitting right next to
you, we have Donnie Rutledge.
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I can't wait to hear your
story as well because you have a
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powerful one.
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Well, thank you for having me.
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Thank you for being here.
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And we have Chaplain from
Mississippi, Maurice Clifton.
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It's great to
have you here as well.
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And you have a
powerful testimony.
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Yes, it's an honor to be here.
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Yes, sir.
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Yes, sir.
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We also have a couple of
pictures that we're going to
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kind of go through and
we'll take a look at those.
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But Lemuel, why don't you
kind of set things up for us?
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Well, this whole live program
is sharing hope with the world.
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This prison, I got out of
this prison 40 years ago, the
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Pendleton Correctional Facility,
and we just recently made 3,000
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packages with the sheriff, and
about 110 of the inmates came
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and made packages. We just
delivered, Donnie, what was the
last week to this prison?
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1,600 packages.
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And it's just amazing to be able
to go back in and give back to a
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maximum security prison.
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opportunity to go back and
deliver packages just last week.
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Really amazing.
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That's incredible.
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You can't put words into letting
someone know that there's hope
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for their life.
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Amen.
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And the blessing is
truly on the go for sure.
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And we receive blessings.
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We go wanting to be a blessing
to them, but we leave and his
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word is magnified in our
lives, so that's awesome.
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Yes, yes.
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We have a video that I would
love to show before we come to
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you, Sheriff Sprouls.
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Let's take a look at
that video right now.
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Today we have the sheriff with
us, and you're the sheriff of a
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whole county, and so he
has a perspective on Christ and
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sharing the gospel
with the incarcerated.
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Yeah, thank you.
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I'm John Sprouls.
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I'm the sheriff of Henry County.
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Henry County, Indiana.
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And we was connected with
Christmas Behind Bars this past
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Christmas, and you all deliver
these wonderful gift bags for us
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to distribute to our inmates.
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How did you see that?
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When you took the gift packages
into the pod, you know, that was
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something new for you.
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How did you see
the reception of that?
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Oh, it was amazing, and one
thing that was very key that I
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tried to tell every inmate is
where these packages came from.
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I told them, I said, somebody
that was sitting behind bars
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just like you many, many years
ago got this idea from the Lord
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to help and give back, and so
I think that connection, telling
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them, listen,
you're not hopeless.
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Look at the amazing work that
God has used you to do, and I
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think that really spoke to their
hearts, and the food and all of
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that was just great, but the
literature, the gospel
literature that was in
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there, we've had so many people
say, man, that was so helpful.
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It's the first time
I've read gospel literature.
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As far as a chief deputy, what
do you think working under this
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guy? I mean, because he has
a perspective, number one, the
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Lord, number one, transformation
for lives, he's incarcerated, so
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what's your
thought in all of this?
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Yeah, you know,
Christ commands us to love.
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There's no greater commandment
in Scripture than to love.
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Amen.
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privilege to be involved with
this, and it's a privilege to
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serve under him and be
able to bring hope to people.
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So you guys have a job to do.
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You have to protect society.
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You have to incarcerate
sometimes individuals that have
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broken the law, but the bottom
line is, is what you're telling
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me, there's possibility
and hope for their life.
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Oh, absolutely.
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Absolutely.
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Amen.
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Dennis Page is somebody
who's been a grateful part.
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We've been grateful to him to be
a part of this ministry over the
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years, and Dennis, you actually
begin to give your heart to
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Christ as you're on your
way to a prison sentence.
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Yes, you know,
God is so merciful.
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He intervenes in my life at a
very profound time, and I began
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reading the Bible.
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I wasn't
looking to go to prison.
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Someone gave you a Bible
study in the county jail, amen?
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Well, yes.
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But before I got there,
somebody had given me a Bible.
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One day I got
tired of living my life.
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I asked God for help.
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The next day I got busted.
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I was on my way to federal
prison while I was in the county
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jail going through my case.
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Somebody gave me a Bible study,
and it was just so profound
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because it just took me from one
subject to another on what the
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Bible has to say about all these
different topics, amazing facts.
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It was amazing.
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It gave me a lot of amazing
facts about the Bible, and I
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loved it. And so I started a
ministry right there in prison,
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reaching out to people, sharing
with people, and then God, when
I got out, God just
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rebuilt my life.
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And I remember that this was the
very first prison, state prison,
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that we were able to
bring the program to.
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It's been a real
blessing working with you.
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It's probably been 17, 18 years
ago this was our first prison.
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Yes.
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Abraham, Father Abraham.
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Father Abraham, and they called
him Bible Man because he always
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carried the little Bible
with him wherever he went.
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And as you were seeking God's
will for your life, you told me
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you'd read the Bible and
you're still smoking dope.
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That's right.
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You know, we're not going to
get cleaned up and then go to
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church. We're not going to get
cleaned up and then go to Jesus.
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Jesus does the cleansing.
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He does the healing.
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He does the restoration.
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You just got to
start and move forward.
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Richard Latour is the program
director for this maximum
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security prison.
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wonderful job.
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It's huge.
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what's happened today and
then we'll kick into napping.
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Absolutely.
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know, we have a large population
here, a mix of anything that you
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could imagine, but we have
a lot of dedicated guys here.
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Even though somebody might have
life in prison, you still offer
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them programs and
you see value in that.
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Exactly.
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Praise the Lord.
00:10:11.84\00:10:17.71
here.
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Right.
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The punishment
isn't their time here.
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So we need to make sure
that they have something to do,
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something to be fruitful with
their family, with their peers
that they have here at
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the facility.
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We've seen today with something
like this that it provides them
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an opportunity to be fruitful
for not just their peers, but
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peers in other states, not just
peers in other states that are
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at a male prison, possibly
at a female prison as well.
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So it provides them an
opportunity to branch out, to
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share a message of love that
they have for others that they
may not be able to share
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right here in this facility,
or that because of some
00:10:50.41\00:10:53.85
restrictions or because of
whatever politics happen, it
allows them to express
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their true love for others.
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Wow, that's incredible.
00:11:00.72\00:11:02.39
Lemuel, I mean, you've
been going to all of these
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facilities. What's one thing
that you would want to share
00:11:06.43\00:11:10.10
about going into
these facilities?
00:11:10.10\00:11:13.10
There's hundreds of people
behind the scenes that make this
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happen. We could make all
the packages and go, but if it
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wouldn't be people like the
sheriff or the warden or the
administration that allows us
00:11:21.21\00:11:25.35
to come in, we couldn't do it.
00:11:25.35\00:11:26.85
So the number one thing is
prayer, and the Lord makes it
00:11:26.92\00:11:29.92
happen. Amen, amen.
00:11:30.12\00:11:31.19
Sheriff Sprouls, what was your
involvement like with Christmas
00:11:31.69\00:11:34.76
Behind Bars?
00:11:34.76\00:11:35.46
So I did not know anything about
Christmas Behind Bars because
00:11:36.09\00:11:40.13
I'm new in law enforcement.
00:11:40.13\00:11:41.13
I've been full-time
only for about six years now.
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.77
And so I actually was coming up
on our first Christmas with me
00:11:45.17\00:11:49.60
being the sheriff, and I had
told our people, look, we've got
00:11:49.60\00:11:53.54
to put together gift
bags for our inmates.
00:11:53.54\00:11:55.68
And so we put together, I think
we had about 220 inmates, went
00:11:55.68\00:12:02.38
and bought little gift bags
and just bought several items.
00:12:02.38\00:12:05.22
And I think we had spent about
$4 ,000 for these little gift
00:12:05.82\00:12:09.62
bags. I was kind of shocked.
00:12:09.69\00:12:10.66
Again, I'm new at this.
00:12:10.69\00:12:12.03
And then Lemuel reached out
to me and said, hey, I'm with
00:12:12.39\00:12:16.53
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:12:16.53\00:12:17.77
Would you care if we
brought some Christmas gifts?
00:12:18.43\00:12:20.94
I'm thinking
that would be awesome.
00:12:20.97\00:12:22.80
They roll in with bags
this big, and the literature and
00:12:22.80\00:12:29.21
everything. God
brought us together.
00:12:29.51\00:12:30.75
I'll tell you, it has been...
00:12:31.01\00:12:33.25
I just recently learned of them,
and my heart kind of just linked
00:12:33.25\00:12:38.99
with his heart.
00:12:38.99\00:12:39.59
I love the caring aspect of it.
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.76
And so I'm just...
00:12:41.89\00:12:43.32
I thank God for this connection.
00:12:43.32\00:12:45.23
Amen, amen.
00:12:45.26\00:12:46.23
What made you decide to
go into law enforcement?
00:12:46.59\00:12:48.96
Because you said you'd just been
doing it for a couple years now.
00:12:49.06\00:12:51.33
What made you decide
to go down that route?
00:12:51.33\00:12:53.77
So I don't
apologize for being...
00:12:54.04\00:12:57.34
I'm a pastor's son.
00:12:57.34\00:12:58.54
And my in-laws were missionaries
for 22 years to Papua New
00:12:58.97\00:13:04.58
Guinea. So I've
grown up in the church.
00:13:05.05\00:13:06.58
I went to a Christian school.
00:13:06.68\00:13:07.95
And I've been a church builder.
00:13:08.62\00:13:11.32
I actually build buildings.
00:13:11.62\00:13:12.82
I've built over 100
churches all over Indiana.
00:13:12.95\00:13:15.52
But when I was in a Christian
school, in high school, back in
00:13:16.19\00:13:20.66
93, I graduated in 93.
