The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
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Parents are
cautioned that some material
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may be too candid
for younger children.
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Today, we'll meet a
couple actively engaged
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with the burden
for prison ministries.
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Please be sure to tune
in for today's New Journey.
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Welcome back to The New Journey.
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On today's program, we have
with us Mr. and Mrs. Richards.
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Mr. and Mrs.
Richards, we thank you
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for being on
the broadcast today.
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Delighted to be
here. Alright, alright.
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What I want to start with it
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is a little bit
of your background,
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each of your backgrounds.
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Where are you from?
Where you grew up at?
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And how each of you met?
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Give us a
little brief background
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starting with you, Mr. Richards.
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Well, I served in
Air Force for 25 years.
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Okay. From Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Alright.
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And after getting
out of the services,
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I had to get
into law enforcement.
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Therefore, working
in the prison and jails
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and seeing a
lot of Western Negro
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what's going on with
the population there.
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Okay, and we'll get deeper into
you being a Corrections Officer
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in the prisons in a little bit.
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Mrs. Richards, a
little bit of your background.
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I'm Tanja Richards
form Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Okay.
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I'm a school
teacher bachelorette.
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And now I'm doing
ministry work for the Lord.
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Okay. Praise the Lord.
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Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
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Mr. Richards, we
want to start with you.
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As a Corrections Officer,
what are some of the things
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that you've seen
working in the prison
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as a corrections officer?
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Some of the things that
you see that are needed,
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some of the things
that go on in the prisons.
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Talk a little bit about that.
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Well, prisons of
course, you know, we know,
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they are all overpopulated.
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The prison that I've worked
in was designed for 800 people.
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Okay.
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And when I left
it, we had 1,700 and...
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Wow.
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Most of the guys there wanted
somebody to talk to there.
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Okay.
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And another thing I noticed
that in having one-on-one
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with a lot of individuals
when I had the opportunity to,
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no one wants to be
responsible for their actions.
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Yeah.
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So I think that's something
we should be looking at is,
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kind of make people
aware of, as, you and me also,
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we got to be
responsible for our actions.
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Okay.
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And, you know, they
got a need in us, you know,
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hunger for spirituality in them.
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Yeah.
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Spiritual growth
when they are in prison,
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we just got to tap into
that when they are released.
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Okay, okay.
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You know, myself as a ex-inmate
some years ago, I, you know,
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very familiar with
corrections officers and,
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you know, some of the
things that I noticed about.
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Some is, you know,
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there are people like you and I.
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But sometimes, they
would kind of look down on us
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because we are incarcerated.
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And, you know, they are not
breaking the law or whatever,
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they have a job.
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Have you seen this
type of thing happen?
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Or how is it for you
as a corrections officer?
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And also how long did you
work as a correction officer
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in the prisons?
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Four years or often
only and I got activated
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into the Air Force
to go to the desert.
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Prisoners there
used to go into desert
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to do a little time
over there which was fun.
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Okay.
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You know, since
that you said that
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because I noticed that
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some of the officers the
way that they acted and behaved
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towards the prisoners.
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And I think a lot
of it had to do with
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where they were brought up
and how they were treated...
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Okay.
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In school and they
don't have any authority
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and may be they're
not having any type of
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being bullied or whatever.
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Okay.
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Wherever they, you know,
where they was in school day,
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I thought somehow I'm
kind of took their authority
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and went over to hate
because they hate the power to,
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well, you don't get power.
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Oh, yeah! Very
much understandable.
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Now working in the prisons
as a corrections officer,
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did you ever have a opportunity
to pray with any in-mates,
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talk to them about Jesus
or anything along those lines?
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I've sort of worked my way into.
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We had groups coming in
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to constitute to the
Christian Neighborhood.
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And they would really
look forward to the time
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when the people of
whatever group was coming.
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Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
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So I was very fortunate,
blessed by the Lord to assist,
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be able to assist
before I left the prison
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to make sure
everything went smooth.
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I actually began
going to the Chapel.
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I escorted them to
the Chapel and, you know,
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saying my words
and encourage them
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and just, you know,
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being a part of
the service with them
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and they were very
attentive and appreciative
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anytime someone will come in.
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Okay, now after, after working
has a corrections Officer,
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you got in to another
area of law enforcement.
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What are you involved in
now with law enforcement?
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Actually, I'm a Police
officer at facility for
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frenzy type patients
with the state of Alabama.
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Okay.
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Well, what's that life
working with the frenzy group?
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Astounding.
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Most of the guys
are some type of murder.
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He didn't just
murder maybe to kill someone
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but maybe do something
to the body afterwards.
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And, you know. Okay.
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So you have to be
very professional about it
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and to put that
behind when you read up
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and see why a
person is in there?
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It's just so
challenging, interesting
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as long as they
stay on the medication.
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Okay, okay.
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Now what, what led you to want
to become a corrections officer
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or a police officer?
