Welcome to The New Journey,
the program where we meet
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real-life people
with real-life testimonies
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with real-life work
and ministries for Jesus.
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Today we'll meet a man and a
wife that are actively involved
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in prison ministries
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bringing Christmas
gifts to inmates year round.
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Tune in for this
exciting interview as we discuss
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how he leads people to Jesus
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as well as find out his
personal journey to God.
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I'm your host Aaron Chancy.
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Come join us on The New Journey.
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Welcome back to The New Journey.
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Today we have an
exciting husband and wife
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that are going to be talking
about their prison ministries.
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Welcome Mr. and
Mrs. Vega to the show.
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Greetings, brother.
It's a blessing to be here.
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Amen, amen. Now we have
some exciting information
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that we want to talk
about during the show
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in terms of your
ministry Christmas Behind Bars.
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Can both of you share some
information, shed some light
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to the viewers of your ministry,
your involvement in ministry,
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your passion for ministry.
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Shed some light on that, please.
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Well first of all,
Christmas Behind Bars is not a
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once-a-year program. The
true meaning of Christmas
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is applicable 365 days
a year. All year round.
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This was not my
idea... this is God's idea.
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Um, 13 years ago I gave my heart
to Jesus in a hospital room
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sick and ready to die.
OK. And so this program's been
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running for about 12
years. About 12 years?
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OK, so both of you all
are actively involved in
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prison ministries. Mrs.
Vega, what's your involvement
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in prison ministries? Well,
I love to go to the prisons
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and visit the men, but
actually my main goal is to
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write them letters, like
correspondence with the inmates.
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You know that's actually good
because, myself, I spent time
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incarcerated and I'm well aware
of people who are incarcerated.
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They don't have loved
ones who are out there
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They receive no mail,
receive no commissary...
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things like that... and
it's good to get a letter
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just from somebody that cares.
It may not be a long letter.
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It may just be a short
letter or a card just saying
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"I'm thinking about you. "
But people appreciate that,
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don't they? Yes they
do. It's very humbling.
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You know, I'm just one
little servant but they really
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enjoy it. They really enjoy it.
And I fully agree. As I said,
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I've seen people in there
that just can get a letter
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of just a paragraph long
and be overjoyed that somebody
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took the time to
write them a letter,
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send it to them, and say "Look,
I just really care about you. "
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Praise the Lord for it.
That is good! That is good!
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So ya'll have been involved
in prison ministries for about
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how long? Well I guess I've
been involved about 30 years.
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30 years, OK. Lemuel
was a big Chicago boy that
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came to the little Bluffton
town - OK - and his name was
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splashed all over the
paper. And the Lord told me
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to tell him about
Jesus the way I know Jesus.
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Amen, amen. And Mr.
Vega, how long have you
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been involved in
prison ministries?
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Well I was in prison myself
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looking at 10-20 years
in the county jail - OK -
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and some volunteers came in.
So that started the importance
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of volunteerism in my life
because I was the recipient
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of volunteers coming
in. So that's kind of how
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the prison ministry has
had its fuel because, you know,
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like you said...
they appreciate a letter.
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They appreciate a volunteer
coordinator or a sponsor to come
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into the prison to
share with them. OK.
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So this program specifically
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has been going now about
13 years. About 13 years?
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Can you describe a little
bit of your joy? The feeling
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that you get when
you go inside a prison
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as well as the feeling
that you've noticed that
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other... that inmates receive
from the work that you guys
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are doing in the prisons?
Let me tell you something:
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I had one year clean. I've
been out of prison for 12 years.
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I had one year clean, and
let me tell you something:
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it was somebody else's idea to
make some little tiny packages
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to go down to the
local county jail.
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OK. Somebody else had this
idea, and I had a little grocery
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business and so
I donated product.
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OK. And so we went to
this first county jail.
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I had one year clean, and
on the way home that night
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I took my wife's
hand and I said: "Baby,
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you couldn't give
me a brand new Corvette
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for the
blessing that I received.
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So that's the
transforming power of God.
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Because when I got out of
prison it was ski boats, it was
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motorcycles, it was gold,
it was cars, it was all this
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stuff... but I was still
empty. So the power of God
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working through
the volunteer's hearts.
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The volunteers are blessed as
much as the inmates are blessed
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I believe, but how I
don't... Or more... or more.
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Talk about your experience
going into the prisons,
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Mrs. Vega. There's
just a total blessing.
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They're like your neighbor next
door, and it's a total blessing.
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So a total blessing.
Lemuel, when you all go into
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the prisons, what's
some of the work that you do
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inside of the prisons?
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Aaron, when we go into
prisons we want to bring them
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a message of hope. You yourself
were in prison, and somewhere
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it sparked a change and
a desire to follow Jesus.
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Yes. And so that's
what we do in the prisons.
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We have different services.
Our Christmas Behind Bars
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ministry visits many prisons
and county jails throughout
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the states. OK. What we see here
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is a maximum
security prison right here.
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These people... they
have a death row here
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and they're in prison
for many, many, many years -
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OK - and yet they
can find hope and truth.