00:13:20.66\00:13:22.03
I wanted to get into law
enforcement, but you have to be
00:13:22.33\00:13:25.97
21 to be an officer.
00:13:25.97\00:13:26.84
So my dad is, like I said, he's
a pastor and he was building
00:13:27.44\00:13:30.51
churches.
00:13:30.51\00:13:30.97
I fell in love with building.
00:13:31.21\00:13:32.71
And so I was building away.
00:13:33.14\00:13:35.48
I had just got
married at 20 years old.
00:13:35.58\00:13:37.81
And so when I turned 21, I got
sworn in as a reserve deputy.
00:13:38.15\00:13:44.19
So you donate your time.
00:13:44.25\00:13:45.65
And I did it for several years,
and I was just too busy with
00:13:45.99\00:13:49.59
church building
and raising a family.
00:13:49.59\00:13:52.33
I got out of it for many years.
00:13:52.83\00:13:54.36
And I got back about
eight years ago as a reserve.
00:13:54.36\00:13:57.73
And then I felt the Lord wanted
me to run for sheriff because I
00:13:57.83\00:14:01.90
felt like there was a huge need
in bringing a Christian culture
00:14:01.90\00:14:08.91
to law enforcement.
00:14:08.91\00:14:09.41
So I got back on as a
reserve about eight years ago.
00:14:10.25\00:14:13.35
And I told my wife, I said, I
believe the Lord wants me to run
00:14:14.22\00:14:16.65
for sheriff.
00:14:16.65\00:14:21.02
But a full-time
position opened up.
00:14:21.79\00:14:23.53
I put in for it.
00:14:23.69\00:14:28.10
sheriff.
00:14:28.10\00:14:31.57
So and I was elected and I
took office January 1 of 2023.
00:14:32.87\00:14:38.04
Wow.
00:14:38.37\00:14:38.84
Wow.
00:14:39.07\00:14:39.31
Praise God.
00:14:39.47\00:14:40.18
So what does that look like?
00:14:40.48\00:14:41.91
And when I say what does that
look like, what does it look
00:14:42.51\00:14:45.98
like bringing Christianity into
that office from the standpoint
00:14:45.98\00:14:52.29
of, you know, you see some
facilities that they just want
to warehouse people,
00:14:52.29\00:14:56.16
right?
00:14:56.16\00:15:01.36
ready for re-entry to society,
to be successful returning
00:15:01.36\00:15:06.10
citizens. So what does it look
like incorporating Christianity?
00:15:06.13\00:15:08.57
Well, I could tell you very
specifically what it looked like
00:15:08.77\00:15:12.04
on day one.
00:15:12.04\00:15:19.15
many of our local church people
and invited them to come out to
00:15:19.15\00:15:23.28
the jail and to
the sheriff's office.
00:15:23.28\00:15:25.02
We just built a brand
new $25 million facility.
00:15:25.12\00:15:27.72
It's beautiful.
00:15:27.86\00:15:28.66
And so I had reached out to them
and said, let's meet and let's
00:15:29.19\00:15:32.83
pray through the jail and pray
through the offices on day one.
00:15:32.83\00:15:36.63
We had over 40 people, 40
Christian people come together
00:15:37.10\00:15:42.50
and pray. And I want
to tell you something.
00:15:42.54\00:15:43.34
Let me tell you
what my mom said.
00:15:43.37\00:15:44.81
And again, pastor's wife
for longer than I've been born.
00:15:45.17\00:15:48.28
And with all of these different
groups, different churches,
00:15:49.21\00:15:53.25
different denominations, getting
together and praying in unity
00:15:53.55\00:15:58.49
for our inmates,
for our officers.
00:15:58.49\00:16:01.76
My mom said after later on that
day, she said, I just, when that
00:16:02.66\00:16:06.59
volume of prayer went up,
she said, I looked around and
00:16:06.59\00:16:09.90
watching everybody pray and she
said, I've been living in a box.
00:16:09.90\00:16:13.27
The interesting statement.
00:16:13.50\00:16:14.94
And it's just the power
of praying through there.
00:16:15.50\00:16:18.24
I'm here because I
care for our inmates.
00:16:18.71\00:16:21.64
Ben here is one of
our former inmates.
00:16:22.08\00:16:24.48
And so I just, our mission
statement, I prayed about that.
00:16:25.38\00:16:30.09
Lord, so I read all these
mission statements all about
00:16:30.15\00:16:33.82
protecting and all of that.
00:16:33.82\00:16:34.46
And God brought
Micah 6-8 to mind.
00:16:34.66\00:16:38.13
Do justice, love
mercy, and be humble.
00:16:38.13\00:16:42.63
And I knew when I, I called
my chief deputy, which you saw
00:16:43.10\00:16:46.97
earlier there at the Pendleton
Reformatory, great Christian
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.24
guy. I called him and said, hey,
Josh, I believe the Lord gave me
00:16:50.37\00:16:53.17
the mission statement.
00:16:53.17\00:16:54.14
And I told him, he
said, man, it's perfect.
00:16:54.14\00:16:54.18
It's perfect.
00:16:56.18\00:16:56.95
We've got, we
have to do justice.
00:16:57.75\00:16:59.28
That's our job.
00:16:59.35\00:17:00.32
That's our
requirement from the Lord.
00:17:00.38\00:17:01.88
But love mercy, sometimes I
don't see that like I'd like to
00:17:02.42\00:17:07.32
in law enforcement.
00:17:07.32\00:17:07.79
Be humble.
00:17:07.79\00:17:08.79
A lot of times I don't see that.
00:17:09.46\00:17:10.99
And so we're just wanting
to create a culture of care.
00:17:11.43\00:17:15.36
We want to put God first
in everything that we do.
00:17:16.23\00:17:19.17
And, and the Lord is just,
the Lord is working in wonderful
00:17:20.10\00:17:23.64
ways. We just, we want
to care for our people.
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.11
Amen.
00:17:25.21\00:17:25.74
Amen.
00:17:26.01\00:17:26.47
Yeah.
00:17:26.68\00:17:28.81
I love that you're fostering
that type of environment.
00:17:28.94\00:17:31.51
That's going to go a long way.
00:17:31.55\00:17:34.02
Lemuel would talk about results.
00:17:34.35\00:17:36.58
How many baptisms have you
had out of the 220 inmates under
00:17:36.58\00:17:41.29
your care? So I believe we've
baptized almost, almost a
hundred, I think 80 or 90
00:17:41.46\00:17:47.36
males and females.
00:17:47.36\00:17:48.93
And, and, you know, I, I
didn't know, I've got a lot of
00:17:49.43\00:17:53.37
attention since I became
the sheriff that I didn't know.
00:17:53.37\00:17:55.44
I didn't know I deserved,
but we started baptizing.
00:17:56.04\00:17:59.71
And so I started getting letters
and the first letter I got was
00:17:59.71\00:18:04.38
from some freedom from religion
organization that says, we have
00:18:04.38\00:18:08.88
600 attorneys all
across the United States.
00:18:08.88\00:18:11.32
And if you do not
cease immediately.
00:18:11.32\00:18:13.25
In fact, I opened that letter
when I was coming up to help you
00:18:13.76\00:18:18.36
at the Pendleton reformatory.
00:18:18.36\00:18:19.36
Yeah.
00:18:19.39\00:18:23.26
to, to cease.
00:18:23.26\00:18:25.73
What are you, what, what kind
of steps are you taking to stop
00:18:26.00\00:18:29.24
this? And I remember laughing.
00:18:29.40\00:18:33.11
and now as I'm heading out for
ministry up at the prison with
00:18:33.11\00:18:37.01
the mule.
00:18:37.01\00:18:40.38
We have, we have God.
00:18:40.92\00:18:42.35
And so I'm, I,
there's some pressure there.
00:18:42.85\00:18:45.75
We're going to do what
the Lord wants us to do.
00:18:46.35\00:18:48.32
And we're, we're just, we're
not too scared about what, don't
00:18:48.49\00:18:54.56
fear who can kill the body.
00:18:54.56\00:18:56.33
Yes.
00:18:56.50\00:18:57.30
So we're going to
keep doing the Lord's work.
00:18:57.43\00:18:59.03
Amen.
00:18:59.27\00:18:59.70
Amen.
00:18:59.77\00:19:00.20
I love that.
00:19:00.24\00:19:01.04
Ben, what's your story?
00:19:01.34\00:19:02.44
Well, I'm 40 years old.
00:19:03.67\00:19:05.81
I spent most of my
life in Henry County.
00:19:06.21\00:19:08.58
I grew up kind of
all over the country.
00:19:09.44\00:19:10.95
Lived in California,
Connecticut, Oregon, Tennessee,
00:19:10.95\00:19:10.98
Texas. Not really the
best family life at home.
00:19:16.18\00:19:18.95
Kind of grew up on the other
side of the law enforcement
00:19:18.95\00:19:23.73
where it was just kind of
ingrained that it's okay to do
00:19:23.73\00:19:26.70
the criminal type behavior.
00:19:26.70\00:19:27.30
Got in trouble early on in, in
adulthood and learned that jail
00:19:29.53\00:19:35.14
is not really the
place you want to be.
00:19:35.14\00:19:36.77
Picked up some real bad habits
and some addictions while we
00:19:37.91\00:19:40.71
were incarcerated and found
the Lord for a little while and
00:19:40.71\00:19:49.28
stepped into the church and kind
of started taking everybody's
00:19:49.28\00:19:53.82
inventory in the church, stepped
away from, from God, quit
walking with him and got
00:19:53.82\00:19:57.49
back into the wrong lifestyle
and made some more poor choices.