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What kind of
led you prompted you
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or motivated you to
get involved in that field?
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Yes, I thought I
was in the military
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and air force for Deputy Sam.
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When I got out of Air Force,
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I was looking for
some type of employment
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that where I can
make a difference in.
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And going to law enforcement,
and then I got into Air Force.
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Okay. Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
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Mrs. Richards, I want to
speak with you for a little bit.
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You have both
started a ministry.
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I want you to
tell me a little bit
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about the
ministry, the name of it?
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And how it got started?
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Okay. Absolutely.
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The name of the
ministry is called
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"The Matthew 25 Connection."
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And my goal is to feed people,
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to shelter people,
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to visit with them
while they are in prison.
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Okay.
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And seek and to
house them so, of course,
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that's what
Matthew 25:35 speaks about.
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Okay.
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And so I would, I'm
just wanting to share
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my give I think
that the Lord has
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unwanted and blessed me with
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as it relates to help
in those people in need
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in the community.
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And as it relates
to prison ministry,
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there has been
something that has been
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burning desire
for a while with me.
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I know probably
since the early 2000s.
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Of course, we all go into
some things there, you know,
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we aspire to get done.
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But never finish them.
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So over the
past couple of years,
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the Lord has really placed
a burning desire on my heart
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to get back into the
need for a prison ministry,
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the need to get into the prisons
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and help those who
are really struggling
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and battling with
different situations.
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Now, the name
"Matthew 25 Connection."
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How did that name come
about for the ministry?
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The passion and a
desire to help people
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again who are may...
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The need to help those
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who are homeless
to feed those who,
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you know, are
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don't get the proper
nutrition that they need.
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So it came about like I said
basically from the scripture
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as Matthew 25:35 says.
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Okay, okay.
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What are some of
the various aspects
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of Matthew 25 Connection?
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I want you to mention
the feeding, the housing,
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things like that.
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What are you all trying
to do with each of these?
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Each of them being
in the impoverished area
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they were in,
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we're hoping to gain a
population of individuals
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who want to first of all
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develop a relationship required.
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So we are trying
inspire in spirituality
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into the program,
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we're trying to engage in there
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within the program
first and foremost.
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And then also we would like
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some type of
educational program,
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some type of work
force initiative program
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to also be involved
in our ministry as well.
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Okay, Mr. Richards,
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as a former corrections officer,
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police officer,
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what have you seen has
is some of the major causes
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of why people are
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who are called repeat offenders?
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I think it is break
down in the family life,
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early childhood,
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development which we
need to really focus on.
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And being, want
to be in a group,
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want to be with someone,
want to be a part of something.
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Unfortunately most of
all people getting involved
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in wrong things to be
with some good people,
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you know, we can change that.
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Okay.
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You can be with
good positive people,
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I think we could
solve the problem.
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Okay, okay.
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Mrs. Richards,
you told me before
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that you all encourage families
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to get involved
with the ex-convict
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that you may be working with.
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What are you
seeking to do by this?
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Bridge the gap,
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have a supportive
mechanism with the image
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who are getting now,
you want that support system
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within the
community, within the family.
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In order for those individuals
to continue to have hope,
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you want them to have hope,
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you want them to know
that someone cares for them
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and someone is
trying to help them
00:10:08.67\00:10:10.67
regain a
positive outlook on life.
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Okay, so do you
think that if the family,
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the entire family got
involved with particular inmate
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about to get out or even
while they are incarcerated?
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You think that have
helped maybe prevent them
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from going back in
or something like that?
00:10:26.42\00:10:28.36
It has to be a will and desire
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and burning desire
within that individual.
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And I think that the
family life being involved
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will greatly help the individual
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try and stay on the right
track and on the right path
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like you have to
inject a positiveness
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within the person so,
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instilling
positiveness within them,
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I think will greatly help
and it will take a village
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and a family, a
community involvement
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to keep those
persons on the right track.
00:11:01.29\00:11:04.03
Okay.
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Mr. Richards, getting
involved in prison ministries,
00:11:05.43\00:11:08.93
has this been
something that you wanted to do
00:11:08.96\00:11:11.33
since you were younger
00:11:11.37\00:11:12.70
or is this kind
of recent new desire?
00:11:12.73\00:11:15.64
How did all this come
about for you, Mr. Richards?
00:11:15.67\00:11:17.94
Well, this all
started when I was working in
00:11:17.97\00:11:20.08
at the county jail
00:11:20.11\00:11:21.44
when starting off
in law enforcement.
00:11:21.48\00:11:22.81
Okay.
00:11:22.84\00:11:24.18
Thought I will look
my way toward helping
00:11:24.21\00:11:26.05
and getting the Bible workers
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and people that
will come to the jail
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.25
scrutinizing.