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Here what we're doing is
we're using a big warehouse
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which someone donated.
And what you see here is...
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is months worth of planning.
And we are putting together
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15,000 of those brown
paper sacks going down the line.
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We are putting
together 15,000 packages.
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And let me tell you something:
that's three semi trailers
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full - OK - from the top to
the bottom, from side to side.
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So here we have
about 300 volunteers
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which came from
throughout the state. OK.
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There's products that's been...
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some of it's been donated,
a lot of it has been purchased
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at a very minimal amount.
So we're always trying to watch
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and be very good stewards
of stuff that's been donated.
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So during the footage we
see that there's some food items
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that are being given. We
actually see some Pathfinders
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involved as well. What are some
of the things that are in these
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packages that you
give to the inmates?
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They have
devotional books in there.
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They have an
opportunity for Bible studies.
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They can send for a
Bible if they want a Bible.
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And then here we're
finishing up here at this point
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and everyone is just like
closing out and saying goodbye.
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OK. So it's even a good
experience for the volunteers.
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They get to get
involved; they get to help out.
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And they get to be a
blessing to inmates as well.
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Any time we can be of
service to Jesus, whether you're
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in the prison system or out,
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we are blessed somehow
through God's providence. OK.
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So Mrs. Vega, are you also
involved in helping gather up
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the food and
gather up the materials
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to be able to send
them out to the prisoners?
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I do some. I
basically just stay at home
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and write the letters -
OK - and keep the house.
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Lemuel has
volunteers that help him.
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OK. So you have a lot
of correspondence going on
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between the
inmates and yourself.
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They write a lot of letters;
you respond to a lot of letters.
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Yes. Now here there's a bunch
of volunteers who are taking
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the packages off of the truck
and we're deciding which part
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of the prison
we're going to right now.
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These volunteers have taken
the specific number of bags
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that go to that cell house.
And in that cell house there
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they are stacked five
high - five rows high.
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And then they're in a
little tiny 6x10 cell.
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And it's just a pretty
solemn time in their lives.
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So on the footage it looks
like some of the volunteers
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are going inside of the prisons
and handing out the stuff.
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Is that correct? Yeah.
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So they get to see the actually
inside of the prison. Yeah.
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They are the
hands and feet of Jesus.
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I tell them: "You've got 10 or
15 seconds to share God's love.
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Whatever it is: a
smile, a handshake.
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Whatever it is, let them
know that you care about them. "
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So you don't have time to
sermonize when you're giving.
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No. Just give a 15-second
sermon on the love of Jesus,
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the gospel. In this
particular prison...
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but now some prisons
they'll do it in the gymnasium
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or the chapel, so you'll have
a group of 300 or 400 inmates
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sitting there, so then you
have an hour for the program.
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OK. So different
prisons are different.
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OK. That's amazing.
That's amazing work!
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I can tell that the people
are actually richly blessed
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by this. It seems that
you're getting to shake hands.
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You're getting to pray with
people. I'm sure people give
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prayer requests. I'm sure
through the correspondence,
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Mrs. Vega, people mention a lot
of what they need prayer for.
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Things like
that, correct? They do.
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OK. So throughout the letters,
Mrs. Vega, do you see many
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people that are wanting
a relationship with God?
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And are asking -
yes - "How do I do it?
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What do I do? "
Things like that? Yes, yes.
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And when you write them and
tell them, it's like they can't
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quite hear what you're saying.
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OK. They need a
lot of prayers. OK.
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Tell us what's going
on a little bit right now.
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This is in the dorm,
and this is dormitory there.
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And we had an opportunity
to actually share 10 minutes
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in that dorm setting. OK.
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So it's just an amazing
amazing blessing, brother.
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OK, yeah. Looks like an
amazing blessing to be inside
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of the prison. Now I heard you
mention something that you go
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throughout the US
into different prisons.
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How do you get
inside of other prisons?
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Because your ministry
is based out of Indiana
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so how to you get involved in
prisons, jails, juvenile centers
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around the nation?
Through God's providence.
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Usually there's a family
member or a church that says:
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"Hey, how can we get
involved in this ministry? "
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They'll call.
We'll dialogue with them.
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We'll check out what
prisons are close to them.
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They'll check it out for us,
and then we'll get with them.
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Maybe come and
share with their church
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or send a representative
of Christmas Behind Bars
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and let them know to
get the groundwork started
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'cause it takes
months of planning.
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Not months... but it
takes a lot of planning.
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OK. So when, Mr. Vega,
you go inside of the prisons
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around the country, Mrs.
Vega, do you go along also
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into the other
prisons? Yes, I do.
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So are both of you guys involved
in going into juvenile centers,
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jails, prisons? Both of you
are actively involved in that?
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Yes. So it's a husband and
wife team that you have here?
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Yes it is. It's amazing to be
able to work together, isn't it?
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With a multitude
of volunteers. OK.
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It's God putting people
together in the right place
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at the right time
that's the blessing. Amen.
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Do you encourage?