00:19:57.49\00:20:00.66
Been in and out of different
facilities throughout the course
00:20:01.00\00:20:04.63
of my life.
00:20:04.63\00:20:10.47
This last time though, man, the
jail in Henry County used to be
00:20:12.14\00:20:17.88
terrible.
00:20:17.88\00:20:18.28
It was a gladiator school.
00:20:18.51\00:20:20.42
Free for all.
00:20:21.38\00:20:22.15
The inmates controlled the jail.
00:20:22.22\00:20:23.69
The guards did what we
wanted and there wasn't a lot of
00:20:23.69\00:20:28.56
administration
wanting to take care of that.
00:20:28.56\00:20:30.83
This last time in jail, Sheriff
Sproles took over probably three
00:20:31.89\00:20:35.50
months after I was in there
and he wasn't able to create
00:20:35.50\00:20:40.20
miracles and change
the culture overnight.
00:20:40.20\00:20:41.30
But let me tell you the jail
atmosphere today compared to
00:20:41.54\00:20:44.71
what it was before he
took office is way different.
00:20:44.71\00:20:48.48
Just ministry, Christmas
behind bars and other different
00:20:51.21\00:20:54.48
ministries.
00:20:54.48\00:20:54.88
He talked about bringing all
those people in to pray for us.
00:20:56.18\00:20:58.45
And man, that was the first time
I'd ever experienced a powerful
00:20:58.62\00:21:03.12
prayer group like that.
00:21:03.12\00:21:04.63
The Lord was with him that day.
00:21:06.23\00:21:07.66
He was in the jail and
you can tell it was a positive
00:21:07.83\00:21:11.30
environment. So was that at the
point where you just wanted to
make a shift in your
00:21:13.64\00:21:18.97
life?
00:21:18.97\00:21:19.61
At what point in your life did
you say you know what, enough is
00:21:20.21\00:21:23.04
enough, this is my rock
bottom, I'm done with this?
00:21:23.04\00:21:25.51
Well, to be honest, the old jail
administration put the bad in
00:21:26.05\00:21:30.19
the people that created a bunch
of problems in the old building
00:21:30.19\00:21:33.79
before they
built the new building.
00:21:33.79\00:21:34.59
They just locked us up pretty
much 23 hours a day we were
00:21:35.76\00:21:40.86
locked down and I didn't cause
any problems when I came back
00:21:40.86\00:21:44.33
into jail that time.
00:21:44.33\00:21:47.57
ever.
00:21:47.57\00:21:48.30
I wasn't combative or any of
that and I still got punished
00:21:49.04\00:21:53.68
like I was doing those
bad things and I realized that
00:21:53.68\00:21:59.51
something's got to change.
00:21:59.51\00:22:00.25
You can't keep living like this.
00:22:00.28\00:22:01.52
The people that you surround
yourself with in those places
00:22:01.62\00:22:04.35
aren't the type of people that
I, God's moved something in my
00:22:04.35\00:22:08.89
life and I don't want to be
around those type of people no
00:22:08.89\00:22:10.69
more. Absolutely.
00:22:11.76\00:22:12.43
I just want to say
we're glad that you're here.
00:22:12.83\00:22:14.83
Thank you for
sharing your story.
00:22:14.83\00:22:16.56
I appreciate you
guys having me very much.
00:22:16.70\00:22:18.07
I know that we're going to
continue to pray for you as you
00:22:19.13\00:22:23.10
walk forward.
00:22:23.10\00:22:23.67
I'm glad that Sheriff's
Sproles, I'm glad you set that
00:22:24.57\00:22:28.18
environment in there to make
that change from the previous
00:22:28.18\00:22:34.92
administration and
what took place in there.
00:22:34.92\00:22:36.12
So thank you for that too.
00:22:36.32\00:22:37.52
We have a couple of pictures.
00:22:37.89\00:22:39.19
Lemuel, why don't you
tell us what we're looking at?
00:22:39.45\00:22:41.19
We've had the privilege to go
to Mississippi and deliver care
00:22:42.16\00:22:45.09
packages all throughout
the state of Mississippi.
00:22:45.09\00:22:47.66
This is our chaplain
down there at a state prison.
00:22:48.06\00:22:50.73
He helped us ride in, deliver
the packages in the prison, and
00:22:51.03\00:22:54.74
then these are some of the staff
members and some of the inmates
00:22:54.74\00:22:58.27
that helped unload the truck.
00:22:58.27\00:23:02.68
throughout the
state of Mississippi.
00:23:02.68\00:23:03.75
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:23:04.65\00:23:05.68
Chaplain Clifton, tell us about
your experience because I know
00:23:07.12\00:23:11.55
Lemuel just alluded to the
fact that you're going back in.
00:23:11.55\00:23:14.26
Did you do some time?
00:23:14.72\00:23:16.02
What's your story?
00:23:16.22\00:23:17.06
I have a long story.
00:23:17.86\00:23:19.23
We need more than a Thursday
night to tell you about it, so
00:23:19.33\00:23:21.26
I'm going to try
to give you a song.
00:23:21.26\00:23:23.97
Well, I was born and
raised in the Mississippi Delta.
00:23:24.33\00:23:26.40
My mom and dad, 20th child,
straight-A student in high
00:23:26.84\00:23:30.57
school and college, but I was
one of those kids that used to
00:23:30.57\00:23:33.58
throw the rock
and hide the hand.
00:23:33.58\00:23:34.48
Now break that saying down.
00:23:35.81\00:23:37.35
Throw the rock
and hide the hand.
00:23:37.85\00:23:39.01
I was doing stuff that my mom
and dad didn't approve of, but
00:23:39.45\00:23:45.85
nobody would believe me because
here I am on the honor roll and
00:23:45.85\00:23:48.49
they would believe that I
was the one that was doing it.
00:23:48.49\00:23:50.09
So that kind of transitioned
into my adulthood after I moved
00:23:50.26\00:23:53.93
to Chicago, and I
kind of chose the street.
00:23:53.93\00:23:56.10
I quit school.
00:23:56.26\00:23:57.93
My sophomore year, majoring
in nursing in Chicago, ended up
00:23:58.20\00:24:01.04
getting in trouble, and I kind
of break it down to when I went
00:24:01.04\00:24:04.34
to prison.
00:24:04.34\00:24:06.41
Thanksgiving 1996, we always
used to have family dinners, and
00:24:08.14\00:24:11.68
we would draw names, and so
I was kind of hustling in the
00:24:11.68\00:24:15.62
street, and I was
just kind of tired.
00:24:15.62\00:24:16.58
From the way to the street, I
had lost two of my best friends
00:24:16.92\00:24:20.02
in 1996, and I was just asking
the Lord for a way out, but I
00:24:20.02\00:24:24.73
remember telling the Lord, I
said, Lord, all my life, I've
00:24:24.73\00:24:28.33
lived my life
for everybody else.
00:24:28.33\00:24:29.00
1997, I'm going to
live my life for me.
00:24:29.83\00:24:32.20
I got locked up two
minutes after midnight.
00:24:32.73\00:24:34.54
Wow.
00:24:35.14\00:24:35.44
It's like the heavens opened.
00:24:36.67\00:24:37.74
I could hear the voice
saying, you're on your own.
00:24:37.74\00:24:37.77
And I went to prison, so
I went to federal prison.
00:24:41.88\00:24:44.61
I got 33 years as a first-time
offender for six grams of
00:24:44.78\00:24:48.42
cocaine and 20 years
for money laundering.
00:24:48.42\00:24:49.95
You said how many years?
00:24:50.12\00:24:51.15
33.
00:24:51.39\00:24:51.75
33 years?
00:24:52.05\00:24:57.09
court, you're trying to figure
it out, so he said 400 months.
00:24:57.09\00:24:59.36
I said, okay, 120 is 10, 240 is
20, 360 is 30, now I got to take
00:24:59.69\00:25:05.90
that 40 and do the same thing
to it, and so I got 33 years in
00:25:05.90\00:25:09.67
four months. I laughed at it
because I knew that it was God
going to take me through
00:25:10.17\00:25:13.04
the fire and bring me back
out because I was raised in the
00:25:13.04\00:25:16.58
church, I was raised
in the apostolic church.
00:25:16.68\00:25:18.05
So during my 23-year journey,
I had to reinvent myself.
00:25:18.45\00:25:22.38
Okay.
00:25:22.98\00:25:25.05
I had to stand up in the mirror
and say don't throw the rock
00:25:25.22\00:25:28.66
because it's wrong.
00:25:28.66\00:25:29.22
Yes.
00:25:29.29\00:25:35.20
in prison.
00:25:35.20\00:25:38.87
staff and inmates because most
of the time, inmates don't know
00:25:38.87\00:25:41.77
how to communicate with
staff, so I started developing a
00:25:41.77\00:25:44.47
reentry program.
00:25:44.47\00:25:44.97
Oh, wow.
00:25:45.24\00:25:45.97
And so, you know, like breaking
ties, just teaching guys how to
00:25:46.51\00:25:50.01
break their criminal thinking.
00:25:50.01\00:25:50.91
So wait a minute, wait
a minute, wait a minute.
00:25:51.58\00:25:53.78
So you were inside developing
a reentry program for, that's
00:25:54.08\00:25:59.49
incredible.
00:25:59.49\00:26:00.16
So I went to four different
institutions to start a reentry
00:26:00.76\00:26:03.26
program, not knowing that this
was going to be my call or my
00:26:03.26\00:26:07.50
opportunity to be free.
