So I'm so glad you stuck
with us for the second hour.
00:00:09.70\00:00:13.64
It's gonna be
another Power Packed Hour.
00:00:13.81\00:00:15.68
You're gonna hear all about
what God is doing through the
00:00:15.94\00:00:19.75
wonderful ministry of
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:00:19.75\00:00:21.75
We played a little bit of
musical chairs, but we still
00:00:22.05\00:00:25.32
have Lemuel. And Lemuel, I'm
gonna let you go ahead and take
00:00:25.99\00:00:28.82
it away and introduce
who we have here with us.
00:00:28.82\00:00:30.79
Jay, the first
hour was phenomenal.
00:00:30.83\00:00:32.43
It shares testimonies of
people that's been incarcerated.
00:00:32.69\00:00:35.50
And the sheriff is somebody
that runs a whole county.
00:00:35.50\00:00:39.23
So he's in
charge of that dynamic.
00:00:39.53\00:00:41.10
And so we're grateful
to have Mr. Sprouls back.
00:00:41.44\00:00:45.67
He was in our first hour.
00:00:46.88\00:00:48.41
We have Vicki Funk.
00:00:48.54\00:00:49.44
And Vicki is our program
coordinator for the whole state
00:00:49.94\00:00:52.81
of Illinois.
00:00:52.81\00:00:53.21
And that's phenomenal.
00:00:53.38\00:00:54.38
She's helped connect the
dots with Chaplain Welch.
00:00:54.48\00:00:57.15
So Chaplain Welch is actually a
chaplain at the Decatur Illinois
00:00:57.35\00:01:01.19
Prison.
00:01:01.19\00:01:05.59
Christ, for these people.
00:01:05.59\00:01:06.76
We have Michael.
00:01:07.13\00:01:07.86
He traveled up
here from Kentucky.
00:01:07.93\00:01:09.63
Now Michael actually has
received packages, but he's also
00:01:10.17\00:01:13.64
been able to go back,
give back, hand them out.
00:01:13.64\00:01:16.04
And when he goes into that door,
they say, wow, what are you
00:01:16.17\00:01:19.24
doing here?
00:01:19.24\00:01:22.41
We have Mitchell Barfield, which
is near and dear to our heart
00:01:22.68\00:01:25.71
and the ministry.
00:01:25.71\00:01:29.58
years.
00:01:29.58\00:01:30.19
And it's a great blessing.
00:01:30.19\00:01:31.42
Mitchell, thank you for
traveling up here as well.
00:01:31.69\00:01:33.25
Amen.
00:01:33.86\00:01:34.29
Amen.
00:01:34.49\00:01:36.36
I'm looking forward to hearing
your story and the impact that
00:01:36.56\00:01:40.40
you've been able to
make by the grace of God.
00:01:40.40\00:01:42.70
But Lemuel, we have a video that
we're getting ready to go to.
00:01:42.90\00:01:46.33
Why don't you tell us a little
bit about what we can expect?
00:01:46.37\00:01:48.90
In this next video, we're
going to see how important these
00:01:49.44\00:01:53.27
packages are to
the family members.
00:01:53.27\00:01:55.18
We just delivered last week
1,600 packages to the maximum
00:01:55.51\00:01:59.55
security prison
where I was in prison.
00:01:59.55\00:02:00.78
The next morning, I got a phone
call and it was from this lady
00:02:00.95\00:02:04.39
saying that her husband, 30
years incarcerated, just went to
00:02:04.39\00:02:09.12
prison and she's holding on and
she called to say, thank you.
00:02:09.12\00:02:12.03
That's where we're going.
00:02:12.03\00:02:12.06
Wow.
00:02:13.26\00:02:16.36
Hi, my name is Leah and my
husband is incarcerated in the
00:02:17.87\00:02:21.44
state of Indiana.
00:02:21.44\00:02:25.31
with their time, their money
and their resources to Christmas
00:02:25.31\00:02:28.91
Behind Bars.
00:02:28.91\00:02:32.71
to inmates.
00:02:32.71\00:02:33.52
It doesn't just mean a lot to
inmates, but to their families.
00:02:33.95\00:02:36.45
It can often feel like that we
are forgotten about as a spouse
00:02:36.95\00:02:40.29
of an inmate or a loved one.
00:02:40.29\00:02:41.86
It can be very disheartening
to know that there are men and
00:02:41.96\00:02:45.23
women who take their time to go
into the prison and even make my
00:02:45.23\00:02:48.60
husband a
homemade car means so much.
00:02:48.60\00:02:50.60
You are not forgotten.
00:02:50.93\00:02:52.10
Please continue to pray for
inmates and for their families
00:02:53.20\00:02:56.34
and thank you
again to our sponsors.
00:02:56.34\00:02:57.64
God bless you.
00:02:57.64\00:02:58.94
Hi, my name is Francisco Souza.
00:03:00.44\00:03:02.21
I'm a member of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church here in
00:03:03.31\00:03:06.38
Lafayette, Tennessee.
00:03:06.58\00:03:12.82
ministries and help other people
with literary and some snacks,
00:03:12.82\00:03:18.36
good.
00:03:18.63\00:03:24.03
ago, and he promised God, if you
bless me, get out of here, this
00:03:24.03\00:03:29.47
situation, I will be involved on
the ministry of helping others
00:03:29.47\00:03:35.71
and everybody in the prison.
00:03:35.71\00:03:37.18
When we go visit them, they ask
Francisco when Christmas beheads
00:03:38.15\00:03:42.75
by coming, when
Christmas behead by coming.
00:03:42.75\00:03:45.02
Serve is one of the best things
which Christians is supposed to
00:03:45.92\00:03:50.73
do today, especially living
on this time is a such a time is
00:03:50.73\00:03:57.33
today. God bless you.
00:03:57.60\00:03:58.83
And if you have a chance to
support this ministry, Christmas
00:03:59.40\00:04:04.91
behind bars, do it
because we do it for Jesus.
00:04:04.91\00:04:08.11
Thank you.
00:04:08.24\00:04:09.31
God bless you.
00:04:09.38\00:04:10.38
My name is Chaplain
William Douglas Walker.
00:04:10.68\00:04:12.81
I'm the chaplain at A.T.E.F.
00:04:12.88\00:04:14.98
Alabama Thayer
Public Education Facility.
00:04:15.05\00:04:17.39
It's a reentry
facility owned by G .O.
00:04:17.39\00:04:20.62
Group.
00:04:20.79\00:04:24.93
But first, I want to let you
know that God has delivered me
00:04:25.06\00:04:28.70
from alcohol and drugs and
all criminal activities for 30
00:04:28.70\00:04:32.87
years. And so I said to God,
if he pulled me out, I would go
00:04:33.13\00:04:37.37
back in. So I've been in prison
ministry for about 28 years, and
00:04:37.61\00:04:42.31
I'm just delighted to be able to
show back what God gave to me.
00:04:42.31\00:04:45.95
And so when I met Nabil O'Fagar,
automatically we kind of had
00:04:46.35\00:04:53.15
tender experience.
00:04:53.15\00:04:54.09
And when I heard about him, and
some of the ladies and some of
00:04:54.49\00:04:58.79
the men that my facility had
heard about, and I finally got
00:04:58.79\00:05:01.93
in touch with him, and I tapped
into it, and man, it was right
00:05:01.93\00:05:05.20
on time. And he delivered.
00:05:05.40\00:05:06.37
Not only he delivered
once, but he delivered twice.
00:05:06.47\00:05:09.07
And they are asking me
now, when is he coming back?
00:05:09.37\00:05:12.51
So I'm just grateful that
God has put on this heart.
00:05:12.51\00:05:16.41
Thank God for all
the labor of love.
00:05:16.44\00:05:18.08
Thank God for all the
contributions, all the people
00:05:18.15\00:05:21.05
who help, all
the people who give.
00:05:21.05\00:05:22.32
Please keep giving, because one
thing about it, Jesus said, when
00:05:22.38\00:05:25.99
I was hungry,
you didn't feed me.
00:05:25.99\00:05:27.16
When I was cold, you
didn't bring me no clothes.
00:05:27.16\00:05:29.72
When I was thirsty, you
didn't bring me no water.
00:05:29.99\00:05:31.86
So it is good to be able to give
to somebody who really needed,
00:05:32.09\00:05:37.17
really wanted, really need
that second chance, that hope or
00:05:37.17\00:05:42.57
love, that love that nobody
seemed to want to give it to
00:05:42.57\00:05:46.91
him. So I'm just grateful
to be able to be on this video.
00:05:46.98\00:05:50.08
Hi, my name's Cody, and I just
go around with this Christmas
00:05:51.41\00:05:55.68
Behind Bars, and I
watch miracles happen.
00:05:55.68\00:05:58.59
And there was a guy that I'm
dealing with right now, and he's
00:05:58.82\00:06:03.46
in a prison,
and he's doing good.
00:06:03.46\00:06:04.96
He's actually out of the
prison now at a work release.
00:06:04.96\00:06:04.99
But he'd done a
lot of time in prison.
00:06:07.66\00:06:10.37
And when he arrived at the
county jail he was in, he was
00:06:10.73\00:06:14.77
suicidal. He was so
depressed, and he lost all hope.
00:06:15.47\00:06:18.11
And he was tired that one day,
Christmas Behind Bars showed up
00:06:18.51\00:06:24.08
at that county jail.
00:06:24.08\00:06:24.98
And he received a package.
00:06:25.38\00:06:27.05
And when he received that
package, he went from wanting to
00:06:27.38\00:06:31.32
take his life to having life.
00:06:31.32\00:06:33.05
He went from the
darkness to the light.
00:06:33.62\00:06:35.92
It changed his whole deal.
00:06:35.92\00:06:38.06
And I just want someone to know
out there that there is a hope
00:06:38.66\00:06:43.13
in Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior.
00:06:43.13\00:06:44.97
And I want to read you a
scripture that says in Psalms
00:06:45.63\00:06:51.31
42, he also brought me up out of
a horrible pit, out of the miry
00:06:51.31\00:06:57.38
clay, and set my
feet upon a rock.
00:06:57.38\00:06:58.85
And he established my steps.
00:06:59.21\00:07:01.52
In Romans 12, 12, it says,
rejoicing in hope, patient in
00:07:04.49\00:07:10.43
tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer.
00:07:10.43\00:07:14.86
I would like to pray today
and hope that someone that hears
00:07:15.73\00:07:18.93
this prayer, and I'm just doing
this for the Lord to reach to
00:07:18.93\00:07:24.01
someone who right now may
be suicidal, depressed, so
00:07:24.01\00:07:29.21
aggravated and frustrated.