There may be people out there
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that want to get
involved in prison ministry
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but may be a little bit leery
about going inside of a prison,
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especially as a female.
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Maybe if they haven't
served time themselves
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or maybe not know the
workings of what's going on
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inside of the prison. Do
you all actually encourage
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people to get involved in
prison ministries, Mrs. Vega?
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Absolutely - OK - yes.
OK. How about you Mr. Vega?
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Do you encourage people to get
involved in prison ministries?
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100% because we are
not going to go to heaven
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filling a church pew. That's
true. We need to be actively
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involved in a
relationship with Jesus Christ.
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And as we are actively
involved in a relationship with
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Jesus Christ we will
want to go out and serve. OK.
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Jesus specifically talks
about "when I was in prison
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you came and visited Me. " Yes.
Not that Jesus was in prison
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but that we had done it unto
the least of these our brothers.
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Done to Me, my
brother, like. OK, now you have
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many years, Mr. Vega,
involved in prison ministries.
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Can you tell us about an
experience of somebody that
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was blessed by the work
that y'all are involved in
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with prison ministries?
You know, the first maximum
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security prison that we went
into I received a $3 donation.
00:10:59.99\00:11:04.51
So an inmate sent a $3
donation, and I cried, dude.
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When you're in prison you know
what it's like to give up money
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that you've got in
your book. And I cried.
00:11:10.73\00:11:12.41
It brought tears to my
eyes that someone would care
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that much about wanting
to help further the cause.
00:11:14.88\00:11:17.58
And so with that in mind,
the value is just unbelievable.
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There's a maximum security
prison where I was imprisoned
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at - OK - and Three
Angels Broadcasting Network
00:11:25.21\00:11:28.49
they helped sponsor and connect
and set up a satellite dish
00:11:28.79\00:11:32.39
in this prison that inmates
could begin to experience truth.
00:11:32.59\00:11:36.29
OK. That they could begin to
see in their little tiny cells
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that they don't
have to come to service.
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And if we could just watch
that - OK - just watch that
00:11:40.88\00:11:43.03
right now. The roll in of this
guy. Gave his heart to Jesus.
00:11:43.13\00:11:48.56
And his ministry on the rec
yard grew from one picnic table
00:11:48.76\00:11:52.63
to three picnic tables - wow!
- because of 3ABN sponsorship
00:11:52.83\00:11:57.19
combined with
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:11:57.39\00:11:58.92
So 3ABN's work inside of prisons
00:11:59.12\00:12:01.32
is being... with the
satellites in side of prisons...
00:12:01.52\00:12:03.39
is becoming a real blessing to
inmates all across the nation.
00:12:03.59\00:12:06.36
Correct? That is correct.
And we have a roll in right now
00:12:06.56\00:12:10.19
of a friend of mine
dear to my heart: Dion.
00:12:10.39\00:12:13.34
Yeah. And it's a real blessing.
OK, well let's go ahead
00:12:13.54\00:12:16.66
and roll that footage so
that the viewers can see what's
00:12:16.76\00:12:19.56
going on inside of the prisons.
00:12:19.66\00:12:21.14
I promised you to come up here.
You've got 3 minutes, brother,
00:12:22.01\00:12:24.69
to share a whole
sermon. Dion is one of your own.
00:12:24.79\00:12:27.76
Dion, would you come up
here and we appreciate...
00:12:27.96\00:12:33.26
Praise the Lord.
00:12:35.41\00:12:36.55
Bro. Vega wanted me to speak
a little bit on wheat and tare.
00:12:38.73\00:12:42.53
He brought these
illustrations for you.
00:12:43.73\00:12:46.08
First I would like
to go to Matthew 13.
00:12:46.38\00:12:49.83
Excuse me. I'm
sort of losing my voice.
00:12:50.03\00:12:52.01
This is where the parable...
where Jesus gives 7 parables
00:12:52.21\00:12:55.64
in Matthew 13 and one of them
is about the wheat and the tare.
00:12:55.75\00:13:00.03
And I'll just pick up...
I'll just sort of explain
00:13:01.27\00:13:05.58
what the parable is
about: sowing a seed.
00:13:05.78\00:13:08.30
And when that seed grows
up, when that wheat is produced
00:13:08.50\00:13:12.29
and tare is produced with it,
00:13:12.49\00:13:15.01
and Jesus said He
didn't want the reapers to come
00:13:15.31\00:13:18.66
and take away the tare because
it looks just like the wheat.
00:13:18.86\00:13:22.90
First thing I was thinking
about when Bro. Vega asked me to
00:13:23.97\00:13:27.28
expound on this I was thinking
about something I'd seen on TV
00:13:27.38\00:13:30.61
where they were looking for
a mummy and they found a vase
00:13:30.64\00:13:35.22
with some wheat in
it 4,000 years old.
00:13:35.42\00:13:37.64
They took that wheat out
of that vase and by faith
00:13:39.32\00:13:42.45
they planted it.
And it grew something.