00:26:07.50\00:26:09.03
And before I got released, I got
released in January 10, in 2020,
00:26:10.77\00:26:15.57
January 10, 2020.
00:26:15.64\00:26:16.64
I lost a son a month and a half
before I got released, Maurice
00:26:17.94\00:26:21.04
Jr. from Kokomo, Indiana.
00:26:21.31\00:26:22.24
You know, so I have
ties and a two -share.
00:26:22.74\00:26:24.45
But long story short, I was in
prison and God had sent me and
00:26:25.08\00:26:29.05
my wife, my first wife got
killed while I was incarcerated
00:26:29.05\00:26:31.55
in Indiana, in Kokomo.
00:26:31.55\00:26:32.62
She was murdered
December 18, 2004.
00:26:33.32\00:26:37.39
So I just had a lot of things
going on at the time I was
00:26:37.89\00:26:41.70
inside, but I still
knew the love of Christ.
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.83
But I kind of strayed, I was
straying back to that old me and
00:26:45.20\00:26:49.04
in 2014, I got sent to the shoe.
00:26:49.04\00:26:51.47
And for guys who've been
incarcerated, you know that's
00:26:51.71\00:26:54.61
the hole.
00:26:54.61\00:26:58.35
every day.
00:26:58.35\00:27:02.38
While doing that, I was led
by the Holy Spirit to get out of
00:27:02.42\00:27:07.12
bed and pray for a young
lady that I had met while I was
00:27:07.12\00:27:09.82
incarcerated. Her brother was,
I was his mentor while I was in
00:27:10.33\00:27:13.83
prison. And the first night,
I disobeyed the Spirit and the
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.77
same thing
happened the second night.
00:27:17.77\00:27:18.97
I said, let me get out of bed
and pray for this young lady.
00:27:19.47\00:27:21.60
But that young lady is now
my wife and we have a daughter.
00:27:22.10\00:27:24.51
I had five sons
when I went to prison.
00:27:24.54\00:27:26.34
So I got a 22
month old daughter.
00:27:26.68\00:27:28.64
I got married
since I've been home.
00:27:29.01\00:27:30.71
And so now let's
transition to me getting out.
00:27:31.58\00:27:34.45
The day I got out, Friday,
January 10th, I was having one
00:27:35.38\00:27:38.42
of the top five worst
days of my incarceration.
00:27:38.42\00:27:40.12
The weight of my son, losing
my son, the weight of losing my
00:27:41.26\00:27:43.66
wife. My mom had
just died in 2016.
00:27:43.73\00:27:45.69
And after I got out of the shoe,
I went back to, they transferred
00:27:46.33\00:27:49.43
me to
Benesville, South Carolina.
00:27:49.43\00:27:50.63
No incident report, did
23 years, only one write up.
00:27:51.10\00:27:54.74
That's the first, the first
month I was in prison, I got a
00:27:54.97\00:27:58.04
three way phone call
write up in the federal system.
00:27:58.04\00:27:59.71
Didn't have any write ups.
00:27:59.71\00:28:01.54
So I went to Benesville, South
Carolina and they had the only
00:28:02.38\00:28:04.68
apostolic faith
church in the system.
00:28:04.68\00:28:07.22
So that allowed me to get back
into the word of God and just
00:28:08.12\00:28:13.22
started bringing
that down into my soul.
00:28:14.06\00:28:15.72
The young lady, I
started writing to her.
00:28:16.32\00:28:18.16
We decided to take year by year
to see with our relationship and
00:28:18.49\00:28:23.10
if I get out fine, but
I always wanted her to go.
00:28:23.10\00:28:25.03
She said, no, I'm
going to stay one more year.
00:28:25.10\00:28:26.47
That Friday man, they would
have been raining all week and
00:28:27.00\00:28:29.37
everything was weighing heavy
on my soul and the case manager
00:28:29.37\00:28:34.68
called me and he told me
that it's time for you to go.
00:28:34.68\00:28:37.75
You know what I mean?
00:28:37.95\00:28:38.38
I said, what you mean?
00:28:38.51\00:28:39.08
So you got me to release.
00:28:39.15\00:28:40.25
So here I am, getting out 10
years early, but I always kept
00:28:41.18\00:28:45.99
the hope bag.
00:28:45.99\00:28:48.89
everything that if I got it,
when I got it, me to release,
00:28:48.89\00:28:52.13
not you. That's what I
was going to take with me.
00:28:52.83\00:28:54.20
So you got out 10 years early.
00:28:54.50\00:28:56.13
10 years early.
00:28:56.13\00:28:56.83
Wow, that's incredible.
00:28:56.87\00:28:57.80
I want you to share
something for our audience.
00:28:58.20\00:29:01.80
What would you say to
someone who's about to get out?
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.14
What could they do to make
sure that they don't go back in?
00:29:06.47\00:29:10.91
If he hasn't done it, on his
first day of going into prison,
00:29:11.45\00:29:14.98
there's no magic thing that you
can do once you get out because
00:29:14.98\00:29:17.82
you have to prepare
yourself for that opportunity.
00:29:17.82\00:29:19.22
Freedom is where
preparation meets opportunity.
00:29:20.32\00:29:22.46
So I prepare myself every day
for the opportunity to be free.
00:29:23.02\00:29:25.93
And so seven months later,
Jason, I had an opportunity from
00:29:26.39\00:29:31.63
a young guy that I'd
met before I went to prison.
00:29:31.63\00:29:33.27
He's now the second-in-command
in the state of Mississippi
00:29:33.40\00:29:36.77
Department of Corrections.
00:29:36.77\00:29:37.37
And he had been watching me.
00:29:38.01\00:29:39.11
I had been doing community work
once I got out in Mount Bayou.
00:29:39.24\00:29:41.78
I'm from a little
town called Mount Bayou.
00:29:41.88\00:29:43.85
It's an all-black town
in the Mississippi Delta.
00:29:43.91\00:29:45.45
And so I was doing community
work, wanted to clean up the
00:29:46.11\00:29:48.92
town. I was feeding people.
00:29:49.08\00:29:50.32
I started my own nonprofit.
00:29:50.39\00:29:51.72
And so he introduced
me to the commissioner.
00:29:52.69\00:29:55.79
And I got hired as a chaplain
slash reentry coordinator.
00:29:56.02\00:29:59.13
So I started developing reentry
programs within the Mississippi
00:30:00.30\00:30:04.60
Department of Corrections.
00:30:04.60\00:30:05.80
I didn't know how bad out of
prison was until I got a chance
00:30:05.97\00:30:09.54
to go in as a free person.
00:30:09.54\00:30:10.47
And so I developed...
00:30:11.91\00:30:13.71
Go ahead, let me...
00:30:13.71\00:30:17.98
Seven months.
00:30:18.08\00:30:18.81
Seven months?
00:30:18.95\00:30:19.78
Seven months and ten days.
00:30:19.78\00:30:21.08
That's unheard of.
00:30:21.38\00:30:22.38
So God had set him up
through that training in prison.
00:30:22.55\00:30:25.92
And it's phenomenal.
00:30:26.69\00:30:27.06
Absolutely.
00:30:27.69\00:30:30.06
That was my next question.
00:30:30.19\00:30:31.33
How did you guys connect?
00:30:31.49\00:30:32.49
How we connected, I was in...
00:30:32.49\00:30:35.26
I worked at Parchman, unit 29.
00:30:35.26\00:30:37.60
I asked for 29 because
that's what Death Row was.
00:30:37.67\00:30:39.90
And I wanted to be that
beacon of hope for guys who were
00:30:40.14\00:30:42.27
incarcerated.
00:30:42.27\00:30:42.77
To say that if it can happen
to me, it can happen to you.
00:30:43.71\00:30:46.47
But you've got
to prepare yourself.
00:30:46.68\00:30:48.28
And so I developed trauma
classes because I learned while
00:30:48.64\00:30:51.35
I was incarcerated that most
people who are incarcerated got
00:30:51.35\00:30:55.32
some type of childhood trauma.
00:30:55.32\00:30:56.12
So I had to teach them
how to deal with their aces.
00:30:56.45\00:30:58.62
And that's one of the
things that I helped them do.
00:31:00.22\00:31:02.99
So now Death Row, being
on 23-1, had never came out.
00:31:03.63\00:31:07.40
They come out every day now.
00:31:07.40\00:31:07.46
They've got a garden.
00:31:08.83\00:31:09.90
They do plays.
00:31:10.50\00:31:11.43
They've got a news
magazine called The Juke Joint.
00:31:12.07\00:31:14.67
And so they're still doing it.
00:31:15.34\00:31:16.14
I got them into
creative writing class.
00:31:16.14\00:31:17.77
Different book club
at least once a month.
00:31:17.97\00:31:19.81
And so I transferred to
CMCF where I met Lemuel.
00:31:20.38\00:31:23.61
I was getting
ready to leave my office.
00:31:23.85\00:31:25.75
And the phone rang, and it was
him calling the wrong prison.
00:31:26.68\00:31:30.52
I got a driver in Mississippi.
00:31:31.85\00:31:33.32
He was trying to
get to Woodville.
00:31:33.36\00:31:34.72
He was trying to find this
prison in Woodville, but I can't
00:31:35.06\00:31:37.26
get a hold to the warden.
00:31:37.26\00:31:38.29
I said, what do you got?
00:31:38.43\00:31:39.23
He said, well, I got some bags.
00:31:39.33\00:31:40.43
I'm crystal behind bars.