00:11:29.28\00:11:30.62
And there's a
need for, you know,
00:11:30.65\00:11:32.35
just doing
anything to try to reach out
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.16
and touch and that's sort of
00:11:35.19\00:11:37.13
where I got started at the jail
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and we've been talking about it
00:11:39.53\00:11:41.20
and you know with the
Matthew 25 Connection.
00:11:41.23\00:11:44.07
And we want to really get
to whole community, the mayor,
00:11:44.10\00:11:46.50
we need to get
everybody involved.
00:11:46.53\00:11:48.20
Okay, okay, now
do either of you have
00:11:48.24\00:11:51.44
any background in terms of
00:11:51.47\00:11:53.68
being incarcerated
in jail, in prison,
00:11:53.71\00:11:56.14
or anything along those lines?
00:11:56.18\00:11:57.91
I do not.
00:11:57.95\00:11:59.55
I just have the
desire to help people,
00:11:59.58\00:12:02.38
that passion to help, you know,
00:12:02.42\00:12:04.85
those less fortunate like I
say those who maybe hopeless,
00:12:04.89\00:12:08.96
those who are in bad situation
00:12:08.99\00:12:11.23
who feel like that
there is no hope or no way out
00:12:11.26\00:12:14.56
that are in
prison or incarcerated.
00:12:14.60\00:12:16.93
To let them know
that there is hope
00:12:16.97\00:12:18.60
and there are other chances
00:12:18.63\00:12:21.97
and their life
can bring about change
00:12:22.00\00:12:25.27
if they are willing to change.
00:12:25.31\00:12:27.14
So I think that this
will be a positive program
00:12:27.18\00:12:29.84
for those incarcerated again
00:12:29.88\00:12:31.81
like I say with their
support system of the family,
00:12:31.85\00:12:34.48
and the community, and
the Matthew 25 Connection
00:12:34.52\00:12:38.42
going out into the community
reaching and changing lives.
00:12:38.45\00:12:41.96
Okay, Mr. Richards, asides
from working in the prisons,
00:12:41.99\00:12:46.59
have you had any
background of being incarcerated
00:12:46.63\00:12:48.76
or anything along those lines?
00:12:48.80\00:12:50.13
Well, once when you asked,
00:12:50.17\00:12:51.50
I would just like to say it did.
00:12:51.53\00:12:52.87
I grew up in the projects,
00:12:52.90\00:12:54.24
earlier projects
in some of the years
00:12:54.27\00:12:55.60
and I've did a
lot of other things
00:12:55.64\00:12:57.24
that I just didn't get called.
00:12:57.27\00:12:58.61
You just didn't get called for.
00:12:58.64\00:12:59.97
And, you know, when I was young
00:13:00.01\00:13:01.34
Everywhere I worked up, friends,
00:13:01.38\00:13:02.91
old friends, you
know, I went for my mother
00:13:02.94\00:13:05.01
always instilling
in me what was right,
00:13:05.05\00:13:08.48
you know, I was
working without a way.
00:13:08.52\00:13:10.35
There was four boys and one girl
00:13:10.39\00:13:12.52
and I think that
carried on into me
00:13:12.55\00:13:15.26
'cause I could
have been on in there
00:13:15.29\00:13:16.76
with some of the
stuff that I did,
00:13:16.79\00:13:18.46
I could have been on
the same side of the fence.
00:13:18.49\00:13:20.50
I mean it just a matter
of me not getting a bad break
00:13:20.53\00:13:25.60
on something
where I could have been
00:13:25.63\00:13:27.20
easily on the
other side of the fence.
00:13:27.24\00:13:28.74
Instead of
working in the prison,
00:13:28.77\00:13:30.11
I could have been
sitting up in the prison myself.
00:13:30.14\00:13:31.47
Okay, okay.
00:13:31.51\00:13:32.91
So you had a strong mother.
00:13:32.94\00:13:35.38
Now why do you think
some of your other friends
00:13:35.41\00:13:38.81
that may have
gotten incarcerated,
00:13:38.85\00:13:40.32
why do you think maybe
they had a mother, father
00:13:40.35\00:13:43.79
at home whatever it was,
00:13:43.82\00:13:45.15
why do you think they got
incarcerated and you didn't?
00:13:45.19\00:13:49.22
Well, getting back
to my mother again,
00:13:49.26\00:13:51.89
I think that her
strong religious background
00:13:51.93\00:13:56.33
and she was really
faithful and you know coming up,
00:13:56.36\00:13:59.00
you know, maybe I
always thought maybe
00:13:59.03\00:14:00.37
it will be too
faithful 'cause, you know,
00:14:00.40\00:14:02.14
I didn't want to go
along with the program.
00:14:02.17\00:14:03.51
And she insisted, you know,
00:14:03.54\00:14:04.94
where you're
camp meeting with me.
00:14:04.97\00:14:06.74
It wasn't an option, you know,
00:14:06.78\00:14:08.51
and I just think
that some of the guys
00:14:08.54\00:14:11.01
that I used to hang out with
00:14:11.05\00:14:12.41
that might have
been in the reason that.