00:13:42.65\00:13:45.07
But the reason the wheat would
not grow was because it was
00:13:45.27\00:13:48.60
in a dark place. This is the
same way that the seed of God
00:13:48.70\00:13:53.94
and the Holy Spirit that
I believe indwells everyone
00:13:54.14\00:13:57.13
that's come here
tonight. But the Holy Spirit
00:13:57.23\00:14:00.11
cannot grow if it
is in a dark place.
00:14:00.31\00:14:02.86
And I'm not talking
about a place that don't exist
00:14:03.26\00:14:06.13
with natural
light. I'm talking...
00:14:06.23\00:14:08.81
you can be in natural
light and be watching porno
00:14:08.91\00:14:11.89
and be in a dark place.
00:14:11.99\00:14:13.47
You can be watching a
movie full of profane speech
00:14:13.67\00:14:17.40
and violence and sex
and be in a dark place.
00:14:17.60\00:14:20.23
You can be plotting
against your brother
00:14:20.53\00:14:23.05
to do something
evil or to extort him
00:14:23.35\00:14:26.91
and be in a dark place.
00:14:27.11\00:14:28.94
You can be selling
something to your brother
00:14:30.09\00:14:32.74
keeping him addicted
and be in a dark place.
00:14:32.94\00:14:35.69
Any of these dark
places that exist in us
00:14:37.00\00:14:40.81
will inhibit the Holy Spirit
from growing just like it did
00:14:41.01\00:14:44.43
the grain. If
you go to Matthew 13
00:14:44.63\00:14:49.27
go to verse 40 where it says:
00:14:49.47\00:14:53.44
"Therefore as the
tares are gathered and burned
00:14:53.64\00:14:56.17
in the fire, so it will
be at the end of this age.
00:14:56.47\00:15:00.05
The Son of Man will send out
His angels and they will gather
00:15:00.45\00:15:04.20
out of His kingdom
all things that offend. "
00:15:04.30\00:15:07.97
That word offend in
the Greek is scandalize.
00:15:08.07\00:15:11.42
That's where we
get the word scandal.
00:15:11.62\00:15:13.22
Any time we do anything to
cause scandal to our brothers
00:15:13.52\00:15:17.58
it offends God. And
here's what He said:
00:15:17.78\00:15:21.16
"And those who
practice lawlessness... "
00:15:21.36\00:15:23.01
If we claim to be
under the new covenant
00:15:23.21\00:15:25.22
of Jesus Christ where the
law is written in our hearts,
00:15:25.42\00:15:29.08
then we should live like that.
00:15:29.28\00:15:30.75
We know that there's no amount
of keeping the commandments
00:15:30.96\00:15:33.51
that will save any of us.
It is only through the faith
00:15:33.71\00:15:36.77
in Jesus Christ, but keeping
the commandments should be
00:15:36.97\00:15:39.68
a result of that faith.
00:15:39.78\00:15:41.71
We know that through the grace
of God that's what Jesus Christ
00:15:41.91\00:15:44.36
died for. He shed His
atoning blood on the cross.
00:15:44.46\00:15:47.81
This is what saves us
and this is what redeems us.
00:15:48.01\00:15:50.85
But if we are redeemed
then we should look redeemed
00:15:51.05\00:15:53.30
and live redeemed.
00:15:53.50\00:15:54.67
I wrote something down, and
I'm going to leave after this.
00:15:56.03\00:16:00.90
It says: this
fellowship with Christ
00:16:05.21\00:16:07.36
brings an end to a life
where sin is too strong for us.
00:16:07.46\00:16:11.14
It is the beginning of
a life in which Christ is
00:16:11.34\00:16:14.24
too strong for sin. God bless
you and thank you, brother.
00:16:14.34\00:16:17.15
Thank you very much, brother.
00:16:17.35\00:16:19.38
The wheat and the tares
will grow together until the end
00:16:19.58\00:16:23.57
of time. And Dion,
at the end of time,
00:16:23.60\00:16:26.08
what is going to the kingdom
of heaven? Only the wheat.
00:16:26.28\00:16:29.03
Only the wheat. The
choice is ours tonight.
00:16:29.23\00:16:31.17
That was some amazing
footage we just saw, Mr. Vega.
00:16:35.53\00:16:38.36
So Bro. Dion is a
person that you minister to
00:16:38.56\00:16:41.78
in prison and now is
ministering to others.
00:16:41.88\00:16:44.67
That must be an amazing
feeling to know that you have
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.05
an impact...
Actually, that you and Mrs. Vega
00:16:47.15\00:16:49.88
are having an impact on
people's lives in prison
00:16:49.98\00:16:53.37
and now they're
ministering to others.
00:16:53.57\00:16:55.60
That must be a very
powerful feeling, isn't it?
00:16:55.70\00:16:57.86
Amen. Hey, dude, you know what?
We're only there for a moment
00:16:58.06\00:17:00.67
of time. OK. And when we
leave that if they can grasp
00:17:00.77\00:17:03.48
the gospel that will be
innervated in and throughout
00:17:03.58\00:17:07.17
the prisons. And it
doesn't stop within the prisons
00:17:07.27\00:17:09.43
because they're going to
want to send that home through
00:17:09.63\00:17:11.32
messages, through
letters, through notes,
00:17:11.42\00:17:13.17
through visitation.