00:07:29.21\00:07:29.81
They don't know what to do.
00:07:29.88\00:07:30.98
They don't know how to cry out.
00:07:30.98\00:07:32.51
I'm going to cry out for you.
00:07:32.51\00:07:35.08
Father God, we just come to you
right now in the name of Jesus
00:07:35.45\00:07:38.52
Christ, Lord.
00:07:38.52\00:07:39.32
I just ask you for a hope.
00:07:39.79\00:07:41.52
And I ask you right now, there's
somebody right now that is so
00:07:42.22\00:07:46.39
tired they can't do it no more.
00:07:46.39\00:07:47.86
I ask you to give them a hope
and a future like you said in
00:07:48.10\00:07:51.47
Jeremiah 29, 11.
00:07:51.47\00:07:52.63
You know the plans
for their life, Lord.
00:07:53.17\00:07:55.37
And Father, I just ask that this
reaches someone, someone's ears
00:07:55.97\00:08:00.64
because I didn't know how to
pray before that you stepped in
00:08:00.64\00:08:05.05
on me one day in that jail
cell and change the whole deal.
00:08:05.05\00:08:09.58
And Father, I'm so grateful
because today I do have hope.
00:08:10.25\00:08:13.96
I do have an endurance
that I never had before.
00:08:14.32\00:08:16.79
I do have a strength
that I never had before.
00:08:17.09\00:08:19.59
I do have clarity and I am
clean today only because of you,
00:08:20.26\00:08:25.57
Father God.
00:08:25.57\00:08:30.47
And I ask you to hold up
whoever's wanting to give up.
00:08:30.87\00:08:33.84
I ask you for mercy to rain
down from the heavens over them.
00:08:34.24\00:08:37.35
I ask you to carry
them through right now.
00:08:37.68\00:08:39.78
And Father, we just thank you
for loving on us and getting us
00:08:40.48\00:08:44.39
to where we need to get to.
00:08:44.39\00:08:45.59
And I thank you, Lord, for going
forth on this Christmas behind
00:08:45.62\00:08:49.42
bars, on any prison ministries
that gives someone a hope.
00:08:49.42\00:08:53.76
And I watch
Christmas behind bars.
00:08:54.36\00:08:56.53
I've heard story after story of
how it's gave people hope in a
00:08:56.63\00:09:01.97
dark place.
00:09:01.97\00:09:02.70
Some of them will
never have a visitor.
00:09:03.04\00:09:05.04
They'll never have no one
put any money on their books.
00:09:05.44\00:09:07.84
They'll never have a phone call.
00:09:08.14\00:09:09.64
And Christmas behind bars will
show up and give them a hope and
00:09:10.41\00:09:15.22
give them a visit when they feel
like everybody has abandoned
00:09:15.22\00:09:19.32
them. And I thank you,
Lord, for this ministry.
00:09:19.52\00:09:21.82
I thank you, Father
God, for going before us.
00:09:21.82\00:09:24.86
And I thank you for giving them
a hope and a future right where
00:09:24.86\00:09:28.80
they're at.
00:09:28.80\00:09:33.40
right where they're at.
00:09:33.40\00:09:34.57
It don't matter whether they're
dressed out in street clothes or
00:09:34.80\00:09:38.27
dressed out in prison clothes.
00:09:38.27\00:09:40.44
They can have freedom
right where they're at.
00:09:40.64\00:09:43.04
And Lord, I thank you for that.
00:09:43.41\00:09:44.98
In the name of
Jesus Christ, I pray.
00:09:45.18\00:09:47.28
Amen.
00:09:47.82\00:09:48.28
Thank you and God bless you.
00:09:49.38\00:09:50.89
Wow, you know what?
00:09:52.95\00:09:54.16
It's no secret.
00:09:54.36\00:09:55.56
I mean, we can see the fruits of
Christmas behind bars, what God
00:09:55.69\00:10:00.33
is doing through the ministry
of Christmas behind bars and how
00:10:00.33\00:10:03.03
lives are being transformed.
00:10:03.03\00:10:04.37
You know, Mitch, I want to come
to you and find out a little bit
00:10:04.93\00:10:09.14
about your role with
Christmas behind bars.
00:10:09.14\00:10:11.74
What's it like being a
what's your role, a coordinator?
00:10:11.81\00:10:15.14
Well, you can see how God works.
00:10:16.28\00:10:18.25
Tom Breedow and I were going
door to door one afternoon and
00:10:18.71\00:10:22.35
we knocked on this door and the
father come to the door and you
00:10:22.35\00:10:27.09
could tell there was
some kitchen in the house.
00:10:27.09\00:10:28.82
And so he let us come in and he
was arguing with his 20 year old
00:10:29.46\00:10:33.73
son who was drugged out.
00:10:33.73\00:10:35.36
And so Tom and I sit there and
we had prayer with his father
00:10:36.06\00:10:39.70
and Stephen was his name.
00:10:39.70\00:10:40.74
And we were impressed with him.
00:10:41.10\00:10:42.80
You can see there's a burning
desire of the young man to get
00:10:43.10\00:10:45.71
off of it.
00:10:45.71\00:10:46.17
But he didn't have no help.
00:10:46.37\00:10:47.84
So we went on through the week.
00:10:48.38\00:10:50.08
Next week we were going to do it
door to door again and Tom said,
00:10:50.08\00:10:53.21
Mitch, let's go
see if Stephen's home.
00:10:53.28\00:10:54.72
We go there and his
father opened the door in tears.
00:10:55.28\00:10:59.02
He got locked up that week and
was locked up in the county jail
00:10:59.35\00:11:02.62
there in Lafette.
00:11:02.62\00:11:03.59
So we went finished door to door
and Tom said, let's go see if we
00:11:03.99\00:11:07.03
can see him at jail.
00:11:07.03\00:11:07.93
We have no
credentials, no nothing.
00:11:08.83\00:11:10.43
You know, we just go up
to jail and there's a phone.
00:11:10.93\00:11:13.70
You pick it up.
00:11:13.77\00:11:18.91
told her who we were.
00:11:18.91\00:11:19.67
We've come to
see this young man.
00:11:19.67\00:11:20.91
We'd met him and he
found out he was in jail.
00:11:21.28\00:11:23.58
And they said, OK, we
got a multi -purpose room.
00:11:24.01\00:11:25.91
You can see him in.
00:11:25.98\00:11:26.92
And she goes, is there
anybody else you want to see?
00:11:27.48\00:11:29.92
And my friend Tom
goes, anybody wants to come.
00:11:30.59\00:11:33.09
So we come into the jail and
they gave us an hour with him.
00:11:35.46\00:11:39.29
Got to meet Stephen.
00:11:39.33\00:11:40.13
And of course, he's innocent.
00:11:40.50\00:11:41.46
He tells us the story.
00:11:41.86\00:11:42.86
And after we get through,
we have prayer with them.
00:11:43.33\00:11:45.43
When we're coming back out and
Sergeant Racky says, I've never
00:11:45.47\00:11:48.77
seen you two before.
00:11:48.77\00:11:49.97
And they say,
where are you from?
00:11:50.41\00:11:51.37
We said, we're from 7th Av.
00:11:51.51\00:11:52.47
Church in Lafette.
00:11:52.61\00:11:53.44
Could we come next week?
00:11:53.81\00:11:54.71
They said, yeah.
00:11:54.71\00:11:55.38
I said, how about the women?
00:11:55.71\00:11:56.68
Do you have women?
00:11:56.88\00:11:58.91
So we go home and we tell our
wives and the next week at the
00:11:59.48\00:12:05.39
church we go.
00:12:05.39\00:12:05.92
And my wife and Tom's
wife went to see the women.
00:12:06.42\00:12:08.52
We get home and we
turn our TV on to 3 a.m.
00:12:09.06\00:12:11.69
and nurse Essel Emiel on this
program with Christmas Behind
00:12:12.23\00:12:16.13
Bars. So we, my wife called up
right then and Lemuel was in a
00:12:16.67\00:12:22.50
couple of days, brought him and
his beautiful bride, his French
00:12:22.70\00:12:25.64
poodle. And they spent the night
with us and they come to our
00:12:25.94\00:12:29.18
church and gave a beautiful
sermon and he went to the
prison, the county jail with
00:12:29.18\00:12:33.45
us.
00:12:33.45\00:12:38.89
the area and one county prison
that Lemuel spoke of the day
00:12:38.89\00:12:43.46
earlier. And the
Lord is really blessed.
00:12:43.99\00:12:45.39
And Michael is
one of the recipients.
00:12:45.39\00:12:48.26
He was at that jail
there who met Francisco.
00:12:48.26\00:12:50.83
They're
worshipping that Sabbath.
00:12:52.13\00:12:53.60
Wow.
00:12:53.80\00:12:54.44
Tell us about that, Michael.
00:12:54.47\00:12:55.24
Well, I received packages from
him, a couple separate, well,
00:12:55.94\00:13:01.01
from the Seventh -day Adventist
Church rather, you know, and of
00:13:01.01\00:13:04.55
course they were
really hospitable.
00:13:04.55\00:13:05.85
They were super friendly and
nice, sung us songs, read some
00:13:06.01\00:13:10.75
scripture, they gave us
some words of encouragement, you
00:13:11.15\00:13:13.49
know. But really what made the
difference is them following up
00:13:13.49\00:13:18.29
with Bible studies every week.
00:13:18.29\00:13:19.53
You know, I was an atheist for
25 years, you know, and hadn't
00:13:19.73\00:13:25.67
really ever looked at a
Bible or anything like that.
00:13:25.67\00:13:28.17
And really one of the things
that caught my eye on the floor
00:13:28.20\00:13:31.31
was the great controversy.
00:13:31.31\00:13:32.17
OK, and me at the time, I
was like, well, I'm kind of like
00:13:32.81\00:13:36.68
controversy, you know,
this is the greatest one.
00:13:36.91\00:13:39.65
Let me see what's up with this.
00:13:39.81\00:13:41.35
And my mom had also given me a
Bible, you know, and I'm reading
00:13:41.35\00:13:46.65
these like side by side and then
I start going to the church, you
00:13:46.65\00:13:51.49
know, the church, any church
service they'd have, you know,
00:13:51.49\00:13:54.56
and I got connected with
Francisco there and I kind of
00:13:54.56\00:13:59.93
learned what the Seventh-day
Adventist was and how they
believe a little bit
00:13:59.93\00:14:03.81
different than some of these
denominations I was studying
00:14:03.81\00:14:06.71
with. But from what I could see
more accurately, you know, you
00:14:07.24\00:14:10.81
know, not trying
to knock anybody.