00:14:12.45\00:14:14.68
And grace of the
Lord for, giving me mercy
00:14:14.72\00:14:17.45
and saving me from
going down those road
00:14:17.49\00:14:20.49
that I was trying
my best to get down
00:14:20.52\00:14:22.49
was the difference I think.
00:14:22.52\00:14:23.86
Okay, okay, praise the Lord.
00:14:23.89\00:14:25.89
Mrs. Richards, you said
something a second ago about,
00:14:25.93\00:14:28.83
you know, families getting
involved with the in-mates,
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.67
the ex-inmate.
00:14:31.70\00:14:33.03
What if that person
00:14:33.07\00:14:34.40
doesn't have
that support system?
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.00
I remember for myself
when I was incarcerated.
00:14:36.04\00:14:38.61
I remember one time, you know,
anything can happen, any day,
00:14:38.64\00:14:42.01
any minute, any hour
as you know, Mr. Richards.
00:14:42.04\00:14:44.98
And I remember, at one
of the prisons I was at,
00:14:45.01\00:14:48.02
it was a 24 men dorm area.
00:14:48.05\00:14:50.49
And so you got 24
different personalities,
00:14:50.52\00:14:52.79
24 different backgrounds.
00:14:52.82\00:14:54.52
And I had a mother and
a father that, you know,
00:14:54.56\00:14:57.36
and a brother and cousins
that would write me, you know,
00:14:57.39\00:15:00.90
put money on my
commissary, things like that.
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.77
And there were
some that did not have
00:15:03.80\00:15:06.67
that support system at all.
00:15:06.70\00:15:08.20
They didn't have a mother,
they didn't have a father,
00:15:08.24\00:15:09.97
they didn't
really anybody that care.
00:15:10.01\00:15:11.81
And when a home boy,
they got some home boys,
00:15:11.84\00:15:14.44
but know you get locked up.
00:15:14.48\00:15:15.81
You know no clue at how it
was until you get back out.
00:15:15.84\00:15:19.41
So for a person
that doesn't have
00:15:19.45\00:15:21.28
that support system,
00:15:21.32\00:15:22.78
what can they do,
because like I said,
00:15:22.82\00:15:24.45
I have seen many
times where I could get mail
00:15:24.49\00:15:27.56
or birthday card or
something like that.
00:15:27.59\00:15:29.26
They don't get
it, they are mad at me
00:15:29.29\00:15:30.93
now they want to fight.
00:15:30.96\00:15:32.29
I didn't do anything
to you, I can't help it
00:15:32.33\00:15:34.93
that I have some people
that love me and you may not.
00:15:34.96\00:15:38.43
What should that person
do or could that person do
00:15:38.47\00:15:42.00
being that they may not
have their support system?
00:15:42.04\00:15:45.77
Again that's gonna take
a rally of the community
00:15:45.81\00:15:49.18
to get involved with those
individuals with the system,
00:15:49.21\00:15:54.82
so that something like
that could happen for them.
00:15:54.85\00:15:59.32
You know they are
human, they need the support
00:15:59.35\00:16:02.72
just like everyone else
00:16:02.76\00:16:04.79
and it probably
would help steer them
00:16:04.83\00:16:07.73
in a different
direction if they failed
00:16:07.76\00:16:09.83
and knew that
someone care for them
00:16:09.86\00:16:13.13
and support them
in their efforts,
00:16:13.17\00:16:15.90
and you know probably
that their hearts will change,
00:16:15.94\00:16:20.91
and their minds will
be made up, you know,
00:16:20.94\00:16:23.55
when they get out
to do the right thing.
00:16:23.58\00:16:26.98
You know, to not
go back down the road
00:16:27.02\00:16:29.95
that they have
previously gone down
00:16:29.98\00:16:32.12
in order to that
landed them in that situation.
00:16:32.15\00:16:35.59
So I think again the
community, environment,
00:16:35.62\00:16:38.46
church environment plays
a big role in their effort.
00:16:38.49\00:16:42.76
Now I know some churches
00:16:42.80\00:16:45.33
get involved in
prison ministry, some don't.
00:16:45.37\00:16:48.77
Why do you thing that
some churches, you know,
00:16:48.80\00:16:51.67
and they may have
prisons in their area
00:16:51.71\00:16:53.44
don't get involved
in prison ministries?
00:16:53.48\00:16:56.78
I think that a lot of
churches don't have time.
00:16:56.81\00:17:01.65
That is not an issue, or
be the focus of every church
00:17:01.68\00:17:05.19
to be involved
in prison ministry
00:17:05.22\00:17:08.72
because the people
are desperately searching
00:17:08.76\00:17:13.40
and seeking, and hungering,
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.36
and thrusting for some
type of spiritual growth.
00:17:15.40\00:17:18.23
Yes.