And that gospel message is
00:17:13.27\00:17:15.24
going to continue to flourish
- yes - until Jesus comes back.
00:17:15.34\00:17:17.52
OK. Now, we want prison
ministry work to continue
00:17:17.66\00:17:21.44
not only in your own
ministry Christmas Behind Bars
00:17:21.64\00:17:24.34
but in the many various prison
ministries around the nation
00:17:24.54\00:17:27.92
and around the world. Amen.
And I know that your ministry
00:17:28.02\00:17:31.00
has needs as well as many
other ministries have needs.
00:17:31.20\00:17:33.62
Can you tell us a little
bit about the needs that are
00:17:33.82\00:17:36.08
are really needed to
continue to further the gospel
00:17:36.18\00:17:38.57
with the work you're
doing? Prayer is number one. OK.
00:17:38.67\00:17:40.76
OK. Prayer.
Bibles... used or new Bibles.
00:17:40.97\00:17:43.35
For $300 you can
buy 100 brand new Bibles
00:17:43.56\00:17:45.67
to give to these people.
They're asking for Bibles...
00:17:45.87\00:17:47.71
new or used Bibles. OK.
00:17:47.92\00:17:49.05
Um, computer. We need a
computer, lap-top computer.
00:17:49.35\00:17:52.27
OK. We definitely need...
and I've just found out that
00:17:52.48\00:17:55.62
the importance of it
'cause we've just come back from
00:17:55.82\00:17:58.45
Arkansas just two days ago
and in the high temperatures
00:17:58.55\00:18:02.13
we need a refrigerated box
truck - OK - for perishables.
00:18:02.23\00:18:06.06
So viewers: you heard
some of the information
00:18:06.26\00:18:08.77
that... what this ministry
needs to continue to further
00:18:08.97\00:18:12.19
the gospel inside of prisons.
00:18:12.39\00:18:13.97
You yourself watching
this show: you may not be able
00:18:14.17\00:18:16.53
to go inside
the prisons yourself
00:18:16.63\00:18:18.35
but you have that dollar.
You have that several dollars.
00:18:18.55\00:18:21.09
God may be impressing upon
your heart to give to a ministry
00:18:21.29\00:18:24.53
to donate
somewhere. And I encourage you
00:18:24.63\00:18:26.99
at the end of this show we're
going to give the Christmas
00:18:27.10\00:18:29.40
Behind Bars contact information.
00:18:29.60\00:18:31.59
If the Lord is moving upon your
heart to help this ministry out
00:18:31.79\00:18:35.87
with their needs - their
necessities - to further the
00:18:35.97\00:18:38.05
gospel, we encourage
you to go ahead and do that.
00:18:38.15\00:18:40.96
To contact this ministry.
00:18:41.16\00:18:42.93
Well we're going to
shift gears just a little bit
00:18:43.23\00:18:44.95
and we're going to focus on a
different aspect of your life.
00:18:45.15\00:18:49.78
And I want to talk a little
bit about... Mr. Vega, you have
00:18:50.08\00:18:52.69
not always been
involved in prison ministries.
00:18:52.89\00:18:55.10
You were actually
in prison yourself,
00:18:55.30\00:18:57.90
and we want to talk a
little bit about that as well as
00:18:58.01\00:19:00.11
Mrs. Vega, we want to talk
about when you met your husband.
00:19:00.31\00:19:03.35
Were you involved in prison
ministries prior to him being
00:19:03.55\00:19:07.38
incarcerated? At what
point did you two meet together?
00:19:07.41\00:19:11.21
When Lemuel was around 18 years
old he was a big Chicago boy
00:19:13.73\00:19:18.35
and he was very much in
drugs and he was in trouble.
00:19:18.55\00:19:21.56
And he came to
Bluffton... a small rural town.
00:19:21.86\00:19:25.67
OK. And he just raised
havoc. He and his brothers
00:19:25.88\00:19:28.86
pictures were in the
papers. It was havoc.
00:19:29.06\00:19:32.06
And the Lord just touched my
heart to tell him about Jesus
00:19:32.26\00:19:35.77
like I knew Jesus.
And he was put in prison
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.55
and I wrote him and visited him.
00:19:38.75\00:19:40.39
My dad had a fit. And so
I prayed and I opened up to
00:19:40.60\00:19:44.28
Romans 28 and I
went forward. OK, AMEN.
00:19:44.38\00:19:48.18
Amen. So you met Mr. Vega
prior to him being incarcerated
00:19:48.38\00:19:53.10
in prison. Just before he
went in. OK... just before.
00:19:53.30\00:19:55.59
Now Mr. Vega, what was
some of your involvement in...
00:19:55.79\00:19:59.65
in the street before
you went to prison...
00:19:59.85\00:20:02.64
things that led to
being incarcerated?
