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MAY-JUNE 2010 ~ Foundation News ~ Trips, Prisons, Events, Donors, People!
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Greetings!
Doors continue to open for our work in Texas. Know what? There is room for YOU! I am razor-wire serious! Women prisoners need you! Men prisoners need you! Children of Texas prisoners need you! Texas Wardens and Chaplains need you!
Feel a tug to join us on the front lines? There are many ways for Volunteers and Donors to Participate!
Have you ever refused something, thinking you wouldn't like it-- and later found that you loved it? Lots of folks have that same experience when it comes to visiting a prison for the first time. Many seasoned prison volunteers say they at first refused, then they reluctantly agreed, then they found a calling! So I'm inviting you to move out of the pew and visit a Texas penitentiary with us! No strings attached! You are free to go just one time-- and in doing so your heart will be more ripened to the prayer needs of nearly 170,000 men, women, and teenagers who are locked up in the nation's largest state prison system. So many of them have lost all hope, and only Christian volunteers have the world's great "Message of Hope"through Christ.
Most likely, you will be profoundly impacted by the experience. You'll understand why the Apostle Paul relished his time with the inmates in Rome, and even rejoiced that he was Christ's "ambassador in chains" (Ephesians 6:20). Why not tag along with us on a mission trip to a penitentiary? Let us introduce you to the "least of these." Just email me at grove@heartoftexasfoundation.org, and I'll get you a gate pass to go in with us on a prison event coming up. Yeah--come as our guest, will you?
With great hope,
Grove
Grove Norwood
Chairman
The Heart of Texas Foundation, Inc.
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| See what's coming up on our Travel and Events Calendar. |
NEWS FROM THE HEART OF TEXAS FOUNDATION ~ by Staff
"THE TEXAS DELEGATION": BRINGING 4-YEAR ACCREDITED BIBLE COLLEGES INTO TEXAS PENITENTIARIES ~ On May 15-18 we took a Delegation of 17 men from Texas to spend 3 days with Senior Warden Burl Cain at the Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as "Angola Penitentiary.") Our goal was to see the profound impact that his accredited 4-year bible college has had on the culture within this famous prison. We'll be telling you more about this effort. Among those we asked to accompany us were Texas State Senators Hon. John Whitmire and Hon. Dan Patrick, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Executive President Dr. Craig Blaising, Deputy Executive Director of TDCJ Brian Collier, and other Texas leaders.
We had many delegate meetings and tours of the prison's programs, as well as conversations with many inmates. At the conclusion of the visit, it was unanimously decided by all the Delegates that we would commit to establish a bible college system within our Texas prisons. Warden Cain again personally committed to help us in our efforts to make this happen.
Read more about the Bible College initiative further in this edition!
INMATE PAUL GRAY, TOUGHEST OF THE TOUGH, FOUND FORGIVENESS WHEN CHRISTIAN VOLUNTEERS REACHED OUT ~ Want to see what prison did to a boy who was first arrested when he was 10 years old? Follow his story as he tells it, through imprisonment in nine different penitentiaries in three states, including the infamous Sing-Sing Penitentiary, and Attica (where the fatal riots took place in 1971). We now have the video of Paul's testimony, made some 25 years ago, on how he found the forgiveness of God--through the efforts of Volunteers like you! After Paul's 9th prison, he found Christ and, once released from prison, he never went back. What followed was a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, then an Adjunct Professorship at a New York state university, and... well, you'll just have to see for yourself. View the amazing video of Paul Gray's testimony.
PARKWAY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH hosted a showing of the film, "The Heart of Texas," on Thursday evening, March 25. Open to the community, approximately 81 people were in attendance and, after the film, Grove spoke to the audience about the lessons he has learned through forgiveness and through prison ministry. Thank you to Mike McGown, Adam Jungeblut, Brad Webb, and all of Parkway Fellowship for a wonderful evening.