00:14:10.81\00:14:12.15
But what really made an
impression was Francisco coming
00:14:12.58\00:14:16.58
in one day, really, really,
really tired and asking, begging
our forgiveness and
00:14:16.89\00:14:22.76
us to excuse
him for being tired.
00:14:22.76\00:14:24.63
He had been in Brazil for a week
with his dying father trying to
00:14:24.99\00:14:29.26
trying to comfort his mother and
watching his father pass away.
00:14:29.26\00:14:32.90
And he was talking to a bunch
of inmates that most people, you
00:14:33.13\00:14:37.51
know, don't have the time
day for, and he's begging our
00:14:37.51\00:14:41.51
forgiveness in the middle of
this, you know, in the middle of
00:14:41.51\00:14:44.51
this room. And I'm just like,
you're going through all that
00:14:44.51\00:14:47.88
and you're still here and really
showing love, genuine love.
00:14:47.88\00:14:53.05
And the man wiped all the tired
off his face and did a study for
00:14:53.22\00:14:57.83
a good hour and a
half with us that day.
00:14:57.83\00:14:59.69
And Christmas behind bars, if it
wasn't for their literature, I
00:15:01.36\00:15:04.67
would have never received
that that truth, you know.
00:15:04.67\00:15:07.47
And if it wasn't for the
Lighthouse Church and my
brothers and sisters
00:15:07.77\00:15:11.81
there following up, I wouldn't
have never had anybody to really
00:15:11.81\00:15:16.54
lead me to the Lord to
show me a different way.
00:15:16.54\00:15:18.75
You know, I'm surrounded by
inmates, you know, that most of
00:15:18.78\00:15:22.08
them not trying to change.
00:15:22.08\00:15:23.28
So I was very blessed by his
ministry, his bags a couple of
00:15:23.32\00:15:28.19
different times, you know, and
last year I got to the biggest
00:15:28.19\00:15:34.30
blessing of going
back and handing these out.
00:15:34.30\00:15:36.06
And, you know, every pod that
I walked into, there's two or
00:15:36.63\00:15:40.64
three guys that was, hey, what
are you doing, giving me hugs
00:15:40.64\00:15:44.87
and, you know, and nothing here
to tell you guys like how my
00:15:44.87\00:15:49.54
life has changed so
drastically, you know.
00:15:49.54\00:15:50.81
And, you know, I was a little
nervous, you know, but you could
00:15:51.25\00:15:55.02
see the impact.
00:15:55.02\00:15:59.35
was in, you know, but whenever
you have somebody that comes out
00:15:59.35\00:16:03.09
of it and joins them and comes
back in, you know, it's just,
00:16:03.09\00:16:06.80
it's amazing what the
Lord can do, you know.
00:16:06.80\00:16:08.66
And how did that impact your
faith going back in there and
00:16:08.96\00:16:13.34
passing out those bags and
seeing the expressions on our
00:16:13.34\00:16:18.57
fellow
incarcerated brother's faces?
00:16:18.57\00:16:21.01
To be, to be honest, I'm amazed
all the time at what that the
00:16:22.68\00:16:28.28
Lord isn't done with me and that
his love and mercy towards, I
00:16:28.28\00:16:33.72
don't know about what y'all have
done, but I know about what I've
00:16:33.72\00:16:36.69
done, you know, in a center as,
as low down as I am, you know,
00:16:36.73\00:16:41.53
and he could still use me, you
know, and he never gives up on
00:16:41.53\00:16:46.37
me that every, every little
glimmer of something like that
that I get to see really,
00:16:46.57\00:16:50.94
really increases my faith.
00:16:51.21\00:16:52.57
I'm hoping I could be a bigger
part of it this year, putting
00:16:52.67\00:16:55.04
together packages as well as
handing them out and hopefully
00:16:55.04\00:16:58.91
have a little bit
better words of encouragement.
00:16:58.91\00:17:00.18
Amen.
00:17:01.25\00:17:01.85
But what would you say, what
kind of advice would you give to
00:17:02.45\00:17:05.12
somebody who maybe they've
gone down the wrong path, maybe
00:17:05.12\00:17:08.02
they're still going
down the wrong path.
00:17:08.02\00:17:09.59
What advice would you give
to them to transition into the
00:17:09.96\00:17:15.06
right direction?
00:17:15.06\00:17:15.56
Right.
00:17:15.93\00:17:18.33
So like a brother said in the
earlier segment, just turn to
00:17:18.40\00:17:23.14
him. You don't have to
be perfect to turn to him.
00:17:23.51\00:17:25.74
You know, I don't think anybody
has ever been perfect and turn
00:17:26.04\00:17:30.41
to him, you know, so
you're not too far gone.
00:17:30.48\00:17:32.95
Just turn and resist the
devil and watch what he'll do.
00:17:32.95\00:17:36.92
Just keep an eye open.
00:17:37.05\00:17:38.32
He'll show himself.
00:17:38.42\00:17:39.65
Amen.
00:17:39.89\00:17:43.79
don't see people waiting until
they're healthy to go to the
00:17:43.79\00:17:47.13
hospital.
00:17:47.13\00:17:47.60
It doesn't make sense.
00:17:48.60\00:17:50.10
Right.
00:17:50.10\00:17:54.20
out.
00:17:54.20\00:17:54.47
Amen.
00:17:54.70\00:17:56.97
What's it like for your faith
when you go into these places
00:17:57.71\00:18:02.01
and you're passing out bags and
you're seeing transformed lives?
00:18:02.01\00:18:04.78
You're going to see why God
is so long suffering because it
00:18:06.65\00:18:11.75
doesn't happen overnight.
00:18:11.75\00:18:12.39
Let me tell you the
story here, stories there.
00:18:13.42\00:18:16.16
There'll be more on the other
side, stories that we'll get to
00:18:16.49\00:18:19.89
hear. But when you go there,
you can see some of them there's
00:18:20.56\00:18:24.80
nothing in their eyes.
00:18:24.80\00:18:25.33
It's just blank.
00:18:25.40\00:18:26.17
But every now and then when
you're preaching your heart out
00:18:26.80\00:18:30.37
and you're talking about God's
love, there's light coming on.
00:18:30.37\00:18:33.04
You can see some hope coming.
00:18:33.31\00:18:34.81
Their faith counts as change and
you know that the Holy Spirit is
00:18:35.44\00:18:38.58
touching their hearts.
00:18:38.58\00:18:39.35
And that's what draws you back.
00:18:39.78\00:18:41.82
One of my brothers
liked playing a game of golf.
00:18:42.78\00:18:44.85
You get one good shot but it's
enough to bring you back to play
00:18:45.19\00:18:48.59
another 18 holes.
00:18:48.59\00:18:49.72
And the same thing
with jail ministry.
00:18:51.96\00:18:53.56
You know somewhere in there that
God's going to touch someone and
00:18:55.23\00:18:58.73
it's just that one that really
wants to bring you back when you
00:18:58.73\00:19:00.87
get to see that.
00:19:00.87\00:19:01.84
Especially if you see
that countless change.
00:19:01.84\00:19:03.81
You know the Holy
Spirit is working.
00:19:04.64\00:19:06.07
Amen, amen.
00:19:06.31\00:19:07.54
Let me know what's on your mind.
00:19:08.04\00:19:09.21
You know he was talking about
the bag and I want our viewers
00:19:09.51\00:19:13.75
to know the Christmas Behind
Bars gift packages was his
00:19:13.75\00:19:17.82
design. It's not about the bag
but we physically get together
00:19:18.62\00:19:23.39
in the prison we put together
many, many packages and then we
00:19:23.39\00:19:26.49
go and distribute them.
00:19:26.49\00:19:27.30
God transforms the physical
efforts, the physical contents
00:19:27.86\00:19:33.17
into a spiritual
application and blessing.
00:19:33.17\00:19:35.07
Time and time
again I felt the Lord.
00:19:35.40\00:19:37.11
I opened the bag.
00:19:37.17\00:19:40.44
phenomenal.
00:19:40.44\00:19:41.18
And as you shared we
don't get all cleaned up first.
00:19:41.58\00:19:44.05
Clay stabbed somebody in prison
seven times and in segregation
00:19:45.18\00:19:51.65
he said Lord if you
can just change my heart.
00:19:51.65\00:19:54.12
So that's the
beauty of the gospel.
00:19:54.52\00:19:56.12
Yes, praise the Lord.
00:19:56.52\00:19:57.39
Amen, you know Chaplain Welch
we're getting ready to come to
00:19:57.96\00:20:01.10
you in just a moment but we have
a video that we're going to go
00:20:01.10\00:20:04.87
to before we
dive into your story.
00:20:04.87\00:20:06.20
Let's check out that video now.
00:20:06.63\00:20:08.40
Christmas Behind Bars is a
ministry whereby volunteers in
00:20:11.14\00:20:15.81
this case hundreds of volunteers
have come together to put
00:20:15.81\00:20:19.11
together care packages for those
that are incarcerated in various
00:20:19.11\00:20:22.65
places around the country.
00:20:22.65\00:20:23.39
These care packages are filled
with well because it's for the
00:20:24.12\00:20:28.56
holidays this is comfort
food not necessarily fruits and
00:20:28.56\00:20:31.49
veggies but things that will put
a smile on prisoners faces when
00:20:31.49\00:20:35.20
they open these bags.
00:20:35.20\00:20:35.90
In addition to the comfort food
that's there we've also placed
00:20:36.77\00:20:40.87
some important literature.
00:20:40.87\00:20:44.81
how to be ready for his soon
return and maybe most
importantly it talks
00:20:44.81\00:20:49.68
about the love of Jesus no
matter what the circumstances
00:20:49.68\00:20:52.71
are. That can be a really
important message for those that
00:20:53.31\00:20:55.95
are in prison particularly
at the holiday season.
00:20:55.95\00:20:58.32
I've had the opportunity to
actually deliver some of these
00:20:58.32\00:21:01.82
bags at a maximum state prison
and also to a women's
correctional center.
00:21:01.82\00:21:06.36
The gratitude that those people
express makes it worthwhile.
00:21:08.23\00:21:12.73
When I went to the maximum state
prison I had to be there at
00:21:13.34\00:21:17.27
three o 'clock in the morning.