00:20:02.84\00:20:05.24
Well brother, let me tell you
something. I learned early on
00:20:05.54\00:20:07.49
in my life, at least I thought,
that money could buy happiness.
00:20:07.59\00:20:11.43
OK. And so you're trying to gain
all this materialistic stuff.
00:20:11.63\00:20:14.76
OK. And you know,
by the time you're 18
00:20:14.96\00:20:17.02
you have thousands of
dollars you actually set up shop
00:20:17.22\00:20:20.31
selling drugs. And you know...
So that's what led me to prison,
00:20:20.51\00:20:24.28
OK, is a life of sin...
not necessarily narcotics.
00:20:24.48\00:20:27.43
Now you know it's interesting
that you should say that.
00:20:27.63\00:20:29.53
We seek for money, for
happiness, things like that.
00:20:29.73\00:20:32.34
You know, God has created each
of us - each human being - with
00:20:32.55\00:20:35.64
like this little
specific keyhole in our hearts
00:20:35.84\00:20:38.23
that only God's
love... only God can fill that.
00:20:38.43\00:20:42.17
Only Jesus Christ can
fill that emptiness, that void.
00:20:42.37\00:20:45.11
But a lot of times as
human beings we try to
00:20:45.31\00:20:47.70
put money in place of it. We
try to put drugs in place of it,
00:20:47.91\00:20:51.76
entertainment,
things along those lines.
00:20:51.86\00:20:53.67
But those really don't actually
satisfy that void in the life,
00:20:53.87\00:20:56.78
do they? No, absolutely not.
00:20:56.99\00:20:58.42
We have little of nothing today,
brother, by society's standards.
00:20:58.62\00:21:02.07
But we have joy, we have
some peace, we have hope,
00:21:02.28\00:21:04.69
we have happiness. Nobody in
this ministry gets paid a dime.
00:21:04.79\00:21:07.60
OK. It's all volunteer,
and it's just amazing how God
00:21:07.80\00:21:11.08
has paved the way that we
can go encourage the brokenness
00:21:11.18\00:21:14.86
in our society - Amen,
Amen - in and OUT of prison.
00:21:14.96\00:21:17.86
OK. So Mrs. Vega, were you
also incarcerated at any point
00:21:18.06\00:21:21.79
in your life or have
you... you've never spent time
00:21:21.89\00:21:24.05
in prison? Tell us
a little about that.
00:21:24.15\00:21:26.02
I was raised in a Christian
home. We weren't perfect, but -
00:21:26.22\00:21:29.09
OK - we knew Dad and Mom
loved us, they loved God.
00:21:29.19\00:21:31.77
And I didn't know
families just survived.
00:21:31.97\00:21:35.38
I thought they were
all like our family. OK.
00:21:35.58\00:21:37.48
OK. So that's pretty interesting
that y'all are basically
00:21:37.78\00:21:42.41
two different people from two
different sides of the tracks.
00:21:42.61\00:21:45.29
And God has brought you together
working in ministry together
00:21:45.49\00:21:49.62
from two different
sides of the field.
00:21:49.72\00:21:51.54
How is that? How is
that in your marriage?
00:21:51.74\00:21:54.56
It's a
blessing. It's a blessing.
00:21:54.96\00:21:56.89
The Lord has continued to
perfecting in my character.
00:21:56.99\00:21:59.77
No longer just narcotics
or alcoholism or sexism
00:21:59.87\00:22:02.84
or Hollywoodism or
secularism but my character -
00:22:03.04\00:22:06.05
OK. That I can have patience
and kindness at the end of
00:22:06.25\00:22:08.37
the day. And so it's been a
blessing. And I pray that my
00:22:08.47\00:22:11.12
wife has been
encouraged through it all too.
00:22:11.22\00:22:12.92
Amen. Amen to that!
00:22:13.13\00:22:14.73
Now when you went to
prison you were sentenced to...
00:22:14.93\00:22:17.86
well you were facing a
charge of ten to twenty years.
00:22:17.96\00:22:20.46
Right. Can you talk a little
bit about that experience?
00:22:20.56\00:22:23.40
How it was facing that amount
of time? It was traumatic!
00:22:23.60\00:22:25.47
Because in Chicago when
you grow up, first time,
00:22:25.67\00:22:28.18
second time, third
time. First time you get out.
00:22:28.28\00:22:29.93
Second time you get out. Third
time you can buy your way out.
00:22:30.13\00:22:32.08
OK. So I thought I
could like buy my way out.
00:22:32.28\00:22:34.29
But as a young man 18 years
old, walking in the back gates
00:22:34.49\00:22:37.14
of the prison, man,
shackled and handcuffed
00:22:37.24\00:22:39.35
with some dude you don't
even know doing life in prison,
00:22:39.45\00:22:41.60
and the first word you
hear up inside the prison is
00:22:41.80\00:22:44.93
"I'll give you a
shank for your watch. " Wow.
00:22:45.13\00:22:47.16
That's like real. Wow.
I mean, that is like...
