"SO IT BEGINS!!!!"
Once again, I would like to thank everyone for attending our kick off event on OCT 6th, can’t thank you enough for your support and prayers!
Giving you an update. Started our first class today at Polk Correctional Main Unit, also have a second class we’re having Monday evenings at the work camp next door!!! Both of these institutions at Polk Correctional are re entry camps. Meaning that everyone there has under two years left on their sentence.
I was absolutely blessed, and inspired to have six students attend, three of which have been incarcerated over a quarter of a century each. Wrap your mind around that.
There is such a huge need for this ministry. A simply stated fact, is that approximately 95% of the prison population is going to be released. These individuals will all coming back to our communities, and unfortunately for a lot of them, their new plan, will be just the old plan all over again. However, there is a large part of the prison population that wants a change, and better for their lives, and for their families lives, and that’s where our ministry comes in, to stand in the gap.
The individuals I spoke with today told me that a lot of people over the years have come in to speak to them. But nobody has come behind the gate, whom has walked in their shoes, had the success I’ve had, and then came back to tell them how they did it. They especially liked that our walk together, doesn’t end when the class is over. Upon release we will be connecting them to community resources, communicating on the regular, and really tying them into the neighborhood they're returning to. Not to mention offering professional counseling to work through the quirks, and of course having ongoing support classes locally.
I am going to be working diligently over the next few months to connect with volunteers, to go behind the gate with me. Not to mention, I need to build more relationships with other community organizations, that could help these individuals, overcome some of their obstacles. I have some commitments already, but any leads or relationships anyone might have, I’m all ears.
Thank you all for being part of the solution, and not sitting on the sidelines. If you are interested in volunteering, please find the link on our website and sign up! More to come, thank you and God Bless!