00:21:17.27\00:21:18.27
I wasn't a happy camper to think
I had to be up at three in the
00:21:18.51\00:21:21.54
morning but I would do
that again and again and again
00:21:21.54\00:21:25.75
because I see the
difference that it makes.
00:21:25.75\00:21:26.92
You know having some comfort
food the spiritual literature
00:21:28.35\00:21:32.69
that's in there some of the
people that I saw they have been
00:21:32.69\00:21:37.06
getting these bags for 12 years.
00:21:37.06\00:21:38.53
So that's kind of sad because
that means they've been in
00:21:38.53\00:21:42.06
prison for 12 years but I could
see a difference in the cells of
00:21:42.06\00:21:47.84
the people who actually engage
with the literature and let it
change their lives.
00:21:47.84\00:21:51.01
Their cells looked different.
00:21:51.34\00:21:52.51
They were brighter they were
cleaner and even the prisoners
00:21:52.57\00:21:55.54
themselves looked better.
00:21:55.54\00:21:57.28
So I'm just really grateful for
the people that showed up and
00:21:57.28\00:22:02.95
we're cleaning up now but
the mission that we had will
00:22:02.95\00:22:07.79
continue because these seeds
that have been planted are going
to make a difference for
00:22:07.79\00:22:10.73
God's kingdom and I hope
that someday we'll get to hear
00:22:10.73\00:22:14.00
stories those whose lives were
transformed because of the work
00:22:14.00\00:22:17.00
that we did today.
00:22:17.00\00:22:17.40
Thank you so much.
00:22:17.60\00:22:18.67
Wow!
00:22:19.73\00:22:20.27
Amen!
00:22:20.54\00:22:21.07
Amen!
00:22:21.24\00:22:22.00
You know I heard something
there that Esther said.
00:22:22.27\00:22:24.27
She said she saw a difference
in the lives and in the cells of
00:22:24.34\00:22:28.41
people who engaged
with the literature.
00:22:28.41\00:22:31.75
You know how many of us
Christians have seven different
00:22:32.15\00:22:36.12
Bibles or five different Bibles
and then don't engage with the
00:22:36.12\00:22:39.75
literature. We see a difference
there as well so that's I mean
00:22:40.26\00:22:43.86
that's powerful to see that
people are engaging with the
spiritual material because you
00:22:43.86\00:22:47.76
put a lot of great snacks and
all that stuff in the bag but
00:22:47.76\00:22:51.60
that's not the
long lasting material.
00:22:51.60\00:22:53.30
It's the spiritual
material that goes a long way.
00:22:53.80\00:22:55.94
Lemuel that was a short video.
00:22:55.94\00:22:57.54
I know there's something
you want to add to that.
00:22:57.67\00:22:59.77
I believe the packages are just
a conduit to put the glow tracks
00:23:00.11\00:23:03.91
in to put the
spiritual literature in there.
00:23:03.91\00:23:05.68
Christmas Behind Bars is not
a seasonal ministry so it's year
00:23:07.05\00:23:10.15
-round.
00:23:10.15\00:23:15.62
6,300 loaded in a semi-trailer
and they'll be going to the
00:23:15.62\00:23:19.93
state of Nebraska on
the 18th of November.
00:23:19.93\00:23:23.26
So it's a year-round ministry
so it's really phenomenal.
00:23:23.83\00:23:26.30
So it's awesome.
00:23:26.33\00:23:26.97
Thank you all
for being part of it.
00:23:27.44\00:23:29.07
Amen.
00:23:29.27\00:23:29.67
Chaplain Welch tell us a little
bit about your involvement with
00:23:30.64\00:23:33.68
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:23:33.68\00:23:34.84
I know we had the opportunity
and privilege of going into your
00:23:34.91\00:23:38.61
facility and ministering to
the women in there but tell us a
00:23:38.61\00:23:41.95
little bit about what you do.
00:23:41.95\00:23:43.02
Well what I do is I kind of seek
to help individuals to know more
00:23:43.75\00:23:53.33
about Christ.
00:23:53.33\00:23:54.00
And to show appreciation for
things that they receive kind of
00:23:55.80\00:24:03.37
the ministry of appreciation.
00:24:03.37\00:24:04.91
But when I heard of it was
actually an individual who told
00:24:05.71\00:24:10.65
me that they got this cool bag
and the people call Christmas
00:24:10.65\00:24:15.68
Behind Bars. It was about
Christmas time I believe and
they were so excited
00:24:16.08\00:24:19.85
about it and I'm like okay tell
me more about it and they said
00:24:19.85\00:24:24.13
yes people come with Christmas
time and whenever they come and
00:24:24.13\00:24:28.00
they give us these cool bags and
you know things that they don't
really have some of
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.97
them don't have and
they're so appreciative of it.
00:24:31.97\00:24:35.30
So I think I reached out or
I got a call from Vicki sharing
00:24:36.27\00:24:44.51
that the Christmas Behind Bars
will be coming in and I'm like
00:24:44.51\00:24:47.48
tell me more about that and she
told me and I'm like oh wow and
00:24:47.48\00:24:51.45
then she said oh we're
Adventists I'm like Adventists
I'm like okay Adventists
00:24:51.45\00:24:55.62
and so she told me that you know
we want to bring these things in
00:24:55.62\00:25:01.80
we want to share with the ladies
here and I said okay and she
00:25:01.80\00:25:06.90
gave me Mr. Vegas Namuels number
and I began talking with him and
00:25:07.10\00:25:11.64
we made plans and she shared
with me you know what the
donation would look like
00:25:11.64\00:25:19.88
and so we had to go through all
this protocol with the wardens
00:25:19.88\00:25:24.75
and you know and so as we got
these things going you know we
00:25:24.75\00:25:29.39
began to build a relationship
of you know and one of the
00:25:29.39\00:25:35.03
individuals made a comment that
it would be so wonderful if he
00:25:35.03\00:25:39.43
could come in and do a program
I'm like flesh and blood did not
reveal it because I
00:25:39.43\00:25:45.01
was thinking along the same
lines you know trying to get
00:25:45.01\00:25:48.41
volunteers more volunteers to
come in and to spread their
ministry And I'm like,
00:25:48.41\00:25:52.65
Christmas behind bars seems
like, you know, a good ministry
00:25:52.71\00:25:56.52
that would come in and give them
hope, you know, spread some,
00:25:56.52\00:26:00.36
apart from the packages, you
know, I know they love the
packages, but some hope,
00:26:00.36\00:26:04.36
you know, some
hope, some encouragement.
00:26:04.56\00:26:06.70
Some of them are sat around
Christmas time, Easter time, you
00:26:07.13\00:26:10.77
know, so this would be a great
privilege to just have them come
00:26:10.77\00:26:15.10
in and share with them.
00:26:15.10\00:26:16.81
And, you know, speaking with my
warden, she was so gracious and,
00:26:17.27\00:26:21.08
you know, she said,
yeah, let's see what we can do.
00:26:21.21\00:26:23.98
And yes, and it came to pass.
00:26:24.45\00:26:26.35
I noticed too that I was
thinking Christmas behind bars
00:26:27.02\00:26:31.25
was just Christmas time, but to
find out it was Easter and
whenever time there
00:26:31.25\00:26:36.59
was something like, okay, we can
plan a time and we did plan a
00:26:36.59\00:26:41.23
time. And to know that 3ABN
would also join in the ministry,
00:26:41.83\00:26:47.07
I was so elated and so excited.
00:26:47.07\00:26:49.27
And I'm like, okay,
let's see what we can do.
00:26:49.27\00:26:52.21
And it was a blessing.
00:26:52.51\00:26:53.98
It was a blessing.
00:26:54.44\00:26:55.44
The most wonderful thing is to
receive those Bibles and to know
00:26:56.08\00:27:03.69
it, even I saw one of my
correctional officers, they were
00:27:03.69\00:27:06.96
saying, wow, wait a minute,
do each of, because they have to
00:27:06.96\00:27:11.36
search the items.
00:27:11.36\00:27:12.13
We were like, wait a minute,
each of these Bibles have a
00:27:12.79\00:27:16.87
message, a
personal message in here.
00:27:16.87\00:27:18.53
And I'm like, yes, they do.
00:27:18.53\00:27:20.67
And so we're so grateful.
00:27:21.20\00:27:22.90
Many of the individuals
would tell me that they were so
00:27:23.07\00:27:29.54
encouraged by some of the words
that they read from others who
00:27:29.54\00:27:35.18
are interested in their lives,
in their wellbeing, so to speak.
00:27:35.18\00:27:40.26
And so we were so grateful
to have that, have you guys come
00:27:40.76\00:27:45.53
in. And so I want to, in
the spirit or in the ministry of
00:27:45.53\00:27:51.37
appreciation, I just
want to share this with you.
00:27:51.37\00:27:54.87
It's a certificate of
appreciation for Christmas
00:27:55.57\00:27:59.14
Behind Bars. So this is for Mr.
Vega and Vicky, you're a part of
00:28:00.21\00:28:05.15
it, so we thank you so much.
00:28:05.15\00:28:06.25
And this is for 3ABN to take in
the time out to come with us, to
00:28:06.61\00:28:11.42
come to see with us, to be with
us and to share your ministry
00:28:11.42\00:28:15.66
with us. Thank
you, thank you so much.
00:28:15.66\00:28:17.33
This is so nice.
00:28:17.43\00:28:18.53
Absolutely.
00:28:18.99\00:28:19.89
Yes, awarded to 3ABN ministry
team for your faithful services
00:28:20.36\00:28:25.40
to the Body of Christ.
00:28:25.40\00:28:26.60
Praise God.
00:28:26.67\00:28:27.67
Praise God.
00:28:28.27\00:28:29.10
Pre -educator
Correctional Facility.
00:28:29.10\00:28:30.34
Now their packages was a little
bit different because when we
00:28:30.54\00:28:34.71
just came with 3ABN, we got
the hygiene packages approved.
00:28:34.71\00:28:37.95
So women, something different,
they had soap, shampoo,
00:28:38.01\00:28:41.68
deodorant, toothpaste, so
we prepared and got approved a
00:28:41.85\00:28:45.15
hygiene package. So once that
was approved, I said, well, what
about a bag of pretzels?
00:28:45.72\00:28:49.49
So you can't put pretzels in
hygiene, so we had the hygiene
00:28:49.79\00:28:52.86
packages prepared and then we
added pretzels, candy, I think
00:28:52.86\00:28:57.23
some cookies, I'm not sure.
00:28:57.23\00:28:58.30
And then we also
got the fresh flowers.