00:17:18.27\00:17:19.60
And just that word
along spiritual growth,
00:17:19.63\00:17:22.57
they should orchestrate
and originate from a church.
00:17:22.60\00:17:25.47
Okay. Okay.
00:17:25.51\00:17:26.91
Yes, indeed, yes, indeed.
00:17:26.94\00:17:28.28
Mr. Richards, being a
former corrections officer,
00:17:28.31\00:17:32.18
how easy or difficult
have you seen it is for,
00:17:32.21\00:17:36.25
if a church wanted
to come in to the prison
00:17:36.28\00:17:39.25
and do some programs?
00:17:39.29\00:17:41.29
How easy or difficult is it
to get into the prison system
00:17:41.32\00:17:44.93
to do those things?
00:17:44.96\00:17:47.00
It is a challenge,
there has to persistency
00:17:47.03\00:17:49.66
and getting with
the warrant, you know,
00:17:49.70\00:17:51.90
to start a warrant
to see what's available.
00:17:51.93\00:17:54.20
And to, it's really nice,
I mean wants to be figure out
00:17:54.24\00:17:58.27
what the
schedule, wants to warrant
00:17:58.31\00:17:59.64
and let you what to
schedule they have an opening.
00:17:59.67\00:18:01.14
Just to be persistent
and start with the warrant,
00:18:01.18\00:18:04.68
and let them know what
you have available for them
00:18:04.71\00:18:07.75
and I think you'd be successful.
00:18:07.78\00:18:09.32
Okay, okay.
00:18:09.35\00:18:10.69
How does, Mr.
Richards, how does,
00:18:10.72\00:18:13.22
and you can answer
this as well, Mrs. Richards,
00:18:13.25\00:18:15.82
for a person that
is incarcerated now,
00:18:15.86\00:18:18.76
what do they need to do
to get a ministry like yours?
00:18:18.79\00:18:22.06
And they may not be
in your state, your city,
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.47
Tuscaloosa Alabama.
00:18:24.50\00:18:25.83
They may be somewhere else.
00:18:25.87\00:18:27.20
But what steps
do they need to take
00:18:27.24\00:18:29.04
in order to try to get
to a Christian ministry
00:18:29.07\00:18:33.48
where they can be, you know,
00:18:33.51\00:18:35.34
a half way house
something like that.
00:18:35.38\00:18:36.95
What do they need to do
while they are incarcerated?
00:18:36.98\00:18:39.28
Go on, you can answer.
00:18:39.31\00:18:40.98
While incarcerating, you know,
00:18:41.02\00:18:42.48
most people would
be doing about studied
00:18:42.52\00:18:43.89
so for they get
out and adjust there,
00:18:43.92\00:18:46.15
I will suggest that
00:18:46.19\00:18:48.16
they would look
for a good church,
00:18:48.19\00:18:50.03
and don't be discouraged
00:18:50.06\00:18:51.39
because all the
churches in there
00:18:51.43\00:18:52.76
are going to be receptive to...
00:18:52.79\00:18:54.66
Yeah, and that is very true.
00:18:54.70\00:18:56.03
And we got a negative,
00:18:56.06\00:18:57.40
we have a negative
attitude about ex-inmates.
00:18:57.43\00:19:00.00
But there are some
good churches out there.
00:19:00.04\00:19:01.90
There are some good
Bible workers out there who,
00:19:01.94\00:19:03.97
you know,
looking for a challenge,
00:19:04.01\00:19:05.54
not gonna frown you
00:19:05.57\00:19:06.91
because you made
a mistake in life
00:19:06.94\00:19:08.28
'cause you have
been incarcerated.
00:19:08.31\00:19:09.64
And I'd just tell
them just be persistent,
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.38
don't get
discouraged and use, you know,
00:19:11.41\00:19:13.88
what you've been to and
you don't want to go back
00:19:13.92\00:19:15.72
just used as motivation
00:19:15.75\00:19:17.09
to find out where the
right church is there,
00:19:17.12\00:19:18.69
the right person out there,
just keep looking for them
00:19:18.72\00:19:20.82
and the Lord will get you.
00:19:20.86\00:19:22.19
Okay, okay, praise the Lord.
00:19:22.22\00:19:23.56
Mrs. Richards, with
the Matthew 25 Connection,
00:19:23.59\00:19:27.03
and you know in Matthew
25, it talks about, you know,
00:19:27.06\00:19:30.30
you visited me in
prison, you fed the hungry,
00:19:30.33\00:19:32.73
you clothed the
naked, things like that.
00:19:32.77\00:19:35.50
Okay, some people may
use it as a check list,
00:19:35.54\00:19:37.87
"Okay, I feed the
hungry, I clothed the naked,
00:19:37.91\00:19:41.98
but the prison isn't for me."
00:19:42.01\00:19:43.51
Wow.