00:22:47.37\00:22:49.82
Now for the viewers that
don't know prison terminology -
00:22:50.02\00:22:54.15
uh-huh - you use
the word "shank. "
00:22:54.25\00:22:55.44
I know what you're talking
about when you say shank,
00:22:55.64\00:22:57.72
but the viewers may not
understand what a shank is.
00:22:57.92\00:23:00.28
Can you explain? A shank is
an instrument to do damage -
00:23:00.48\00:23:02.67
bodily injury - to
someone whether to kill them
00:23:02.77\00:23:05.01
or just wound
them really really bad.
00:23:05.04\00:23:07.03
So whatever form the
shank is it's something to cause
00:23:07.23\00:23:09.81
some kind of bodily harm. OK.
00:23:10.01\00:23:12.29
So there are weapons in prison.
00:23:12.39\00:23:14.24
You know, people
generally have this fear
00:23:14.44\00:23:17.42
before they go to
prison. You hear many stories of
00:23:17.62\00:23:20.52
different things that happen.
Before you went to prison
00:23:20.62\00:23:23.70
you were facing the 10-20
years, did you have any fear?
00:23:23.80\00:23:26.30
Or was it kind of like well,
you know, I've talked to many
00:23:26.40\00:23:28.48
people that say: "Well
it's just like going home.
00:23:28.58\00:23:29.97
Just like a
family reunion to me. "
00:23:30.07\00:23:31.62
Did you have that fear
of going in not knowing
00:23:31.82\00:23:34.46
what was going to
happen? I did... I did.
00:23:34.56\00:23:36.45
And when I left the county
jail I took all the narcotics
00:23:36.65\00:23:39.21
I could find in the county
jail or get before I went off
00:23:39.32\00:23:42.36
to prison. And I OD'd a few
weeks before I actually entered
00:23:42.46\00:23:46.23
the prison system
because I was scared.
00:23:46.33\00:23:48.07
OK. And when I
got into prison...
00:23:48.27\00:23:50.26
You know, many people walk
around in prisons on thorazine
00:23:50.46\00:23:53.01
and mellaril. And you know
what? They still ain't satisfied
00:23:53.11\00:23:56.15
no matter how much they
try to medicate them. OK.
00:23:56.25\00:23:58.04
So you overdosed on
drugs. Was that intentionally?
00:23:58.24\00:24:01.45
Was that an accident? It was
because I was going to prison
00:24:01.65\00:24:04.11
and I knew it. And I was
scared because I didn't know
00:24:04.31\00:24:06.23
the unknown. I didn't
know what to expect - OK -
00:24:06.33\00:24:08.75
when I got there. OK. And I
just want to share a little bit
00:24:08.85\00:24:11.33
that that's scary for our
viewers today that don't know
00:24:11.43\00:24:15.00
how it's like to life
live without drugs or alcohol.
00:24:15.10\00:24:17.43
So that's scary for them
because it's the unknown.
00:24:17.63\00:24:19.54
Yeah. It's the unknown of
what may happen when you go into
00:24:19.75\00:24:22.05
prison. I remember myself
when I was being transported
00:24:22.15\00:24:25.20
from the county jail to
the prison just as you stated
00:24:25.40\00:24:28.18
that they shackle
you to a bunch of guys
00:24:28.32\00:24:30.61
that, you know, you don't know.
00:24:30.71\00:24:32.02
And they transported me
over there, and here I am
00:24:32.22\00:24:34.62
sentenced to five
years and don't know how much
00:24:34.82\00:24:37.32
of that five years I'm
going to be sentenced to.
00:24:37.43\00:24:39.39
And you know, I know
you hear so many stories
00:24:39.59\00:24:42.19
of things that
happen inside of prisons.
00:24:42.39\00:24:44.25
And you get to the intake unit
00:24:44.45\00:24:46.77
and they make
everybody strip down.
00:24:46.97\00:24:48.94
You've got 50 guys in front
of you; 50 guys behind you;
00:24:49.14\00:24:52.79
50 guys to the side of you.
00:24:52.99\00:24:54.56
And it's just you don't
know what's going to happen
00:24:54.67\00:24:57.02
and there's an overwhelming
fear that comes upon you.
00:24:57.13\00:25:00.77
But there's something that
you can't show in prison...
00:25:00.97\00:25:03.55
and that's fear.
00:25:03.75\00:25:04.78
That is one thing that people
prey off of is fear in prison.
00:25:04.98\00:25:09.47
Is that correct? That's correct.
00:25:09.67\00:25:11.32
And there's also a fear, bro.
I don't know if it was in your
00:25:11.52\00:25:14.06
life, but when you get
out of prison it's fear
00:25:14.16\00:25:16.68
because you don't want to come
back and yet you're powerless
00:25:16.78\00:25:19.05
to change your life on
your own, right? OK, yeah, yeah.
00:25:19.15\00:25:21.33
And that is true. You
know, many times people
00:25:21.53\00:25:23.30
believe that, you know, I
have to get myself right first
00:25:23.40\00:25:25.98
before I come to the
Lord. I need to get everything
00:25:26.09\00:25:28.47
in my life... I
need to clean myself up
00:25:28.57\00:25:30.35
before I come to Jesus Christ.