00:28:58.87\00:29:01.20
So then we were thinking about
utilizing the brand new 3ABN
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.68
Bible study sets.
00:29:06.68\00:29:07.61
So we said, well, hygiene items,
snack items, a fresh carnation.
00:29:07.94\00:29:12.38
One lady said she hadn't
had a flower for 20-some years.
00:29:12.58\00:29:15.58
The last time she had a
fresh flower, so flower.
00:29:15.68\00:29:18.19
Then I was driving down the
highway and the Lord impressed
00:29:18.75\00:29:22.02
me about study Bible.
00:29:22.02\00:29:22.52
And then I called
Andrews University astronaut.
00:29:23.69\00:29:26.09
I said, hey, what kind of deal
can you make us on study Bible?
00:29:26.23\00:29:28.53
Well, they're real expensive.
00:29:28.70\00:29:29.66
And I said, can
you give us a deal?
00:29:29.80\00:29:31.70
We're already giving you a deal.
00:29:31.77\00:29:32.83
And I said,
well, we'll take them.
00:29:33.00\00:29:34.37
So put it on the
charge card, a bunch of money.
00:29:35.00\00:29:37.31
They donated some finances we
still owe for the study Bibles.
00:29:37.77\00:29:40.81
But then I said, can you write
in the Bible a personal note to
00:29:41.21\00:29:45.58
the people?
00:29:45.58\00:29:48.88
I said, yeah,
that's what we want.
00:29:48.98\00:29:50.19
So the students, they got
together one Sabbath afternoon
00:29:50.99\00:29:54.12
and they wrote Bible verses and
they wrote a book and then they
00:29:54.12\00:29:57.53
put them back in the boxes.
00:29:57.53\00:29:58.16
And all I can
say is God was good.
00:29:58.36\00:29:59.76
He started with the high dust,
shampoo to take care of your
00:29:59.93\00:30:02.63
external, but then
the internal come through.
00:30:02.63\00:30:05.27
Amen.
00:30:05.27\00:30:06.00
What was the morale like in
there after Christmas Behind
00:30:07.27\00:30:12.21
Bars was gone?
00:30:12.21\00:30:12.47
There was...
00:30:15.54\00:30:19.45
Come on, girl.
00:30:19.45\00:30:20.05
Come on, don't stall.
00:30:21.95\00:30:23.05
It's hard to express what
these ladies were feeling.
00:30:24.75\00:30:28.16
They were so appreciative that
they would stop by my office
00:30:28.99\00:30:33.19
just to say thanks and to
tell Mr. Vega how much they
00:30:33.19\00:30:37.40
appreciated. Some
of them were in tears.
00:30:38.03\00:30:39.53
Some of them were...
00:30:42.10\00:30:44.51
I know one of them said to you
that you can come back any time
00:30:44.51\00:30:49.44
whether without
the package or not.
00:30:49.44\00:30:50.85
You can always come back.
00:30:50.98\00:30:52.18
So that's the
kind of appreciation.
00:30:52.48\00:30:54.08
It wasn't just
about the packages.
00:30:54.52\00:30:56.28
It was just about that somebody
took the time to put those notes
00:30:56.65\00:31:01.92
in the Bibles, to pack these
bags and to bring them all this
00:31:01.92\00:31:07.03
way. Your truck got
some troubles coming in.
00:31:07.30\00:31:10.03
And all of that.
00:31:10.27\00:31:16.77
And they were there
and they received it.
00:31:17.24\00:31:20.01
And it wasn't just that they
wanted to bring the bags to get
00:31:20.08\00:31:27.78
what you call it.
00:31:27.78\00:31:28.38
Props.
00:31:28.95\00:31:29.62
It was from the heart.
00:31:29.62\00:31:31.95
And they took that to heart.
00:31:32.35\00:31:34.22
That people cared about them.
00:31:34.22\00:31:35.86
Because many of them
don't have people to care.
00:31:36.02\00:31:39.59
I've had two of the staff
sergeants personally tell me two
00:31:40.66\00:31:45.33
to three days after they had
received them bag, the morale in
00:31:45.33\00:31:49.20
that jail was totally different.
00:31:49.20\00:31:49.87
Totally different.
00:31:50.34\00:31:50.94
It makes a huge difference.
00:31:51.71\00:31:53.04
It does.
00:31:53.04\00:31:53.44
It makes a huge difference.
00:31:53.71\00:31:54.81
What made you decide
to serve in that capacity?
00:31:55.88\00:31:58.28
Well, I was a chaplain
for hospice prior to going to
00:31:59.31\00:32:09.39
Decatur and also in counseling.
00:32:09.39\00:32:10.23
And I had a heart
for ministering to women.
00:32:13.06\00:32:16.93
And out of curiosity, I said,
you know, I'm going to apply for
00:32:17.93\00:32:21.74
this job.
00:32:21.74\00:32:26.27
or even recognize.
00:32:26.27\00:32:27.61
But I applied for the job.
00:32:29.31\00:32:31.81
I started a new job.
00:32:31.81\00:32:33.45
And then six months later, I got
a call with an offer to go to
00:32:33.95\00:32:40.92
work in the prison.
00:32:40.92\00:32:41.36
And I'm like, what?
00:32:41.46\00:32:42.22
I can't leave my caregivers now
because I had the case workers.
00:32:42.72\00:32:47.13
I'm like, I can't
leave them right now.
00:32:47.30\00:32:48.83
It's just six months.
00:32:48.96\00:32:49.83
You know, but God
impressed on my heart.
00:32:50.73\00:32:52.90
The lady who called with the job
offer, she said, I'll give you
00:32:53.07\00:32:56.50
another week.
00:32:56.50\00:32:57.27
Another week came, I was
still like, I don't know.
00:32:57.61\00:33:00.14
You know, but when I actually
took the job, you know, I'm
00:33:00.14\00:33:07.08
like, oh my
goodness, wait a minute.
00:33:07.08\00:33:07.92
This is all women.
00:33:07.95\00:33:09.25
That's what I've been asking
God for, to minister to women.
00:33:10.39\00:33:14.22
And you know, when I first
went in and they were all in the
00:33:14.96\00:33:22.50
gymnasium, all these
women in the gymnasium.
00:33:22.63\00:33:25.20
And when they said, we have a
new chaplain and the break out
00:33:25.43\00:33:32.14
in roar that they
gave was, I just teared up.
00:33:32.14\00:33:35.28
And I'm like, God, this is
really, this is really where you
00:33:35.78\00:33:40.45
want me to be right now.
00:33:40.45\00:33:41.75
I don't know where he's taking
me next, but this is where he
00:33:41.88\00:33:45.02
has me right now.
00:33:45.02\00:33:47.89
Lemuel, you want to?
00:33:48.19\00:33:48.72
I love the connection.
00:33:48.72\00:33:49.66
She was a chaplain for hospice.
00:33:49.89\00:33:51.86
The dead, the sick,
the dying, the perishing.
00:33:51.99\00:33:54.73
And the Lord put her in the
chaplaincy to bring life and
00:33:55.16\00:33:59.10
hope. So yeah, praise the Lord.
00:33:59.30\00:33:59.93
That's awesome.
00:34:00.20\00:34:00.50
Amen.
00:34:00.70\00:34:01.20
Yes.
00:34:01.80\00:34:03.41
Vickie, I've known you
for a little while too.
00:34:05.07\00:34:08.08
Tell us about what you
do and how you've been.
00:34:08.78\00:34:10.88
Well, I started prison
ministries in 2018 and actually
00:34:10.88\00:34:16.05
ended up by accident.
00:34:16.05\00:34:21.59
down the road and the Holy
Spirit impressed me to go and,
00:34:21.59\00:34:25.86
you know, go to do
something in prison ministries.
00:34:25.86\00:34:28.40
And so I contacted the chaplain
there and he said, well, come on
00:34:28.96\00:34:33.90
in and tell me
what you want to do.
00:34:33.90\00:34:36.77
And I said, all I do
is want to send cards.
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.91
I just want to
send birthday cards.
00:34:38.97\00:34:40.88
And he said, no,
you're going to come in.
00:34:41.41\00:34:43.18
You're going to
do Bible studies.
00:34:43.24\00:34:44.88
You're going to do
Daniel and Revelation.
00:34:45.08\00:34:47.52
He said, I know
they have Venice.
00:34:48.18\00:34:49.82
They're good at that.
00:34:49.88\00:34:50.95
You're going to come in.
00:34:51.12\00:34:52.35
And so I started going in every
week and doing a Bible study on
00:34:52.35\00:34:58.26
Daniel and Revelation with
30 guys and did that for two or
00:34:58.26\00:35:04.70
three, a couple of
years and then COVID hit.
00:35:04.70\00:35:06.43
And then I went back
in for a little while.
00:35:06.43\00:35:08.97
But in the meantime, I got my
church involved in sending cards
00:35:10.31\00:35:15.21
and we would send out not only
birthday cards but Christmas
00:35:16.34\00:35:20.58
cards. I got to know Lemio
and I got in touch with him.
00:35:20.58\00:35:24.29
And every year from 2018, we've
gone in and delivered bags to
00:35:24.55\00:35:31.06
the guys at Stateville, both
on the maximum side and the NRC
00:35:31.06\00:35:36.93
side. And then one of the
chaplains over at the hospital
00:35:37.07\00:35:43.64
because they built
the hospital there.
00:35:43.64\00:35:44.81
What's the NRC side?
00:35:45.04\00:35:46.71
That's the receiving side.
00:35:47.21\00:35:49.38
So anybody who has gotten
sentenced, they take them to NRC
00:35:49.38\00:35:55.42
and they stay there until they
decide what prison they're going
00:35:55.42\00:35:59.35
to go to.
00:35:59.35\00:36:04.66
and they'll stay there and then
they'll take them to court for
00:36:04.66\00:36:11.00
their court cases and so forth.
00:36:11.00\00:36:12.83
So it's kind of a holding area.
00:36:12.83\00:36:12.87
But some of the guys can end
up there for six months or even
00:36:15.07\00:36:18.57
longer.
00:36:18.57\00:36:19.14
And so you've got this constant
influx of guys through NRC.
00:36:20.74\00:36:26.51
So you never know.
00:36:26.72\00:36:27.98
One year you may deliver
the bags there and the next year
00:36:28.38\00:36:32.05
they're all different.
00:36:32.05\00:36:32.69
So you're
touching a lot of lives.
00:36:34.62\00:36:37.03
And this past summer we went...
