New life

Some of us Christians became believers by conventional means of a church service, some can't remember a specific point in time when it happened . . and some of us were on a rocky road when we called out to God.

For some in God's family, that road was very rocky. These prisoners (video) were saved to new life in Christ right in the midst of harsh circumstances. What is so compelling as a true and dramatic life story? 

However God meets you in your own life, your spirit is re-born when you respond to Jesus. Be thrilled with the life change these prisoners have.

Gadsden Co.

"[O]ne of the deepest cycles of violence, poverty and incarceration in the state" described his jurisdiction in 2004 when Morris A. Young became the new sheriff in town. Fortunately, he didn't share the hostility toward Christianity often found among academic and government elites. 

Sheriff Young collaborates with community faith leaders. Church members come to jail to teach scripture and life skills. He recognizes that inmates have a spiritual nature that can be reached so he hired a chaplain, Jimmy Salters, who says, "I teach, preach, and pray . . and when they are ready to confess their sins before God, I baptize them." 

The churches are not doing it all, but are part of the official county effort to change things. That's the way it should be.

Read the NYTimes article to see what the school superintendent and a judge are doing. In Gadsden County, Florida, "a sheriff, a chaplain, a judge, and lots of good church folk are together offering hope and transforming lives in their own community."

Prisoner

Negotiations between Iran and the U.S. have come and gone, but Saeed Abedini's wife (Nagmeh) says that he is worse off in Iran than ever, after three years in prison there. Stun gun strikes, solitary confinement, attacks from staff and inmates, there's more of it.

photo: worldmag.com

After meeting with the American ambassador to the U.N, Samantha Power, Nagmeh Abedini summed it up this way:

"She said they really thought Iran was acting in good faith with the nuclear deal and would release the Americans,” she said. “Their strategy was hoping. My strategy was from day one they should have said, ‘Release the Americans, and then we'll talk.’”

Warden's compassion

Warden Burl Cain (yesterday's post) says that the crime victim is not alone in his/her victimhood.  Children of the criminal are also victims because they mourn the loss of their father.  He says the laughter goes out of their home when that man goes to prison to pay for that crime.

To break the cycle of generational crime, he unites kids and fathers for some fun once a year so dads can mentor them in what not to do.

Angola also hosts a Rodeo where inmates can apply to participate or display and sell their creations.

Warden Cain

Warden Burl Cain of Louisiana State Penitentiary, also called Angola, is the longest-serving warden they've ever had.  "Under his leadership, the inmate population . . has gone from regular knife fights to Bible studies."  (Not the whole inmate population obviously.)

Terrible violence ruled, such that inmates would take turns guarding each other while they slept at night.  Cain didn't want the job at first, warden of the "bloodiest prison" in America.  But he began to pray for wisdom to change things. 


They lost their Pell grants for education.  Someone suggested that they bring the Bible college in to teach courses, and his response was, "have you lost your mind?  They will never come here."  But they did, and Cain says they changed the culture of the prison.  Taxpayers put no money into the program, but they have a safer, more humane penitentiary.

Cursing is close to fighting, Cain says, so he required staff to clean up their language - all part of the whole "moral rehabilitation" culture change.

Prison changes

Louisiana State Penitentiary, often just called Angola,  is located on the site of an old plantation by that name. Populated largely by "lifers," it used to be notorious for violence, murder, and hopelessness.

But there's been a "moral rehabilitation"  under warden Burl Cain.  When policeman Gary Hobbs visited, he said he didn't feel threatened, didn't hear foul language.

"In Mr. Cain’s view, the biggest change came in 1995 when, as he took over the prison and faced drastic cuts in school funds, he invited the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to open a seminary. To his surprise, he said, the eminent seminary agreed, covering the costs with outside donations.