00:19:43.55\00:19:45.01
But then it says, you've
done it unto least of these,
00:19:45.05\00:19:47.42
you've done it unto me,
you know it still Jesus' child.
00:19:47.45\00:19:50.39
Jesus still died
for this individual.
00:19:50.42\00:19:52.55
So how do you
encourage a person?
00:19:52.59\00:19:55.09
Look, even though you
haven't been to prison
00:19:55.12\00:19:56.89
as in your instance,
00:19:56.93\00:19:58.59
Mr. Richards you
worked as corrections officer,
00:19:58.63\00:20:00.60
but neither of you
were actually inmates.
00:20:00.63\00:20:02.83
So how do you encourage a person
00:20:02.86\00:20:04.50
that has no
background in any type of...
00:20:04.53\00:20:08.37
Haven't been a
corrections officer,
00:20:08.40\00:20:10.11
haven't been a police officer,
00:20:10.14\00:20:12.27
haven't been an
inmate or anything like that,
00:20:12.31\00:20:14.34
how do you encourage
them to go into prison?
00:20:14.38\00:20:17.08
And before you answer
that question, let me say this,
00:20:17.11\00:20:19.65
I understand that it is scary
going inside of the prisons.
00:20:19.68\00:20:23.05
As a former inmate, you
know, I have seen some things
00:20:23.08\00:20:26.49
and I have seen some
people that look very scary,
00:20:26.52\00:20:30.36
but how do you overcome
that based on Matthew 25
00:20:30.39\00:20:34.53
to encourage people
to get in to the prisons
00:20:34.56\00:20:37.83
or for a church to actively
engage in prison ministries,
00:20:37.87\00:20:41.37
because at the end of the day,
00:20:41.40\00:20:42.74
these are still children of God?
00:20:42.77\00:20:44.11
How do you do that? Amen.
00:20:44.14\00:20:45.71
And it's not for everybody.
00:20:45.74\00:20:47.08
Everybody has
their different gifts.
00:20:47.11\00:20:49.51
That's true. So
it may not be for...
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.31
Going in there may not
be for you, the individual.
00:20:52.35\00:20:57.59
You have to let
the Lord lead you
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.65
and the Holy Spirit lead you
00:20:59.69\00:21:01.26
into what it is that
He have for you to do.
00:21:01.29\00:21:04.03
Again, with me, as
far as my burning desire,
00:21:04.06\00:21:07.10
I am hungry and
thirsty to get in there
00:21:07.13\00:21:09.43
and to help see lives change.
00:21:09.46\00:21:12.03
So it's the
willingness of the person,
00:21:12.07\00:21:15.37
the determination,
00:21:15.40\00:21:17.27
the persistency
of the individual
00:21:17.31\00:21:19.87
and your work requires
00:21:19.91\00:21:22.48
whatever it is
that you desire to do.
00:21:22.51\00:21:24.71
I feel like that
your work requires
00:21:24.75\00:21:27.08
will lead you into the
plan that He has for you.
00:21:27.12\00:21:30.49
And my plan, and my
goal is prison ministry,
00:21:30.52\00:21:33.32
to get in there, and to
help individuals come out
00:21:33.36\00:21:37.46
and be a success
story in the society.
00:21:37.49\00:21:41.06
Praise the Lord.
00:21:41.10\00:21:42.43
Mr. Richards, in
working in the prisons
00:21:42.46\00:21:44.70
and going to the
chapel services in prisons
00:21:44.73\00:21:47.37
and all, how do you,
not necessarily get in,
00:21:47.40\00:21:51.27
but how do you if a
chaplain or a pastor,
00:21:51.31\00:21:55.08
or a church family wants
to come into that prison,
00:21:55.11\00:21:57.85
how do you deal with
00:21:57.88\00:21:59.25
having so many
different religious backgrounds?
00:21:59.28\00:22:02.62
I remember in looking into...
00:22:02.65\00:22:04.62
Before I felt called to the
ministry to become a pastor,
00:22:04.65\00:22:08.72
I was looking into
the chaplaincy program.
00:22:08.76\00:22:11.46
And, you know, I had
some issues with, of course,
00:22:11.49\00:22:13.90
you know, you're working with
different types of backgrounds,
00:22:13.93\00:22:16.60
ministering to ones
that are involved in,
00:22:16.63\00:22:18.93
we call, witchcraft,
involved in as Muslims, Jews,
00:22:18.97\00:22:24.47
various different
religious backgrounds.
00:22:24.51\00:22:27.18
How do you or what have you seen
00:22:27.21\00:22:31.18
ministries do to
minister to the various,
00:22:31.21\00:22:34.22
various different backgrounds?
00:22:34.25\00:22:36.02
That's a good questions,
it's a difficult situation
00:22:36.05\00:22:39.12
because today, the
spiritual war is on.
00:22:39.15\00:22:43.53
Oh, yeah. These
different religions.