00:36:38.76\00:36:41.86
I got my church together
and we put together packets of
00:36:41.86\00:36:45.07
literature with the Thinking of
You card and we mailed them out
00:36:45.07\00:36:48.07
and I said, mail them out to
people that aren't on the list.
00:36:48.07\00:36:49.97
I have a list of about 500 guys,
800 guys that I send Christmas
00:36:50.44\00:36:55.98
cards or birthday cards to.
00:36:55.98\00:36:57.51
I said, let's send to somebody
we haven't sent to before.
00:36:57.88\00:37:00.88
And in there was a letter that
said, if you want any books or
00:37:01.92\00:37:05.42
Bibles or Bible studies, let us
know and we'll send them to you
00:37:05.42\00:37:09.82
for free.
00:37:09.82\00:37:10.23
And we got
letters back asking for...
00:37:10.69\00:37:14.76
One guy said, send me
books on everything you got.
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.43
And so I'm putting up boxes of
books and I'm shipping them to
00:37:18.57\00:37:23.17
all the prisons in Illinois
and Bible studies and Bibles and
00:37:23.17\00:37:27.68
whatever they ask.
00:37:27.68\00:37:28.61
And then I send out birthday
cards and I get these letters
00:37:30.31\00:37:34.72
back that says, nobody's ever
sent me a letter in the 20 years
00:37:34.72\00:37:37.65
I've been here.
00:37:37.65\00:37:39.72
I've never gotten
anything from anyone.
00:37:40.29\00:37:43.69
And it's so sad.
00:37:44.23\00:37:45.66
And, you know, so I just, you
know, as one guy gets paroled or
00:37:47.50\00:37:51.73
drops off the list, I
keep adding to the list.
00:37:51.73\00:37:53.90
So I keep sending out to
new guys, you know, because you
00:37:53.94\00:37:59.67
never know whose
lives you're going to touch.
00:37:59.67\00:38:01.41
And this is so interesting
because Lemuel, he would take,
00:38:01.94\00:38:05.31
you know, he'd take the bags
into Stateville and there was
literature in there.
00:38:05.35\00:38:09.38
And I remember one guy said that
somebody had left the literature
00:38:09.68\00:38:14.56
and he picked it up.
00:38:14.56\00:38:16.26
And he goes, man, and he
started reading and studying.
00:38:16.79\00:38:20.96
He goes, Seventh-day
Adventist, he was a Baptist.
00:38:21.23\00:38:23.87
And he goes,
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:38:23.97\00:38:25.43
He said, they got it together.
00:38:25.47\00:38:26.97
This is true.
00:38:27.17\00:38:28.17
And he started writing letters
and he wanted to be baptized as
00:38:28.77\00:38:32.87
Seventh -day Adventist.
00:38:32.87\00:38:36.91
up getting transferred.
00:38:36.91\00:38:38.21
But I still keep
in contact with him.
00:38:38.41\00:38:40.95
And he goes, he
said, this is great.
00:38:40.95\00:38:43.08
And he said, send me literature
and I'll send him like three or
00:38:43.08\00:38:46.55
four books of the same
kind and he'll set them out.
00:38:46.55\00:38:49.12
And he said, Vicki,
they're gone, just like that.
00:38:49.16\00:38:51.49
He said, guys are looking.
00:38:51.59\00:38:53.26
And then he said, I had one guy
write me a letter and he said,
00:38:53.93\00:38:57.43
can you send me a
Sabbath school lesson?
00:38:57.43\00:38:59.60
He had saw a 3BN Sabbath school
panel and he said, of course,
00:39:00.10\00:39:05.61
they're not able to download.
00:39:05.61\00:39:07.11
You know, and he said,
can you send me a quarterly?
00:39:07.44\00:39:11.11
I said, absolutely.
00:39:11.55\00:39:12.98
And I send out about five to six
Sabbath school quarterlies every
00:39:14.38\00:39:19.35
quarter and he's one of them.
00:39:19.35\00:39:21.76
And I've been doing that for,
I don't know, maybe two or three
00:39:23.16\00:39:26.36
years.
00:39:26.36\00:39:31.00
are seeing it on 3ABN but aren't
able to download so that they
00:39:31.00\00:39:37.94
can study along.
00:39:37.94\00:39:38.67
And it's just,
it's been wonderful.
00:39:38.67\00:39:41.68
Just the letters I get, guys
thanking me, appreciative, the
00:39:42.71\00:39:49.45
bags.
00:39:49.45\00:39:50.09
We try to do different prisons.
00:39:51.05\00:39:55.02
We've done maybe 13 prisons
in Illinois and Stateville is
00:39:56.19\00:40:03.43
closed down.
00:40:03.43\00:40:08.34
are writing letters
saying, hey, can you come?
00:40:08.34\00:40:11.77
And so we're going
to try to set that up.
00:40:12.87\00:40:15.24
So this is all, because you
just named a whole lot, right?
00:40:15.78\00:40:20.12
This is all on top of
your nine to five job.
00:40:20.28\00:40:23.92
Yes, I have a nine to five job.
00:40:23.99\00:40:25.79
Even on top of all of that,
you're doing all the stuff that
00:40:26.02\00:40:30.69
you mentioned.
00:40:30.69\00:40:38.10
work so that I could take
time off to go into the prison
00:40:38.10\00:40:44.51
because of my job,
the demands of my job.
00:40:44.51\00:40:46.47
And so I've been kind of like
working every Sunday since 2018.
00:40:47.14\00:40:52.88
So I'm working
five and a half days.
00:40:53.18\00:40:55.75
I'm going in just so I can have
time to do prison ministries.
00:40:56.02\00:41:02.12
And then, so it's kind
of like I plan my week.
00:41:02.12\00:41:05.59
Okay, this week I sit down and
do the birthday cards and then
00:41:05.93\00:41:09.20
I'm getting all the packages
together to mail out and then
00:41:09.20\00:41:12.43
I'm going to the post
office to mail these out.
00:41:12.43\00:41:14.70
And it's like, you
know, and then, so it's a lot.
00:41:15.04\00:41:19.34
Yeah, praise God for your heart
for service and what God is
00:41:19.41\00:41:22.44
doing through you.
00:41:22.44\00:41:23.11
Lemuel, I know
you got something.
00:41:23.24\00:41:24.28
Yeah, real quick.
00:41:24.45\00:41:25.61
The packages at one
facility, the warden said no.
00:41:26.11\00:41:30.72
So we'd been going in,
the warden said no and Vicki
00:41:30.72\00:41:33.96
contacted the
warden and he said no.
00:41:33.96\00:41:35.06
And so Vicki went to the
congressman here in Illinois and
00:41:35.22\00:41:38.86
next thing, somehow congressman
contacted the prison.
00:41:38.86\00:41:41.36
The prison calls back to Vicki
and said, oh no, we want your
00:41:41.46\00:41:44.13
program. I mean, God is good.
00:41:46.07\00:41:47.37
And I'll tell you, my first
prison stint, my first prison
00:41:47.74\00:41:52.87
visit, I was
probably six years old.
00:41:52.87\00:41:54.21
My brother, my little sister and
my mother and my aunts and we
00:41:54.84\00:41:59.18
went to the Joliet Correctional
Facility in Statesville,
00:41:59.18\00:42:01.85
Illinois. As little kids, we
went in there for evangelism.
00:42:02.15\00:42:04.62
And I remember walking in the
gymnasium, it didn't smell so
00:42:04.99\00:42:07.69
good. There was just
a smell about prison.
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.49
And we went up on stage and we
sang, I'll make you fishers of
00:42:09.96\00:42:12.66
men. Six, seven years old,
little did I know, within 10
00:42:13.09\00:42:17.00
years I'd be looking at
10 to 20 years in prison.
00:42:17.00\00:42:18.43
So God has brought it full
circle now to be able to come
00:42:18.67\00:42:21.54
back and, you know, we
got people in high places like
00:42:21.54\00:42:24.14
sheriff and commissioners and so
God is in control of kings and
00:42:24.14\00:42:28.01
judges and it's a blessing
to have our sheriff here in the
00:42:28.01\00:42:30.88
second hour. Sheriff Sprouls,
tell us a little bit about what
00:42:31.15\00:42:35.22
happens with the families
because multiple people end up
00:42:35.22\00:42:37.82
doing time. So talk
to us about the families.
00:42:37.92\00:42:39.35
You know, when I first
took office January of 2023, I
00:42:39.75\00:42:44.83
noticed that our new jail, which
had just been finished, as I
00:42:44.83\00:42:48.70
said earlier, $25 million place,
the way it was designed, all of
00:42:48.70\00:42:53.23
the correction officers from the
jail, they kind of had a back
00:42:53.23\00:42:57.24
exit and entrance where you
don't come through the front,
where the foyer is, where
00:42:57.24\00:43:01.24
all of the
family members come in.
00:43:01.24\00:43:03.11
And I immediately said,
this is going to change.
00:43:04.21\00:43:08.42
You're not going
out a back entrance.
00:43:09.02\00:43:11.05
You're going to walk through the
foyer so you can see mom and dad
00:43:11.52\00:43:16.12
and kids who are there waiting
to get on FaceTime basically
00:43:16.12\00:43:21.60
with their family back in there.
00:43:21.60\00:43:23.00
You're going to go back
and forth to where it keeps the
00:43:23.00\00:43:23.03
reality in front of you of,
hey, this is somebody's son,
00:43:28.07\00:43:32.81
daughter, husband, and wife.
00:43:32.87\00:43:33.91
And I'll never forget, I had
been, it had been a long day and
00:43:34.21\00:43:39.25
I was walking through the foyer
leaving and a grandmother was
00:43:39.25\00:43:43.52
there with maybe a little, she
was probably six years old or so
00:43:43.52\00:43:46.69
and they're there waiting to go
pick up a phone and view their,
00:43:46.69\00:43:50.76
you know, talk
to their loved one.
00:43:50.76\00:43:51.99
And this little girl jumped off
of grandma's lap, came running
00:43:52.13\00:43:55.33
up to me and
grabbed a hold of me.
00:43:55.33\00:43:56.53
She said, hey, I want to see
my real mommy, not on the screen
00:43:56.56\00:44:00.97
mommy.
00:44:00.97\00:44:01.37
And I was thinking, you know,
I was so ready to get home.
00:44:02.87\00:44:05.91
And she said, can you, she
said, is my real mommy's back in
00:44:06.34\00:44:09.81
there, right?
00:44:09.81\00:44:10.11
I said, I said, yes.
00:44:10.88\00:44:11.85
She said, well, I
want you to go get her.
00:44:11.85\00:44:14.15
Can you do that?