00:25:30.55\00:25:32.29
But actually Jesus
says: "No, don't do that. "
00:25:32.39\00:25:34.34
Satan will whisper
in the ear and say:
00:25:34.64\00:25:36.28
"That's what you need to do
first, " when Jesus is saying:
00:25:36.39\00:25:38.81
"Don't do that; you
can't even do it on yourself.
00:25:39.01\00:25:41.61
You need Me. " And
many don't know that.
00:25:41.81\00:25:44.84
Talk to the viewers for the
families out there that have
00:25:44.94\00:25:48.72
ones incarcerated that
are saying that same thing of
00:25:48.82\00:25:51.57
"I need to get together
first before I come to Jesus. "
00:25:51.67\00:25:55.31
Talk specifically to the
viewers of what they should do
00:25:55.51\00:25:58.66
and give them some
words of encouragement.
00:25:58.86\00:26:00.56
I want to encourage you at
home today that whatever you're
00:26:00.77\00:26:02.96
problem, whatever your
trial, Jesus is the answer.
00:26:03.07\00:26:05.78
As He's been my forever
friend and He's changed my life
00:26:05.92\00:26:08.96
from the inside out, He
will help you, I guarantee you.
00:26:09.16\00:26:12.40
Whether you're in prison
today or whether you're free
00:26:12.54\00:26:15.69
by society's standards, a
relationship without Christ
00:26:15.79\00:26:18.80
is emptiness.
00:26:19.00\00:26:20.53
I have a couple Bible
scriptures I'd like to read.
00:26:20.63\00:26:22.57
And the first one
is Jeremiah 29:13.
00:26:22.83\00:26:26.26
"And you shall
seek Me and find Me
00:26:26.46\00:26:29.04
when you shall search
for Me with all your heart"
00:26:29.24\00:26:31.32
Christ says. So please
I appeal to you today...
00:26:31.42\00:26:34.12
I John 1:9... "If
we confess our sins,
00:26:34.32\00:26:37.37
He is faithful and just
to forgive us of our sins
00:26:37.57\00:26:42.03
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. "
00:26:42.23\00:26:44.47
And a favorite Bible scripture
in closing is Philippians 4:13
00:26:44.77\00:26:47.80
which says: "I... " - we, you -
00:26:48.00\00:26:49.72
can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth us. "
00:26:49.92\00:26:52.89
Please pray today and ask
God's presence in your life.
00:26:53.09\00:26:56.03
Let Him know
that you want His help
00:26:56.23\00:26:58.54
with your unmanageability.
God bless you and we love you.
00:26:58.74\00:27:01.58
Thank you Mr. Vega.
00:27:01.78\00:27:03.07
Mrs. Vega... some brief words
of encouragement to the viewers?
00:27:03.27\00:27:06.27
If they would have a chance
to go to a prison or a jail
00:27:06.47\00:27:09.66
it would be a great
blessing. Amen, amen.
00:27:09.87\00:27:12.70
Viewers, you've just
heard a powerful, powerful story
00:27:13.00\00:27:16.44
of a husband and a wife
that are actively involved
00:27:16.74\00:27:19.97
in prison ministry.
00:27:20.17\00:27:21.34
You yourself can get
involved in prison ministry.
00:27:21.54\00:27:23.50
It may not be with
Christmas Behind Bars...
00:27:23.70\00:27:25.35
it may be with another ministry.
00:27:25.55\00:27:27.69
It may be a ministry that
the Lord is encouraging you
00:27:27.89\00:27:30.39
to start on your own.
00:27:30.59\00:27:31.92
We encourage you,
though, to get up, get out,
00:27:32.12\00:27:34.82
and to do something. The
Lord is calling you to a work.
00:27:35.02\00:27:38.52
Each Christian - each
man, woman, and boy and girl -
00:27:38.66\00:27:41.29
God has called to get involved
actively in prison ministry
00:27:41.39\00:27:45.19
work or any other
kind of ministry work
00:27:45.29\00:27:47.36
to help usher in the
soon coming of Jesus Christ.
00:27:47.56\00:27:50.90
Mr. Vega, can you please
provide the viewers with your
00:27:51.20\00:27:53.86
contact information so
that they can learn more
00:27:53.96\00:27:55.96
about your ministry? Yes.
www. christmasbehindbars. com
00:27:56.06\00:27:58.87
www. christmasbehindbars. org
00:27:59.07\00:28:01.34
The e-mail address is
contact@christmasbehindbars. com
00:28:01.54\00:28:05.78
So the website is www.
christmasbehindbars. org
00:28:05.98\00:28:08.51
www. christmasbehindbars. com
00:28:08.71\00:28:10.09
We respond to each
communication personally.
00:28:10.29\00:28:14.55
Folks, you've been
watching The New Journey.
00:28:15.43\00:28:17.09
We encourage you to tune
in next time for the next show
00:28:17.19\00:28:20.26
of The New Journey.
00:28:20.46\00:28:21.50