00:22:43.56\00:22:45.59
Christianity is
been sort out, you know,
00:22:45.63\00:22:49.16
so I just think the
safest thing to do is
00:22:49.20\00:22:52.13
to be Bible based.
00:22:52.17\00:22:53.50
Okay.
00:22:53.54\00:22:54.87
And you know, some
people may not accept the Bible,
00:22:54.90\00:22:57.24
but just sort of keep it
in the area, just Bible based,
00:22:57.27\00:23:00.01
and you know, God,
Jesus is our example,
00:23:00.04\00:23:03.28
just stay in Bible.
00:23:03.31\00:23:04.81
That's the safest route to go.
00:23:04.85\00:23:06.31
You're gonna have
some people that, you know,
00:23:06.35\00:23:08.45
they don't want anything
to do with Christianity,
00:23:08.48\00:23:10.82
but you just
got to stay neutral,
00:23:10.85\00:23:12.62
stay in the Bible,
00:23:12.65\00:23:13.99
base everything
that you're saying
00:23:14.02\00:23:15.82
and doing from the Bible.
00:23:15.86\00:23:17.33
Okay, okay.
00:23:17.36\00:23:18.69
As a corrections officer,
00:23:18.73\00:23:20.90
have you had to
deal with any threats
00:23:20.93\00:23:23.47
from inmates or
anything like that?
00:23:23.50\00:23:25.10
I know, inmates fight
all the time occasionally.
00:23:25.13\00:23:29.17
But as a corrections officer,
00:23:29.20\00:23:31.27
I've never been on
that side of the fence,
00:23:31.31\00:23:33.94
have you had to deal
with any threats and things
00:23:33.98\00:23:36.81
along those lines?
00:23:36.85\00:23:38.18
I was fortunately, seriously
blessed because at times,
00:23:38.21\00:23:41.88
it would be like two
of us with 300 of them.
00:23:41.92\00:23:44.09
Yeah, and
that's how it often is.
00:23:44.12\00:23:45.75
I mean, it's vastly outnumbered.
00:23:45.79\00:23:47.79
Wow. And people will be
saying, "Are you scared?"
00:23:47.82\00:23:51.23
If you're scared,
you ain't going in
00:23:51.26\00:23:52.59
'cause they can take
over any time they want to.
00:23:52.63\00:23:54.46
The thing about inmates is,
00:23:54.50\00:23:55.90
they can read fear on your face,
00:23:55.93\00:23:57.73
they can read
fear in your persona,
00:23:57.77\00:24:00.54
how you carry
yourself, so how was it for you?
00:24:00.57\00:24:02.94
Absolutely.
00:24:02.97\00:24:04.67
Like I said, the difference in
what I had was, I was bad boy.
00:24:04.71\00:24:09.28
Okay.
00:24:09.31\00:24:11.31
You know, I've lived a
life I shouldn't have lived.
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.45
My mom did everything
she could have, right?
00:24:14.48\00:24:16.52
But I chose to do something
00:24:16.55\00:24:18.02
that I
shouldn't have been doing.
00:24:18.05\00:24:19.39
So it was I saw friends in
prison, friends in the jail.
00:24:19.42\00:24:22.99
So I could relate
to that in saying,
00:24:23.02\00:24:25.23
what we talked earlier about
some people who took advantage
00:24:25.26\00:24:28.73
of having a chance to be
over people and mistreat them.
00:24:28.76\00:24:33.30
That's one of the reasons
that I didn't get attacked.
00:24:33.34\00:24:35.84
I saw people that got attacked,
officers getting attacked
00:24:35.87\00:24:39.51
'cause I dealt
with you as a person.
00:24:39.54\00:24:42.41
We had to understand, you
know, I'm not gonna come in
00:24:42.44\00:24:44.68
and try to mistreat you,
00:24:44.71\00:24:46.92
I'm gonna respect you
and you're gonna respect me.
00:24:46.95\00:24:49.22
When you use that then
possibly, you'll be okay.
00:24:49.25\00:24:51.79
Okay, okay. Praise the Lord.
00:24:51.82\00:24:53.32
Also, Mr.
Richards, what do you think,
00:24:53.36\00:24:56.73
for a young viewer
that's watching the program,
00:24:56.76\00:25:00.36
what could they do, even
though they may be growing up
00:25:00.40\00:25:04.93
in a bad environment
like where you're from
00:25:04.97\00:25:07.34
in the projects in Tuscaloosa,
00:25:07.37\00:25:09.67
what can they do
to try their best
00:25:09.70\00:25:13.17
to stay out of the
drama, the trouble?
00:25:13.21\00:25:16.75
As you know for most
young African Americans,
00:25:16.78\00:25:19.88
as for myself, there
is really three ways out.
00:25:19.91\00:25:24.52
And that three ways
out of the bad environment
00:25:24.55\00:25:27.02
is basketball, football,
or either hip-hop music.