00:31:40.56\00:31:41.63
You can look it up.
00:31:41.63\00:31:41.66
I pull up the computer.
00:31:42.40\00:31:43.10
I look it up.
00:31:43.13\00:31:43.53
I said, okay.
00:31:43.57\00:31:44.07
Didn't know much about it.
00:31:44.40\00:31:45.43
I said, well, you
can bring them here.
00:31:45.60\00:31:46.77
So he said, let me
call my driver and I'll see.
00:31:47.87\00:31:49.77
His driver was
probably like an hour away.
00:31:49.97\00:31:51.57
I was getting ready to get off.
00:31:51.64\00:31:52.74
I said, well, I'll stay because
I know how important practices
00:31:53.01\00:31:55.68
are in prison for people.
00:31:55.68\00:31:56.58
I said, well,
how many do you have?
00:31:57.05\00:31:58.15
And he said, how many
inmates you got there?
00:31:58.58\00:31:59.95
I said, I got about 3,500.
00:32:00.12\00:32:01.55
He said, I got about 4,000 bags.
00:32:02.08\00:32:03.89
Look at God.
00:32:05.99\00:32:06.45
Driver came in.
00:32:06.86\00:32:07.59
I convinced the
superintendent to stay.
00:32:08.02\00:32:09.89
Took the truck.
00:32:10.73\00:32:11.23
We bagged them up.
00:32:11.39\00:32:16.03
pass.
00:32:16.03\00:32:16.53
I touched the bag
and give it to a guy.
00:32:16.87\00:32:18.17
He kind of witnessed to him.
00:32:18.53\00:32:19.57
You know, after in the
whole zone and everything.
00:32:19.57\00:32:22.10
So that's how we met.
00:32:22.47\00:32:23.27
That was the first time.
00:32:23.30\00:32:24.11
He said, look, I
need my bags back.
00:32:24.17\00:32:25.87
You got to fold
them up this kind of way.
00:32:25.97\00:32:27.34
He gave him a description.
00:32:27.38\00:32:28.11
So I fold them up and I
hold them for the next time.
00:32:28.51\00:32:31.61
And so I'm like, okay, that
was just a one-time thing I'm
00:32:31.98\00:32:35.42
thinking. And so he
calls me back a few months.
00:32:36.28\00:32:37.92
He said, you got another prison?
00:32:37.95\00:32:39.19
I said, yeah, I got MDLC
and I'm gonna be a Parchman.
00:32:39.22\00:32:42.66
He took bags there.
00:32:43.46\00:32:44.66
We hit a county jail and then he
went to SMCI all the way down.
00:32:44.69\00:32:47.30
So Christmas Behind Bars has
been a blessing to the state of
00:32:48.03\00:32:50.90
Mississippi.
00:32:50.90\00:32:51.63
So now I got, Warren's calling
me from, because news spread
00:32:52.30\00:32:56.50
about good news in prison.
00:32:56.50\00:32:57.64
And so they're calling me
from New Orleans and a couple of
00:32:58.37\00:33:01.54
Paris and Louisiana.
00:33:01.54\00:33:04.98
what I want to do.
00:33:04.98\00:33:05.75
Well, praise God.
00:33:05.88\00:33:07.18
Lemieux, what
were you going to say?
00:33:07.45\00:33:11.85
brother was driving
semi down through Alabama.
00:33:11.85\00:33:14.19
He's supposed to deliver
at Graceville prison tomorrow
00:33:14.29\00:33:17.26
morning in Florida.
00:33:17.26\00:33:17.89
My little brother had a heart
attack and he didn't make it to
00:33:18.63\00:33:20.96
Graceville.
00:33:20.96\00:33:21.76
And so we canceled Graceville
till the next day someone got me
00:33:22.26\00:33:25.43
an airline ticket.
00:33:25.43\00:33:30.14
Graceville.
00:33:30.14\00:33:31.14
The warden come out.
00:33:31.54\00:33:32.44
He said, I'm sorry
about your brother.
00:33:32.54\00:33:33.98
I'm sorry.
00:33:33.98\00:33:34.51
We're praying for your brother.
00:33:34.68\00:33:35.64
Long story short, brother died
but I pray he gave his heart to
00:33:36.68\00:33:40.32
Jesus. But the warden from
Graceville prison used to be a
00:33:40.72\00:33:45.49
warden in Mississippi.
00:33:45.49\00:33:46.32
And I said, warden, I said, do
you know of any other prisons?
00:33:46.76\00:33:48.59
My brother never would
have asked that question.
00:33:48.79\00:33:50.63
So through my brother's passing,
the warden connected us with
00:33:50.69\00:33:54.93
Mississippi.
00:33:54.93\00:33:59.40
thought was tragedy.
00:33:59.40\00:34:00.24
But I pray to see him
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:34:00.50\00:34:01.77
That's incredible.
00:34:04.01\00:34:04.81
Thank you for
sharing your story.
00:34:05.07\00:34:06.61
I mean, I wish we had more
time to hear some more of it.
00:34:07.44\00:34:10.61
We have some more pictures
that we're going to go through.
00:34:10.75\00:34:13.28
Why don't you tell us a
little bit about these pictures.
00:34:13.75\00:34:15.75
Sounds great.
00:34:16.08\00:34:17.19
Now this is the Putmanville
Correctional Facility where you
00:34:20.36\00:34:23.06
were incarcerated Ben and where
Donnie had been incarcerated.
00:34:23.06\00:34:26.36
So here we're in the child
hall and we have all of our
00:34:26.56\00:34:29.76
volunteers, all the bags,
2000 of them are sitting there.
00:34:29.76\00:34:31.77
And so the inmates will come
through there one at a time, get
00:34:31.97\00:34:34.80
their package, get a handshake,
get a word of encouragement, and
00:34:34.80\00:34:37.84
be invited to
come out to the chapel.
00:34:37.84\00:34:39.27
Because after they get their
package, they have a choice now
00:34:39.61\00:34:41.94
whether they want to
come out to the chapel.
00:34:41.94\00:34:43.88
And that's where we have
an opportunity to do ongoing
00:34:44.08\00:34:46.98
evangelism in the prison.
00:34:46.98\00:34:48.65
So that's really cool.
00:34:48.72\00:34:49.52
Yes, absolutely.
00:34:49.78\00:34:50.72
Donnie, why don't you share
a little bit of your story?
00:34:51.72\00:34:53.89
Well, where to begin?
00:34:54.89\00:34:55.92
As a childhood, I never, I
really didn't have a normal
00:34:56.96\00:35:00.60
childhood. I grew up in an
abusive family and my dad was an
00:35:00.83\00:35:04.27
alcoholic. He wanted to come
home, beat on me and my mom.
00:35:04.40\00:35:06.30
And I wasn't ever scared of the
boogie man or the monster under
00:35:07.40\00:35:11.54
my bed.
00:35:11.54\00:35:11.84
It was my dad.
00:35:11.97\00:35:13.14
And well, it led to the streets.
00:35:14.68\00:35:18.75
After my dad left, when I was
probably about 13, I joined a
00:35:19.58\00:35:24.02
gang. And I never realized
that fast as being of a career
00:35:25.42\00:35:33.09
criminal. And I was a career
criminal by the time I was 21.
00:35:34.40\00:35:38.77
And I did a lot of, I
mean, I did a lot of time.
00:35:39.73\00:35:42.34
I've had charges from
racketeering to corrupt business
00:35:43.24\00:35:47.34
to welfare fraud.
00:35:47.34\00:35:52.35
But he came in on my
last prison sentence.
00:35:52.75\00:35:56.18
And you're taking somebody I was
dyslexic and I couldn't read and
00:35:57.32\00:36:03.32
I never really
was good in school.
00:36:03.32\00:36:05.23
So it was, I quit.
00:36:05.69\00:36:08.76
So I didn't have an education.
00:36:09.13\00:36:10.83
So the Bible was the
very first book I ever read.
00:36:11.53\00:36:14.60
And what happened was I was
facing, well, I ended up getting
00:36:15.97\00:36:21.34
58 years. 58 years down?
00:36:21.74\00:36:23.65
And I already had, at this time
I had, after the 58, I had 59
00:36:23.91\00:36:30.25
felony convictions and had the
bitch who won me three times.
00:36:30.25\00:36:32.99
I don't know how
I'm out here today.
00:36:33.82\00:36:37.29
I mean, if it wasn't God's grace
and His mercy and I wouldn't be
00:36:38.06\00:36:42.40
here.
00:36:42.40\00:36:42.90
But long story short was, is
I came in the prison system and
00:36:44.37\00:36:51.01
when they bring you
in, they put you in a room.
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.61
I didn't have a room.
00:36:53.01\00:36:55.31
I was in a room alone and there
was a Bible on the bed and it
00:36:55.31\00:36:58.48
was glowing.
00:36:58.48\00:36:59.05
I could never feel that gap
of, with cars, money, material
00:37:00.75\00:37:07.49
things, anything like that.
00:37:07.62\00:37:08.46
I knew I was missing
something in my life.
00:37:08.89\00:37:10.86
And I was just like God, you
know, I was thinking, well, what
00:37:10.86\00:37:14.83
is it? But when that Bible was
glowing in that room, it was the
00:37:15.16\00:37:19.00
very first book I read, but I
fell to my knees and I was
overwhelmed with his love
00:37:19.00\00:37:24.04
and I just went to the and the
pastor said, Christ come to safe
00:37:24.04\00:37:39.82
centers.
00:37:39.82\00:37:40.32
And I was like, can
you repeat that again?