00:44:14.45\00:44:15.55
I said, I said, you know
what, just hang on, hang on.
00:44:18.22\00:44:22.09
I said, who is your mommy?
00:44:22.09\00:44:23.69
And she told me so.
00:44:23.83\00:44:25.03
I went back there and got her
out of her cell and brought her
00:44:25.19\00:44:29.30
up to a, like where the
attorneys can come in and meet
00:44:29.30\00:44:31.43
them. So, so of
course they don't know.
00:44:32.03\00:44:33.74
So I walked back there.
00:44:33.77\00:44:35.07
I said, hey, you
all come in here.
00:44:35.20\00:44:36.34
So I opened the door and there's
real mommy sitting there.
00:44:36.34\00:44:38.67
So, you know, it's so important
that we, we just remember these
00:44:39.84\00:44:43.08
are, these are family.
00:44:43.08\00:44:44.01
These are people that God loves.
00:44:44.11\00:44:46.55
And you know, our architect
came back for a follow-up and he
00:44:47.98\00:44:52.65
asked me, he said, you know,
is there anything about the jail
00:44:52.65\00:44:55.22
that we need to change?
00:44:55.22\00:44:55.92
And I said, absolutely.
00:44:55.92\00:44:57.09
I said, there's just one thing.
00:44:57.29\00:44:58.69
It's a great place.
00:44:58.73\00:44:59.49
But I said, just one thing.
00:44:59.53\00:45:00.70
I said, don't ever design it to
where the corrections officers
00:45:01.23\00:45:05.53
get to slip out the
back door, so to speak.
00:45:05.53\00:45:07.67
He said, I've
never heard that before.
00:45:08.20\00:45:09.57
He said, we always
design it that way.
00:45:09.70\00:45:11.44
And I said,
don't ever do it again.
00:45:11.51\00:45:13.01
I said, corrections officers
need to know these people are
00:45:13.24\00:45:17.15
moms, dads, granddaughters,
grandmothers, grand dads.
00:45:17.35\00:45:21.15
And it just keeps the
reality there and it helps our
00:45:21.15\00:45:26.42
corrections officers
to treat them as family.
00:45:26.42\00:45:28.89
That's, that's incredible.
00:45:29.42\00:45:30.63
I have never heard that before.
00:45:30.83\00:45:33.13
That's, that's powerful.
00:45:33.36\00:45:34.30
On the other side of
things, what have you seen?
00:45:34.83\00:45:37.90
You know, have you seen children
of those that are incarcerated
00:45:38.33\00:45:43.77
coming in?
00:45:43.77\00:45:44.74
Interesting,
interesting question.
00:45:45.81\00:45:46.91
So as I had said earlier, I
was sworn in as a reserve deputy
00:45:47.24\00:45:52.68
sheriff for my
county on my 21st birthday.
00:45:52.68\00:45:55.42
I did it for a couple of years
and got out of it for many, many
00:45:55.48\00:45:58.35
years because I'm a church
builder and I was busy building
00:45:58.35\00:46:02.22
churches and also
starting a Christian school.
00:46:02.22\00:46:03.89
And so I got back into it eight
years ago as a reserve and I ran
00:46:04.83\00:46:08.56
into one of my friends who was
on the department back 20 some
00:46:08.56\00:46:12.77
years ago, who is now the
chief of police in Newcastle.
00:46:12.77\00:46:16.37
And I said, I said, hey, Matt,
I said, what's different now?
00:46:16.64\00:46:19.07
I said, Oh, Johnny, he said,
not a, not a lot different.
00:46:19.07\00:46:23.04
He said, you remember all of the
regulars that we used to deal
00:46:23.11\00:46:25.88
with? I said, yeah.
00:46:26.01\00:46:28.45
And that was so profound.
00:46:28.88\00:46:30.49
And he didn't, he
didn't mean it that way.
00:46:30.49\00:46:32.45
He was just being real.
00:46:32.45\00:46:33.59
He said, we're just
dealing with all their kids now.
00:46:33.62\00:46:35.42
And I thought, wow,
somebody has to break the cycle.
00:46:35.99\00:46:39.89
And I'll tell you, I feel a
burden from the Lord for me to
00:46:40.03\00:46:45.63
break that cycle of, we have got
to bring Christ back front and
00:46:45.63\00:46:51.77
center to law enforcement.
00:46:51.77\00:46:52.34
We've got to rebuild the trust
that we all know is broken.
00:46:53.11\00:46:56.68
And you know what?
00:46:58.11\00:47:03.42
at a time, caring
for one person at a time.
00:47:03.42\00:47:06.42
What would you say is one of
the greatest challenges in your
00:47:07.72\00:47:11.99
role? I think, I think building
that level of trust back.
00:47:14.13\00:47:16.83
I think that is the,
it's the biggest challenge.
00:47:16.83\00:47:19.47
As I said earlier, these other
guys, their testimonies are so
00:47:20.14\00:47:24.11
powerful because
their buddies trust them.
00:47:24.11\00:47:27.34
When you come back and you show
that I'm different, they trust,
00:47:27.44\00:47:31.85
and so it's powerful.
00:47:31.85\00:47:33.05
There is, we've just got a long
way to go to rebuild the trust
00:47:33.85\00:47:37.75
between the
community and law enforcement.
00:47:37.75\00:47:40.79
You know, in my very first
debate when I was campaigning
00:47:41.46\00:47:45.43
for sheriff, I said, if I'm
elected as your next sheriff,
the F word on duty is
00:47:45.43\00:47:50.93
gone.
00:47:50.93\00:47:51.33
It's not professional.
00:47:52.30\00:47:53.70
We don't talk to anybody like
that, let alone the citizens.
00:47:53.80\00:47:57.27
And so, you know, it's a, we're
working on creating a different
00:47:58.41\00:48:02.74
culture and the atmosphere
in our jail is different.
00:48:02.74\00:48:07.88
And I'll tell you, we've had to,
we've had to send some people on
00:48:08.62\00:48:11.62
down the road because they would
berate the inmates, F-bombing
00:48:11.62\00:48:16.26
the inmates.
00:48:16.26\00:48:16.69
And I told one guy, I said, I'm
telling you, don't do it again
00:48:17.49\00:48:21.13
because I'm not
going to tolerate that.
00:48:21.13\00:48:22.56
And sure
enough, he did it again.
00:48:23.03\00:48:24.27
I pulled him into office and
I said, I'm going to tell you
00:48:24.73\00:48:28.64
something, I'm going to let you
tell me whatever you feel like
00:48:28.64\00:48:30.94
you need to tell me.
00:48:30.94\00:48:31.61
And I said, but we're not
going to have a back and forth.
00:48:32.11\00:48:34.01
I said, what I'm going to
tell you is you're terminated
00:48:34.14\00:48:37.18
effective immediately.
00:48:37.18\00:48:37.71
He said, I've
been here 15 years.
00:48:39.05\00:48:40.72
And I said, you're not going to
be here 15 more minutes because
00:48:41.02\00:48:43.89
the chief deputy is escorting
you to your car and we'll get
00:48:43.89\00:48:47.22
whatever you need
out of the office.
00:48:47.22\00:48:48.12
We do not treat
our inmates that way.
00:48:48.52\00:48:50.76
God loves us just the
same as he loves them.
00:48:50.99\00:48:54.13
We can reverse that.
00:48:54.30\00:48:55.70
He loves them just the same
as he loves us, even though I'm
00:48:55.70\00:48:57.90
wearing the gold badge.
00:48:57.90\00:48:58.80
And we've got to
keep that in focus.
00:49:00.20\00:49:02.20
We are here to serve people
and show it to show Christ.
00:49:02.30\00:49:08.11
That's what I'm here for.
00:49:08.28\00:49:08.98
Amen.
00:49:09.68\00:49:09.94
That's huge.
00:49:10.41\00:49:11.15
Well said.
00:49:11.28\00:49:11.75
Well said.
00:49:11.75\00:49:12.88
Lemuel, did you ever think,
I mean sitting here all these
00:49:13.25\00:49:17.95
years later, did you ever think
that Christmas behind bars would
00:49:18.32\00:49:22.42
grow to what it is today?
00:49:22.42\00:49:23.02
We never thought.
00:49:24.76\00:49:25.86
We just kept going.
00:49:26.46\00:49:27.50
People ask how many prisons, how
many states, how many inmates.
00:49:28.50\00:49:31.57
It's not about how
many, it's about that one.
00:49:32.27\00:49:34.84
You know, and we've never
had a sheriff like this before.
00:49:35.54\00:49:38.11
We have a new warden at
the reformatory where I was in
00:49:38.44\00:49:41.18
prison at.
00:49:41.18\00:49:41.54
Whole different paradigm.
00:49:41.81\00:49:42.98
They're the same.
00:49:43.21\00:49:43.81
They're on the same page.
00:49:44.05\00:49:45.01
So now the staff
treats the volunteers better.
00:49:45.25\00:49:48.12
The staff treats the
inmates' families better.
00:49:48.25\00:49:50.85
So we see a change, and if
the change is at the top in that
00:49:51.09\00:49:54.76
formation, it's going to
continue to make a difference
00:49:54.76\00:49:58.26
within. I have a
story about that child.
00:49:58.59\00:50:00.36
Can I share that?
00:50:00.53\00:50:05.03
You know, we were putting
together 3,000 packages for this
00:50:05.43\00:50:08.37
huge prison, one prison, and one
of the volunteers said that that
00:50:08.37\00:50:12.14
little boy, his
dad, is in that prison.
00:50:12.14\00:50:13.98
And I'm real busy with all the
busyness of getting everything
00:50:14.21\00:50:16.71
together.
00:50:16.71\00:50:20.18
that little boy, and I kneeled
down, we're eye level now,
00:50:20.18\00:50:24.35
blonde hair, blue eyes.
00:50:24.35\00:50:25.15
I said, your
daddy's in this prison?
00:50:25.45\00:50:26.99
He said, yes.
00:50:27.06\00:50:29.86
I said, if I could find your
daddy, I said, would you like me
00:50:30.56\00:50:33.16
to tell him anything?
00:50:33.16\00:50:34.00
And this little boy said, yes.
00:50:34.20\00:50:35.90
Tell my daddy that I love him.
00:50:36.43\00:50:38.93
My daddy killed my mommy.
00:50:39.53\00:50:41.90
That is the love
of this little child.
00:50:42.97\00:50:45.14
I had the privilege of finding
that man's cell, and I got down
00:50:45.41\00:50:48.71
at the cupboard, and I gave him
a personal message from his son.