00:25:27.06\00:25:30.86
One of those avenues basically.
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.53
But what if they don't
have basketball talent,
00:25:32.56\00:25:34.80
what if they don't
have the football talent,
00:25:34.83\00:25:37.63
what if they can't
rap, they can't rhyme,
00:25:37.67\00:25:40.64
anything like that.
00:25:40.67\00:25:42.00
What can they do
to, you know, steer,
00:25:42.04\00:25:44.64
steer clear off all of the drama
00:25:44.67\00:25:46.57
that goes on every
day in the projects.
00:25:46.61\00:25:49.51
I think the first
thing to do, most probably,
00:25:49.54\00:25:51.75
young brothers in a
community are very smart.
00:25:51.78\00:25:56.22
Oh, yeah. I agree.
00:25:56.25\00:25:58.39
These young kids
are terribly smart.
00:25:58.42\00:26:00.02
Just you know we know
who is right and wrong
00:26:00.06\00:26:02.92
and try to hang out,
try to be with somebody
00:26:02.96\00:26:04.89
who is not trying
to go get in trouble.
00:26:04.93\00:26:06.26
Yeah, that's possible.
00:26:06.29\00:26:07.63
If that's not something
you want to do, you know,
00:26:07.66\00:26:09.26
don't do it.
00:26:09.30\00:26:10.63
Get with somebody
who is trying to do,
00:26:10.67\00:26:12.00
do right and you know that
way, you have a better chance.
00:26:12.03\00:26:14.54
When you just go along
with crowd, don't make a stand,
00:26:14.57\00:26:17.44
then that's where you'll fall.
00:26:17.47\00:26:18.97
Okay, okay, for
the last few seconds,
00:26:19.01\00:26:21.58
I want each of you to look
into the camera, one at a time.
00:26:21.61\00:26:24.81
I will start with
you Mrs. Richards.
00:26:24.85\00:26:26.38
And I want you to
speak to the viewers
00:26:26.41\00:26:28.55
of what they can do
00:26:28.58\00:26:30.19
to get involved
in prison ministries
00:26:30.22\00:26:31.95
or encourage
them to get involved
00:26:31.99\00:26:33.32
in prison ministries.
00:26:33.36\00:26:34.69
Okay.
00:26:34.72\00:26:36.46
To get involved
in prison ministry,
00:26:36.49\00:26:38.49
you have to have
a burning desire,
00:26:38.53\00:26:41.10
you need to have burning desire,
00:26:41.13\00:26:43.06
you need to have a willingness
00:26:43.10\00:26:45.00
and a heart to
be involved in it.
00:26:45.03\00:26:47.70
There is a need, a great need
for those who are incarcerated,
00:26:47.74\00:26:53.38
to have someone to support them.
00:26:53.41\00:26:56.64
Community, church
please gets involved.
00:26:56.68\00:27:00.12
Help those who are in need
00:27:00.15\00:27:01.98
so that they can
alleviate the struggle.
00:27:02.02\00:27:05.05
We have people who
have a burning desire
00:27:05.09\00:27:08.46
that want the gospel,
that want the Word of God,
00:27:08.49\00:27:11.79
that are hungering and
thirsting after the Word.
00:27:11.83\00:27:14.96
We asking and
we're begging those
00:27:15.00\00:27:17.10
in the community and
churches to please get involve
00:27:17.13\00:27:20.70
and help in prison ministry
and any effort that you can do.
00:27:20.74\00:27:25.44
Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:27:25.47\00:27:26.81
Mr. Richards, and
in 10 to 15 seconds,
00:27:26.84\00:27:29.21
encourage somebody right now.
00:27:29.24\00:27:30.58
I can't do that.
00:27:30.61\00:27:31.95
We have been teasing each other
00:27:31.98\00:27:33.31
about the plank
in each other eyes,
00:27:33.35\00:27:34.68
I'll just encourage everyone
00:27:34.72\00:27:36.05
who all have the
big planks in our eyes.
00:27:36.08\00:27:37.89
So don't look at
inmates as what they did.
00:27:37.92\00:27:40.46
And we all know just
like I could have been on
00:27:40.49\00:27:42.39
or assassinated.
00:27:42.42\00:27:43.76
Just watch the
plank in your eyes
00:27:43.79\00:27:45.13
and then you'll help people.
00:27:45.16\00:27:46.49
Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:27:46.53\00:27:47.86
We want to thank you
Mr. and Mrs. Richards
00:27:47.90\00:27:49.26
for being on the program.
00:27:49.30\00:27:51.20
Viewers, thank you
for tuning in so much
00:27:51.23\00:27:53.64
to this episode
of The New Journey.
00:27:53.67\00:27:55.97
We encourage you
tune in next time
00:27:56.00\00:27:58.04
for another exciting episode.
00:27:58.07\00:27:59.67
God bless.
00:27:59.71\00:28:01.04