00:37:41.12\00:37:43.43
And he repeated it three times
and the second time he said,
00:37:44.29\00:37:48.36
yeah, he come to safe centers.
00:37:48.36\00:37:49.30
Third time he repeated, I
think he was getting kind of
00:37:49.70\00:37:52.37
frustrated. And he said, yeah,
Christ come to safe centers like
00:37:53.00\00:37:56.20
you and me. And I said, so
you're telling me that I could
be forgiven for all
00:37:56.50\00:38:02.28
this bad that I did.
00:38:02.28\00:38:03.18
And he said, yeah.
00:38:03.65\00:38:04.75
And I said, you must be a
salesman because you just sold
00:38:05.11\00:38:08.92
me the deal. Because from right
then, that day, the closer I
draw to him, he draw
00:38:09.78\00:38:15.96
closer to me.
00:38:15.96\00:38:16.96
also, that made it
where I wanted more of him.
00:38:17.53\00:38:22.33
But so I went
through my discarceration.
00:38:22.33\00:38:26.30
I was facing 58 years.
00:38:26.43\00:38:28.44
And what happened was I started
getting an inside-outside dad to
00:38:29.34\00:38:33.88
plus program.
00:38:33.88\00:38:34.98
Thank her for a change.
00:38:34.98\00:38:36.41
Got a high school diploma from,
I think it was through Penn
00:38:36.68\00:38:40.68
Foster. And well, I got a lawyer
and end up going back to court
00:38:42.68\00:38:49.22
and end up giving them.
00:38:49.22\00:38:52.66
ain't going to happen.
00:39:07.48\00:39:09.94
it was a blessing
because somebody pinched me.
00:39:09.94\00:39:14.15
And that day
forward, I never turned back.
00:39:16.08\00:39:19.35
now, I feel like this is the
way that I give back, going back
00:39:20.16\00:39:25.13
into prisons, letting
00:39:25.13\00:39:26.43
them out.
00:39:36.67\00:39:37.44
Why are you saying this to me?
00:39:37.67\00:39:39.11
But once, we have
a buddy named Cody.
00:39:39.67\00:39:43.81
And Cody came, what happened
was Cody called me and said, you
00:39:45.18\00:39:49.45
want to go back to Miami County
for Christmas and said, sure,
00:39:49.45\00:39:55.89
why not? And this is about six
years ago, I met Lenor and we
00:39:56.86\00:40:01.93
went in there and he put me
on a spot in front of about 200
00:40:01.93\00:40:04.57
inmates. He said,
you want to go up there?
00:40:05.17\00:40:07.50
no, the room got bigger
and the lights got bigger.
00:40:07.50\00:40:10.71
I figured it was kind
of like social anxiety.
00:40:12.31\00:40:15.28
I was scared.
00:40:16.11\00:40:17.21
I said, I couldn't get out of it
because my back was against the
00:40:17.38\00:40:23.02
wall.
00:40:23.02\00:40:23.45
He called me up there and the
room got bigger, the lights got
00:40:25.02\00:40:29.16
bigger and I really don't know
what I said but just afterwards
00:40:29.16\00:40:36.87
how the inmates just they was
like, man, you did good and it
00:40:36.87\00:40:41.37
was something
they needed to hear.
00:40:41.37\00:40:42.20
But handing them that package,
it prung out everything.
00:40:42.67\00:40:46.07
I said, look, this is
something I want to do.
00:40:46.17\00:40:48.61
Now I know what he's calling
me to do but I also do like, you
00:40:48.94\00:40:54.45
ever heard of
Cairo's prison ministry?
00:40:54.45\00:40:56.85
I do that too.
00:40:56.99\00:40:58.19
So it's being active in all this
is what keeps me from going back
00:40:58.72\00:41:04.46
to the old me but I know that
I would never go back to that
00:41:04.46\00:41:10.03
because there
ain't nothing there.
00:41:10.03\00:41:11.00
I can't even send right.
00:41:11.67\00:41:12.90
Before it was easy to send.
00:41:13.50\00:41:14.97
Today it's no.
00:41:15.20\00:41:16.40
But the calling on my life
was like the feet on the cross.
00:41:17.41\00:41:21.68
And it was like I was
saying, God, Jesus, remember me.
00:41:22.68\00:41:26.45
And he said, I already
prepared a place for you.
00:41:26.45\00:41:29.78
And today I'm living in paradise
because he pulled me from the
00:41:30.19\00:41:33.82
pits of hell and gave me life.
00:41:33.82\00:41:35.86
And you know, it says in
the Lord's prayer on earth as in
00:41:36.36\00:41:40.66
heaven. That's why I say we're
living in paradise because why
00:41:40.73\00:41:45.33
wait till you get there?
00:41:45.33\00:41:45.93
You've got to live it right now.
00:41:46.03\00:41:47.27
Donnie, you didn't
tell me you were a preacher.
00:41:48.07\00:41:52.67
I mean, that is incredible.
00:41:54.31\00:41:56.48
It ain't me, it's him.
00:41:56.48\00:41:57.71
Yes, yes.
00:41:58.05\00:41:58.98
I want to find out what was it
like for you when you heard 58
00:41:59.48\00:42:06.62
years that you were
getting sentenced to 58 years.
00:42:06.62\00:42:08.92
What was going through
your mind at that time?
00:42:08.92\00:42:11.59
Well, I had a wife and two kids.
00:42:12.26\00:42:14.00
And there was a
lot of regrets, shame.
00:42:15.16\00:42:21.34
I was blaming it on myself,
which it was my fault because
00:42:23.64\00:42:27.84
God gives us the free will.
00:42:27.84\00:42:29.24
And it was a hard thing to face,
but I knew I had to face it.
00:42:31.05\00:42:36.18
wasn't a way out.
00:42:36.38\00:42:37.45
There wasn't a back door that
I could run out or anything like
00:42:37.62\00:42:40.89
that.
00:42:40.89\00:42:44.89
going to happen.
00:42:44.89\00:42:45.46
But me surrendering my life to
Christ, it changed everything.
00:42:46.63\00:42:50.70
And if I could give anybody
any kind of hope, this is what I
00:42:51.33\00:42:57.21
would say, you know, lean into
him and he'll draw near to you.
00:42:57.21\00:43:01.18
his love, he says,
come to me as you are.
00:43:02.31\00:43:05.91
And when you come me as you are,
he sorts through your problems.
00:43:06.58\00:43:10.25
And the thing about it is, I
realized that he said I would
00:43:11.45\00:43:17.36
never leave you or forsaken you.
00:43:17.36\00:43:18.86
And he didn't.
00:43:18.96\00:43:20.16
He changed my
life and for the good.
00:43:21.16\00:43:24.47
And for years I
struggled with forgiving myself.
00:43:24.73\00:43:28.54
But I had to
men's weekend retreat.
00:43:28.77\00:43:38.01
And they asked me to give a
talk and it was on forgiveness.
00:43:38.55\00:43:41.18
And it stood out the most.
00:43:41.78\00:43:44.05
I was running around with
this book bag full of weight.
00:43:44.55\00:43:47.49
And it was all the weight of the
sin that I was hoping against
00:43:47.92\00:43:51.29
myself.
00:43:51.29\00:43:51.89
I couldn't forgive myself.
00:43:51.89\00:43:53.09
So I was carrying it around for
so long that I had to release
00:43:53.66\00:43:58.70
it. And then once I released it,
it was just like, the shackles
00:43:59.00\00:44:03.74
was gone. I was ready to run.
00:44:03.81\00:44:05.21
I was set free.
00:44:05.21\00:44:06.44
I was no longer a
slave of captivity no more.
00:44:06.88\00:44:12.61
I was set free.
00:44:12.88\00:44:13.98
You know those saying who the
sun sets free is free indeed.
00:44:14.45\00:44:17.62
I'm free.
00:44:17.95\00:44:18.52
I'd like to say that the first
prison he came back to was about
00:44:19.95\00:44:24.16
3 ,000 inmates to the
Miami correctional facility.
00:44:24.16\00:44:27.13
How did that make you
feel when you came in?
00:44:27.50\00:44:29.46
Because you received quite
00:44:29.56\00:44:30.67
a few messages were
to go back and give back.
00:44:40.98\00:44:46.58
It's an honor.
00:44:47.72\00:44:48.85
It's really an honor because
the blessings that he blessed me
00:44:49.35\00:44:53.62
with, and I remember him telling
me you need to go back and tell
00:44:54.12\00:44:57.59
somebody else.
00:44:57.59\00:45:02.66
and share your testimony, or
if we get to be able to go out
00:45:02.66\00:45:06.90
there and pray for them and
really get into their lives
where a lot of people
00:45:06.90\00:45:15.04
don't want to go
back into prisons.
00:45:15.04\00:45:16.61
I was one of them.
00:45:17.58\00:45:18.51
I said, I ain't
going back in there.
00:45:18.65\00:45:19.78
It was my calling.
00:45:21.88\00:45:23.65
I guess really
honestly, it was a blessing.
00:45:25.35\00:45:27.82
I thought I was going in
there giving somebody some hope.
00:45:29.69\00:45:32.33
It was the opposite.
00:45:32.33\00:45:33.73
It was giving me hope.
00:45:34.00\00:45:34.93
Yes, yes.
00:45:35.43\00:45:36.00
Sheriff Sprouls, real quick,
what does it make you feel like
00:45:36.93\00:45:41.40
as you're listening to these
stories, because you see a lot.