00:50:48.71\00:50:52.08
And I said, your son still loves
you no matter that you killed
00:50:52.38\00:50:56.69
his mommy.
00:50:56.69\00:51:00.79
in the Garden of Gethsemane, He
said, Father, if it be possible,
00:51:00.79\00:51:03.43
let this cup pass from me.
00:51:03.69\00:51:05.03
It was a dark time, but He
brings light and hope in the
00:51:05.03\00:51:08.43
midst of darkness.
00:51:08.43\00:51:13.10
that privilege of hope no matter
that we killed His only begotten
00:51:13.10\00:51:16.97
Son, Jesus.
00:51:16.97\00:51:17.54
Amen.
00:51:18.04\00:51:18.44
That's powerful.
00:51:18.67\00:51:19.61
You know, Lemuel, when we go
into some of these prisons and
00:51:20.11\00:51:23.18
jails, I mean, we've
gone into quite a few of them.
00:51:23.18\00:51:25.18
You've gone into
more than I have.
00:51:25.35\00:51:27.05
But when we go in there, you
share a message, and you always
00:51:27.75\00:51:32.59
encourage them to
try how many more times?
00:51:32.59\00:51:35.09
One more time.
00:51:35.29\00:51:36.12
One more time.
00:51:36.79\00:51:37.73
If you appreciate anything about
this program, would you do us a
00:51:38.06\00:51:41.26
favor?
00:51:41.26\00:51:41.56
Would you?
00:51:41.83\00:51:42.30
And they'll raise their hand.
00:51:42.53\00:51:43.60
I said, we'd just like to
encourage you to try one more
00:51:44.27\00:51:46.80
time. It's not
about an altar call.
00:51:47.17\00:51:48.47
It's not, boy, you need to make
a commitment to Christ today.
00:51:48.64\00:51:50.94
But would you be
willing to try one more time?
00:51:51.24\00:51:53.07
For somebody like Michael, he
might write home and say, Honey,
00:51:53.24\00:51:56.08
I'm sorry.
00:51:56.08\00:51:58.68
So just to try one more time.
00:51:58.98\00:52:01.38
And for somebody who's
interested in getting involved
00:52:01.38\00:52:05.69
in prison ministry, maybe they
have a connection at their local
00:52:05.69\00:52:08.66
jail and they
want to go in there.
00:52:08.66\00:52:09.62
What would you recommend that
they do if they have a program
00:52:10.16\00:52:13.66
or something that
they want to put on?
00:52:13.66\00:52:15.00
What do you
recommend they share?
00:52:15.60\00:52:16.97
Keep it simple.
00:52:17.10\00:52:18.23
Keep it simple.
00:52:18.73\00:52:19.43
Share what Christ
has done in your life.
00:52:19.67\00:52:21.40
Share with God.
00:52:21.77\00:52:25.37
alcoholism.
00:52:25.37\00:52:25.91
He helped me with anger.
00:52:25.94\00:52:26.91
He helped me.
00:52:27.04\00:52:31.58
You don't have to have a badge.
00:52:31.81\00:52:32.98
You don't got to
have a pastoral degree.
00:52:33.21\00:52:34.95
Share with them
what you promised them.
00:52:35.75\00:52:37.82
And that's the
message of Christ.
00:52:38.25\00:52:39.89
I love there's something that
you've done in the past that I
00:52:39.99\00:52:43.99
love.
00:52:43.99\00:52:44.69
And you'll take like a $20 bill
or $10 bill, which you're not
00:52:45.33\00:52:50.57
even supposed to
have in jail anyway.
00:52:50.57\00:52:51.53
But hey, you take
a $20 bill in, right?
00:52:52.27\00:52:55.60
And then you say, how
many of you want this $20 bill?
00:52:55.60\00:53:00.84
And then
everybody's hands go up.
00:53:01.41\00:53:03.91
In fact, why don't you take
over and do the illustration?
00:53:04.11\00:53:06.21
You do it so well.
00:53:06.38\00:53:07.25
So if you offer an inmate a $20
bill, green money is worth more
00:53:07.72\00:53:11.09
in prison than
it is on the street.
00:53:11.09\00:53:11.99
So you take that $20 bill.
00:53:12.39\00:53:13.52
You said, how many of you like
this if I could give it to you?
00:53:13.62\00:53:15.72
Some of them raise their hand.
00:53:16.66\00:53:17.53
They think it's a joke.
00:53:17.59\00:53:18.26
I said, no,
really, how many if I...
00:53:18.39\00:53:21.23
Majority, almost all
of them raise their hand.
00:53:21.23\00:53:23.10
And if you crumple up that $20
bill and you say, how many of
00:53:23.40\00:53:27.14
you still want this?
00:53:27.14\00:53:27.74
Every hand goes up.
00:53:28.00\00:53:29.20
And then you
throw it on the ground.
00:53:29.47\00:53:30.77
You step on it,
kick it to the curb.
00:53:30.87\00:53:32.37
I said, how many of you
still want that $20 bill?
00:53:32.77\00:53:34.98
Hands goes up.
00:53:35.68\00:53:36.48
I said, why?
00:53:36.58\00:53:37.28
Why would they
still want this, brother?
00:53:37.65\00:53:39.21
Why?
00:53:39.45\00:53:40.12
It still has intrinsic value.
00:53:40.12\00:53:40.15
It still has intrinsic value.
00:53:41.48\00:53:43.22
The value's not changed.
00:53:43.62\00:53:45.32
And Christ will take you no
matter how rumpled and crumpled
00:53:45.65\00:53:50.16
you may think you is.
00:53:50.16\00:53:51.19
Matter of fact, your value is
worth more because God gave his
00:53:51.49\00:53:54.76
only begotten
son to buy us back.
00:53:54.76\00:53:56.63
And that's the
power of the gospel.
00:53:57.27\00:53:58.57
So simple analogies for Christ.
00:53:58.63\00:54:00.70
Amen, that's powerful.
00:54:00.90\00:54:02.37
It's like
Christ's object lesson.
00:54:02.50\00:54:03.74
It's beautiful.
00:54:03.94\00:54:04.24
What are the needs of
Christmas Behind Bars?
00:54:05.31\00:54:07.94
I want to hit that again.
00:54:08.01\00:54:09.51
I know we talked about it
in the first hour but this is a
00:54:09.58\00:54:12.45
powerful ministry.
00:54:12.45\00:54:13.01
I want to approach it again.
00:54:13.11\00:54:14.32
So share what are the
needs of your organization.
00:54:14.48\00:54:17.09
Sure, I'm going to let you share
that because you know different
00:54:17.75\00:54:20.86
aspects of it.
00:54:20.86\00:54:21.76
You know,
00:54:26.03\00:54:26.96
and we did not talk about this.
00:54:30.03\00:54:31.93
I want a disclaimer here.
00:54:32.30\00:54:33.67
We never said anything about
this but I come from a business
00:54:33.87\00:54:36.54
background.
00:54:36.54\00:54:40.88
Kindergarten through
12th grade, out of the blue.
00:54:41.08\00:54:43.08
We started 13 years ago and
we've gone from 26 students,
00:54:43.28\00:54:47.72
grown every year to
230 with a waiting list.
00:54:47.72\00:54:50.42
And I'll tell you what I have
found out that it takes money.
00:54:50.42\00:54:56.16
It really takes money.
00:54:57.06\00:54:58.46
You know, God will supply
the need but he'll usually have
00:54:58.59\00:55:04.70
somebody else still
sign their name on the check.
00:55:04.70\00:55:06.84
And so I can imagine
the financial burden but God
00:55:07.40\00:55:16.48
supplies and God will supply but
God will supply through people
00:55:16.48\00:55:23.28
like you and me. And you know,
God has put the burden on his
00:55:24.19\00:55:30.96
heart to be out hustling and
putting this stuff together,
pulling these things
00:55:30.96\00:55:34.00
together.
00:55:34.00\00:55:40.34
And I'll tell you what, it can
change the ripple effect to that
00:55:41.37\00:55:45.04
check that you wrote that
actually provided a bag or two
00:55:45.04\00:55:50.31
bags or a thousand bags.
00:55:50.31\00:55:51.15
There's some thousand bag people
out there and there's some
00:55:51.61\00:55:55.65
10,000 bag people out there.
00:55:55.65\00:55:56.72
But the ripple effect that
will touch generations to come,
00:55:57.32\00:56:02.76
change lives through the message
that they, when they were, oh, I
00:56:02.76\00:56:06.26
love this candy
bar and what's this?
00:56:06.26\00:56:07.83
God loves me?
00:56:08.20\00:56:09.46
Really?
00:56:09.93\00:56:10.37
So you know what?
00:56:11.53\00:56:13.50
We need people to give.
00:56:14.27\00:56:16.24
And to pray.
00:56:16.47\00:56:17.27
I'd like to say on the way to
your prison, Chaplain, I lost a
00:56:17.84\00:56:21.34
wheel, wheel bearing, gone,
trailer were running on one
00:56:21.58\00:56:24.45
wheel. I prayed
for the last 100 miles.
00:56:24.78\00:56:26.25
I said, Lord, if I lose
another wheel, what do I do?
00:56:26.38\00:56:28.78
Rent a U-Haul, we
ain't going to make it.
00:56:28.88\00:56:30.55
But the Lord
brought it all the way.
00:56:30.65\00:56:32.25
Trailer's still in the shop.
00:56:32.42\00:56:33.42
They've got a new axle order.
00:56:33.62\00:56:34.72
But it's all, God is good.
00:56:35.59\00:56:37.06
All the time.
00:56:37.69\00:56:38.63
So I want your website
one more time before we go.
00:56:39.09\00:56:42.50
ChristmasBehindBars.org,
easy peasy.
00:56:43.03\00:56:44.67
ChristmasBehindBars.org.
00:56:45.73\00:56:46.84
That way people can find
out where to mail the check, how
00:56:47.27\00:56:50.84
they can support
online and everything.
00:56:50.84\00:56:52.37
Thank you all for
coming on and sharing.
00:56:52.51\00:56:54.11
Thank you for
your heart for service.
00:56:54.21\00:56:55.74
We want to thank
you for joining us.
00:56:55.94\00:56:57.95
Make sure you support the
wonderful ministry of Christmas
00:56:58.15\00:57:01.78
Behind Bars and get
involved in prison ministry.
00:57:01.78\00:57:04.39
Until next time, God bless you.
00:57:04.69\00:57:06.59
Amen.
00:57:06.76\00:57:07.02