TEXAS WOMEN'S PRISON AT GATESVILLE: Patty Fuquay & Grove, along with other HOTFI volunteeers, visited Lane Murray Penitentiary in Gatesville, Texas. After the women prisoners watched "The Heart of Texas" documentary, Patty shared her own story and testimony with the female inmates. Grove spoke after that to a filled chapel. The team was then taken to the highest-level security area, "Ad Seg" (solitary confinement), where we talked with and prayed with many of the women there. Chaplain Karon Featherston was emphatic about our returning as soon as possible, and we committed to do just that. The need is absolutely huge for caring men and women to come into this facility and show that Christ loves the prisoners and offers a full pardon to the sincere in heart.
"THE HEART OF TEXAS" movie was shown at Houston's Cherry Tree Republicans' monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 20. Executive Producer, Senator Dan Patrick, flew from Austin to introduce the movie to an audience of approximately 200. After the screening, Senator Patrick introduced Grove. Grove shared his story of friendship, loss, grief, faith, and forgiveness. He told of the work that is being done in Texas prisons as a result of the impact the film has on inmates, and how The Heart of Texas Foundation has been formed to enable Grove and Texas volunteers to go into every prison in the state with the message. Impressed by the stories of changed lives, many members of Cherry Tree Republicans spontaneously and generously passed the hat and donated to help defray costs for this ministry, and several attendees even became new volunteers for the HOT Foundation. Thank you!
SECOND SEMESTER OF "FORGIVING" CLASSES AT VANCE PRISON ~ A second 13-week course of classes in the Heart of Texas seminar called, "Heart of Forgiving," was concluded early this month. This class was taught to 55 inmates by Grove each Monday morning for 2 hours at the Vance Prison in Sugarland. During this course, the topic of Forgiving is unpacked, and many of the tough issues surrounding it are discussed by the inmates in a format that combines group discussion, facilitation, and lecture. The course has been very popular with inmates, and Grove is taking this coming semester "off" to write up the syllabus and content into a form that can be published for use by volunteers and inmates in other facilities around the state. Please pray for the successful completion of this project.
VISIT TO "THE HOLE" IN TEXAS' LARGEST MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON Earlier this month, we took a number of new guests and volunteers on a tour of the Ad Seg (solitary confinement for disciplinary cases) in Coffield Penitentiary. We were hosted by Assistant Warden John Wisener. "The Hole," as it is often called, is the worst lock-down condition a prisoner can have, and is populated only by men or women who are known for violent behavior, active gang membership, or who are escape threats. Locked in their cells 23 hours a day, unable to see TV or go to church services, these men or women can only hear the Good News when Volunteers take the time and trouble to go visit them. It is not easy to get admitted to Ad Seg. Pray that our visits there will help desperate hearts turn to Christ and begin to change the prison from the inside.
TWO PACKED-OUT SERVICES AT BETO PENITENTIARY, EAST TEXAS ~ In mid-April, we took a team of our men volunteers into the Beto facility near Palestine, where the Chaplains showed the documentary, "The Heart of Texas," and we followed that showing with a message to all of the men in their huge chapel. We were blessed to be joined by Jim Wilson, the Dallas celebrity talk show host at Christian radio station KCBI. The inmates immediately recognized Jim because many of them listen to him in the early mornings on their prison-approved portable radios. Jim shared some heartfelt comments and Scripture with the men, and we look forward to having Jim with us in the future. Jim went with us on the Texas Delegation's trip to Angola Penitentiary in Louisiana, mentioned at the top of this page. Jim led worship services with Grove in Angola's main prison chapel and, to the delight of Dallas listeners and Angola inmates, he broadcasted his show remotely from inside the prison. You can learn Jim's schedule at www.kcbi.org.