00:45:41.40\00:45:44.84
You see the other side of
things, but sitting here hearing
00:45:45.24\00:45:49.54
these stories, the
transformation that's taking
place, how does that make
00:45:49.54\00:45:53.15
you feel?
00:45:53.15\00:45:53.68
Well, I love it.
00:45:54.08\00:45:55.58
You know, one thing that I tell
our inmates, and I want to tell
00:45:56.38\00:45:59.59
these guys, their story and
their message is so much more
powerful than mine.
00:45:59.59\00:46:07.73
The people that are in jails,
they don't really trust the
00:46:11.50\00:46:16.67
police. And you know, just an
illustration, when I went with
00:46:17.21\00:46:21.74
Christmas Behind Bars to the
Pendleton Reformatory, Ali
Mueller called and asked if I
00:46:21.74\00:46:26.38
would come.
00:46:26.38\00:46:26.92
I said, man, I'd love to.
00:46:27.02\00:46:27.95
He said, hey, would
you wear your uniform?
00:46:27.98\00:46:29.28
And I said, we're going
to be inside the prison.
00:46:29.98\00:46:33.19
And he said, yeah.
00:46:33.19\00:46:35.09
So I said, man, that's
a little bit dangerous.
00:46:35.76\00:46:37.66
Obviously, I won't
take my firearm in.
00:46:37.89\00:46:40.20
But this is so important.
00:46:40.80\00:46:43.06
I learned a great lesson,
and I've been able to share from
00:46:43.20\00:46:47.30
this. But when I walked in, I
was a little apprehensive about
00:46:47.87\00:46:51.11
it. There's something I've got
to tell you something, Now, hear
00:47:02.72\00:47:05.99
this, this is important.
00:47:05.99\00:47:06.52
He said, I've
been in here 16 years.
00:47:07.36\00:47:09.82
And he said, when I saw you
walk through that door and that
00:47:10.63\00:47:13.03
uniform, he said, man, I looked
around, I knew I had to run.
00:47:13.23\00:47:16.10
And he said, and it's so
important, he said, I knew
00:47:16.10\00:47:21.47
there's nowhere to run, but he
said, it's just, he said, that's
just the way it is.
00:47:21.47\00:47:24.74
And so, you know, I've gone back
and told our officers, guys,
00:47:25.21\00:47:30.81
just because somebody is shaking
like this when they're holding
00:47:30.81\00:47:33.88
their don't mean
they're hiding dope.
00:47:34.08\00:47:35.42
Come on.
00:47:35.78\00:47:35.95
What are you shaking like?
00:47:37.52\00:47:38.79
What are you sweating for?
00:47:38.85\00:47:39.82
Are you hiding something?
00:47:40.06\00:47:40.82
No.
00:47:41.42\00:47:46.56
And we have got
to understand that.
00:47:46.70\00:47:48.90
We have got to
build a culture of trust.
00:47:49.26\00:47:52.23
And so, I've
learned so many things.
00:47:53.17\00:47:54.97
So, Christmas Behind Bars has
done so much more than just give
00:47:55.14\00:47:59.04
inmates hope.
00:47:59.04\00:48:03.14
I'll tell you what, these
testimonies here were worth my
00:48:03.61\00:48:07.15
nine hours on the road today.
00:48:07.15\00:48:08.25
They were worth 24
hours on the road today.
00:48:08.25\00:48:10.62
I love it.
00:48:10.62\00:48:11.75
you know, God is
going to use these people.
00:48:12.35\00:48:15.29
Yes.
00:48:15.32\00:48:15.96
He's going to
use their testimony.
00:48:16.09\00:48:17.89
And I just, I'll tell you, I'm
right where the Lord wants me.
00:48:18.53\00:48:21.80
Amen.
00:48:21.80\00:48:22.20
And I love it.
00:48:22.20\00:48:23.10
And I love
ministering to people.
00:48:23.10\00:48:23.13
I love caring for people.
00:48:25.93\00:48:27.90
Amen.
00:48:28.17\00:48:28.67
Amen.
00:48:28.94\00:48:29.40
Lemuel?
00:48:29.67\00:48:34.11
are being used.
00:48:34.11\00:48:34.91
We want to talk to the
people at home right now, Jason.
00:48:35.38\00:48:37.51
Yes.
00:48:37.75\00:48:41.72
You know, Christ sent the
demoniacs back to their own
00:48:42.12\00:48:45.55
hometown to
share what he'd done.
00:48:45.55\00:48:46.32
And that's what
this brother did.
00:48:46.32\00:48:47.62
He's going back.
00:48:47.72\00:48:48.32
But people at home can get
involved in jail and prison
00:48:49.12\00:48:52.39
ministry. It's not
just Christmas behind bars.
00:48:52.69\00:48:54.50
That's great.
00:48:54.56\00:48:55.16
The Lord has built it.
00:48:55.46\00:48:56.70
But we want people to realize
whether they're pastors or
00:48:56.87\00:48:59.73
whether they're chaplain, that
they can do something in their
00:48:59.73\00:49:02.67
own local county jail.
00:49:02.67\00:49:06.91
saw this program, and they
go down to the county jail, what
00:49:06.91\00:49:10.65
would you tell them when they
go down to the jail, what they'd
00:49:10.65\00:49:13.15
like to be involved with?
00:49:13.15\00:49:13.72
Yeah.
00:49:14.18\00:49:14.92
Well, you know, there's
many ways to be involved.
00:49:15.25\00:49:17.52
One thing that I would say, I
laugh about it, but I go back to
00:49:17.85\00:49:22.99
when I bought these bags, these
little bags, and I had $4,000 in
00:49:22.99\00:49:28.10
it, just for our
jail only, 220 inmates.
00:49:28.10\00:49:30.57
You know, one thing
that we can do is give.
00:49:32.13\00:49:34.80
I've heard this statement many
times, you can never be more
00:49:36.07\00:49:38.91
like Christ than when you give,
for he gave his only begotten
00:49:38.91\00:49:44.68
son. And so, you know, it does,
one thing it boils down to is
00:49:45.25\00:49:50.29
money. you know, I remember
talking to a friend, a dear
00:49:51.59\00:49:55.92
friend of mine, an old farmer
friend who told me one day, he
said, you know what, I just
00:49:55.92\00:49:59.69
feel like I'm just helpless.
00:49:59.69\00:50:01.30
He said, I don't, I'm worthless.
00:50:01.33\00:50:03.10
I'm 95 years
old, I can't do much.
00:50:03.53\00:50:05.73
And I thought, you're 95 years
old, setting on more millions
00:50:06.10\00:50:09.74
than I can count.
00:50:09.74\00:50:10.31
We have, you know, you can,
right from your home, first you
00:50:11.64\00:50:16.21
can pray. You can pray.
00:50:16.61\00:50:17.68
Pray for the ministry.
00:50:18.01\00:50:19.11
Pray for those, the literature
in the bags to connect.
00:50:19.45\00:50:23.18
Like you said,
the Bible was glowing.
00:50:23.25\00:50:24.95
Oh man, that's the Lord.
00:50:25.72\00:50:26.89
That's the Lord
working through prayers.
00:50:26.89\00:50:28.52
And so, you know, I would
say, let's give because the
00:50:29.22\00:50:35.40
thousands, I have no idea.
00:50:35.40\00:50:36.30
Man, it's a lot of money.
00:50:36.90\00:50:38.13
But there are people out there
who can perpetuate, promote this
00:50:38.53\00:50:44.77
Gospel by writing a check.
00:50:45.27\00:50:46.78
We just bought a whole
semi-load of hygiene items.
00:50:47.51\00:50:49.84
It was $12,000.
00:50:50.01\00:50:51.05
I mean, but hygiene
items, soap, shampoo, deodorant.
00:50:51.41\00:50:54.15
I bought a whole
semi-load of ramen noodles.
00:50:55.55\00:50:57.19
They said 10 cents a piece.
00:50:57.55\00:50:58.85
I said, I'll take them.
00:50:58.92\00:51:04.16
cents.
00:51:04.16\00:51:07.76
And we're still paying
study Bibles, the Andrews study
00:51:08.13\00:51:10.80
Bibles. We committed that every
woman could get a study Bible.
00:51:11.23\00:51:13.40
They're a lot of money.
00:51:13.84\00:51:15.00
But God's good, so thank you.
00:51:15.97\00:51:17.54
I appreciate that
encouragement to our viewers.
00:51:17.64\00:51:19.91
So Lemuel, with Christmas
00:51:20.91\00:51:22.44
Behind Bars, give us a
little bit 40 years ago when I
00:51:32.72\00:51:36.26
struggled with addiction.
00:51:36.26\00:51:36.73
I used to take narcotics back
and meet the officer down at the
00:51:37.49\00:51:40.16
McDonald's to take the drugs in
there so my and the doctors want
00:51:40.16\00:52:04.62
to give me more dope.
00:52:04.62\00:52:05.29
They want to give you
methadone and anabuse.
00:52:05.72\00:52:07.42
No, dude, I threw my dope
in the parking lot tonight.
00:52:07.59\00:52:10.29
Last night I threw it in the
parking lot and I walked into
00:52:10.39\00:52:13.03
treatment.
00:52:13.03\00:52:13.36
I don't want methadone.
00:52:13.70\00:52:14.56
I don't want anabuse.
00:52:14.63\00:52:15.56
I want to change.
00:52:15.73\00:52:17.00
And there was a pastor that came
to pray with me in that hospital
00:52:17.57\00:52:21.47
room. I was there maybe a
day and a half, two days in
00:52:21.57\00:52:23.41
treatment. I don't remember.
00:52:23.54\00:52:24.14
Knock on my door.
00:52:24.31\00:52:25.01
He'd like to come in and he told
me what Jesus had done for him.
00:52:25.67\00:52:28.81
He got addicted to cough syrup
when his mother died and Jesus
00:52:29.68\00:52:33.38
helped him with
that and he left.
00:52:33.38\00:52:35.12
I pushed the bed back up against
the door and I was in the valley
00:52:35.75\00:52:38.22
decision, do I
want to try or not try?
00:52:38.22\00:52:39.92
Sure, I want to try.
00:52:40.02\00:52:40.69
I want change.
00:52:40.82\00:52:44.56
ever seen in my life.
00:52:44.56\00:52:45.39
Third grade, I heard there were
no two snowflakes created the
00:52:45.96\00:52:49.23
same and I saw that sunset.
00:52:49.23\00:52:50.20
I said, I bet there's no two
sunsets created the same either.
00:52:50.43\00:52:52.73
I said, if he can paint that, he
can help me and I kneeled down
00:52:53.10\00:52:56.00
and I prayed.
00:52:56.00\00:52:56.60
I said, dear
Jesus, please help me.
00:52:56.81\00:52:57.91
I want to quit, but I can't.
00:52:57.91\00:52:59.17
We began going to that pastor's
church and that December his
00:52:59.17\00:53:03.38
wife had the idea of making
packages for the folk in the
00:53:03.38\00:53:07.08
local county jail. So
that's how it started, Jay.
00:53:07.38\00:53:08.42
Awesome.
00:53:08.62\00:53:13.05
didn't they?
00:53:13.15\00:53:17.29
fruit in jail.
00:53:17.29\00:53:21.13
they started off little and we
went down to the jail and they
00:53:21.13\00:53:24.70
passed them through the bars
to the inmates and then the next
00:53:24.70\00:53:27.87
year, I thought, I'll make them
bigger so instead of a little
00:53:27.87\00:53:30.37
package, we made them bigger
because I was hoping they'd open
00:53:30.37\00:53:33.11
the door and boy, they stuffed
them through the food slot,
through the tray slot.
00:53:33.11\00:53:35.94
And then I thought, chaplain
said, now you got to keep them
00:53:36.64\00:53:39.31
small enough to
fit through there.
00:53:39.31\00:53:43.02
that door and I
didn't tell nobody.
00:53:43.02\00:53:44.95
So we got the big brown grocery
sack now and so we show up at
00:53:45.02\00:53:48.59
the jail.
00:53:48.59\00:53:49.02
I didn't tell my wife.
00:53:49.16\00:53:49.76
I didn't tell the church.
00:53:49.79\00:53:50.46
I didn't tell nobody.
00:53:50.53\00:53:51.29
Show up at the jail.
00:53:51.73\00:53:52.63
They had a little
committee meeting.
00:53:53.19\00:53:54.30
The officers all met down
at the end of the hallway.
00:53:54.50\00:53:56.13
Said, guess we'll
have to let them go in.
00:53:56.36\00:53:58.13
They opened the jail.
00:53:58.17\00:53:59.60
Now we got to go in and share
with them the love of Christ and
00:53:59.60\00:54:03.20
why we're there for
about 10 minutes in each pod.
00:54:03.20\00:54:05.51
So that's how
the bags got bigger.
00:54:05.57\00:54:07.51
Yeah, yeah, I love that
because those bags are huge.
00:54:07.98\00:54:10.71
Yeah, his cost of $4,000 for 200
bags, I can't begin to tell you
00:54:11.18\00:54:16.38
what these bags cost,
but it's not about the cost.
00:54:16.38\00:54:19.25
It's about Donnie's
life committed to Christ.
00:54:19.45\00:54:21.66
It's about our chaplain in
Mississippi seeing the joy and
00:54:21.89\00:54:24.89
the value and hope in
the state of Mississippi.
00:54:24.89\00:54:27.00
It's about my brother Ben
receive a package and know
00:54:27.23\00:54:30.50
there's hope for his life.
00:54:30.50\00:54:34.44
maximum security prison and
says there's hope for your life.
00:54:34.44\00:54:37.04
And so, Jay, all I
can say is God is good.
00:54:37.44\00:54:39.41
Through your own personal
testimony, he's brought you out
00:54:39.57\00:54:42.28
of darkness.
00:54:42.28\00:54:47.48
one that's incarcerated?
00:54:47.48\00:54:48.65
What can they do
for their loved one?
00:54:49.18\00:54:51.79
I would say hold on.
00:54:52.22\00:54:53.39
Don't give up.
00:54:53.59\00:54:57.66
And so maybe you put your
son through treatment and spent
00:54:57.66\00:55:00.40
thousands of dollars
to send him to treatment.
00:55:00.40\00:55:02.30
He didn't get nothing in
treatment if he didn't have
00:55:02.53\00:55:04.87
Jesus. And so
family members, hold on.
00:55:05.13\00:55:06.80
Keep praying,
support, write a letter.
00:55:06.87\00:55:09.14
Don't leave them abandoned
at that point in their life when
00:55:09.44\00:55:12.81
there's opportunity for change.
00:55:12.81\00:55:14.11
You know, that's a dark place,
but the darker the night, the
00:55:14.48\00:55:18.68
brighter the light.
00:55:18.68\00:55:19.15
Amen.
00:55:19.61\00:55:20.12
Now, maybe there's somebody at
home that's like, hey, you know,
00:55:21.32\00:55:25.39
I've really been touched
by what I've been watching.
00:55:25.39\00:55:28.22
I want to support the ministry
of Christmas Behind Bars.
00:55:28.42\00:55:30.66
What's your website?
00:55:30.79\00:55:31.39
ChristmasBehindBars.org
ChristmasBehindBars.org And no
00:55:32.39\00:55:36.16
matter how dark the night, God
created humanity in His image.
00:55:36.16\00:55:40.60
Amen.
00:55:40.60\00:55:44.77
And on the cross of Calvary now,
He brings that hope through His
00:55:44.77\00:55:48.21
shed blood, through
His Son, Jesus Christ.
00:55:48.21\00:55:50.41
And what are some
needs of your organization?
00:55:50.91\00:55:54.05
Needs?
00:55:54.15\00:55:56.15
We need
volunteers to get involved.
00:55:56.25\00:55:57.89
We'll come to your church.
00:55:57.92\00:55:58.95
We'll share with
you about the program.
00:55:59.09\00:56:00.56
We'll try to help get you
started on the second hour.
00:56:00.79\00:56:02.99
We're going to hear from
volunteer coordinators who help
00:56:03.06\00:56:06.83
facilitate this ongoing
ministry in different states.
00:56:06.83\00:56:09.03
So yeah, it's awesome.
00:56:09.03\00:56:09.06
All right, let's go.
00:56:11.00\00:56:11.83
We've got just a
few seconds here.
00:56:11.97\00:56:14.20
Ben, let's start with you.
00:56:14.74\00:56:15.90
Give me a final thought.
00:56:16.00\00:56:17.11
I just like to share that just
because you know somebody who's
00:56:17.94\00:56:23.24
out there that might have
struggled in the past, their
mistakes, no one to
00:56:23.24\00:56:26.11
find them.
00:56:26.11\00:56:26.82
There's always hope.
00:56:27.42\00:56:28.18
God can and will change.
00:56:28.42\00:56:30.22
Amen.
00:56:30.49\00:56:30.89
Sheriff Sprouls?
00:56:31.85\00:56:33.36
Last message, I
think, to the people.
00:56:34.72\00:56:36.96
I just want to
share the hope of Christ.
00:56:38.29\00:56:40.70
Amen.
00:56:40.70\00:56:41.20
And I want to
share that we care.
00:56:41.50\00:56:43.80
And most
importantly, that God cares.
00:56:43.80\00:56:47.07
Amen, amen.
00:56:47.27\00:56:48.70
Donnie?
00:56:49.17\00:56:52.31
And I mean, He
ain't ever gave up on us.
00:56:53.71\00:56:56.21
We wouldn't be here
today if He gave up on us.
00:56:56.75\00:56:59.18
So just don't give up.
00:56:59.71\00:57:01.52
There is hope.
00:57:01.62\00:57:02.25
Chaplain?
00:57:03.55\00:57:03.95
I would like to just say love
everybody, man, as Christ loved
00:57:05.59\00:57:10.59
us. Because somebody
is down and downtrodden.
00:57:10.73\00:57:12.86
Don't think that you're so holy
that you can't see Christ in
00:57:12.86\00:57:16.80
them. So look at them through
the same prism as Christ looked
00:57:17.93\00:57:20.70
upon us. And He accepted
us back and redeemed us.
00:57:20.77\00:57:22.80
Amen, that's very good.
00:57:22.84\00:57:24.07
Lemuel?
00:57:24.14\00:57:27.61
Behind Bars ministry.
00:57:27.61\00:57:28.71
Amen, amen.
00:57:29.38\00:57:30.31
This first hour
has been incredible.
00:57:30.55\00:57:32.98
Thank you all for
coming on and sharing.
00:57:33.38\00:57:35.38
Don't go anywhere.
00:57:35.85\00:57:36.99
We're going to
take a brief break.
00:57:37.05\00:57:38.72
We will be right back with more
to come, We're going to play in
00:57:38.85\00:57:41.46
some musical chairs, and
more blessings are on the way.
00:57:41.46\00:57:44.66
Amen.
00:57:45.06\00:57:45.19