LANCASTER'S FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH (SOUTH DALLAS) ~ What a great evening we had with this wonderful group of people! Sunday night, April 25th, a large crowd from many other churches joined us at this wonderful facility, hosted by Pastor Charles Dixon and his team, as well as the local Ministerial Alliance. We were so grateful that they responded fervently to the message we brought, and we were further humbled by the love offering they made to the work of the Foundation. They were very interested in the prison initiative we have undertaken at the request of the Chaplaincy Office of the State of Texas prison system. We do need underwriting by a few churches to help us go to every prison in the state of Texas, and to do so without any state funding assistance. We have saddled up and are on the trail, trusting God for the financial help to pay for our expenses for this 5-year project. Thank you, Lancaster First Baptist and the Ministerial Alliance churches, for your wonderful reception and our new relationship with your church body and your community. We will see you again!
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THE MEN BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
A DAY WITH DAD INSIDE STILES PRISON
by
Susan Strickland
A maximum security prison is a closed system, a world of tightly drawn curtains behind which are strict regulations and rigid procedures that do not exist in the "free world." And rarely do we get a look into that world. But, over the second weekend of April, our prison ministry team from The Heart of Texas Foundation was given the privilege of joining with Scottie Barnes and members of North Carolina's "Forgiven Ministries," who conducted the event at Stiles Prison in Beaumont, Texas. At this all-male, maximum security prison of 3000, we were offered a glimpse behind the curtain. The private world of that closed system was revealed. And what we saw was God at work.
Read the full article.
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PULLING FROM THE CALENDAR:
June 11-13, Grove in Fairfax Virginia speaking at Barcroft Baptist Church
June 26, Grove at Event at Cypress Bible School, Houston
See our Travel Schedule for more.... |
VOLUNTEER NEEDS:
- Pen Pal Coordinator ~ Heart of Texas Foundation is in need of a Pen Pal Coordinator.
- Part-time Administrative Assistant ~ Answering mail from inmates; emailing; filing; phone work; 2-3 mornings per week.
- Web Site Assistant Administrator
- Event Coordinator ~ handling prison event coordination for trips, Day with Dads, Day with Moms, etc.
FINANCIAL NEEDS:
- Monthly or one-time gifts of financial support from businesses and individuals to directly offset expenses incurred in going into every prison in the State of Texas over the next 5 years. Donate
- A church to adopt us as a Ministry/Missions Partner and to provide a small monthly stipend to help us meet travel and operational expenses as we serve the Texas State Prison population. If your church would allow us to make an appeal to its Missions Committee, call Grove at 281-850-8103 or email him at Grove@HeartofTexasFoundation.org.
- Endowment donations to sustain our longevity and further our work for Penal Reform in Texas
EQUIPMENT NEEDS:
- Late-model (reliable!) Suburban or SUV for Team Travel to prisons
- Mmall dual-axle enclosed equipment trailer for Prison and Church Trips, to haul our video, large screen, and sound equipment
- Loan of a Motor Home or RV for members of our team when we travel to remote prisons where accommodations are scarce
- Wireless remote headset
- Small collapsible Da-Lite Movie Screen
- Small Peavy portable Sound system
THANK YOU FOR DONATIONS RECEIVED:
- THANK YOU! Donation of $900 for additional sound equipment for prison presentations.
- THANK YOU! Donation of a second wireless headset with transmitter and receiver. These are used by our platform speakers in the prisons. We still need one more, at $439.
- THANK YOU! Donation of the huge movie screen, projector, and DVD player! Now we don't have to depend on the often worn-out equipment in many of the prisons. They have NO budget money for such things, and they exist in a prison only because volunteers bring them in. Now, we can bring our own equipment when we go and have already taken it to churches who don't have "huge" screens.
- God bless you for helping us, dear friends.
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TESTIMONIALS:
Each week we receive moving letters from both men and women inmates, as they react to our message in the prisons we visit. We will continue to share their comments with you in this section of the Newsletter. While they always sign their full names to their letters, we show only their initials to respect their privacy.
"Thank you so much for reaching out to these dear women. The excitement took some time to wear off!"
Linda Dueker
Women's Director, Lockhart
The God of Hope Ministries, Austin TX
"A million thank you's could and would never be enough for the lives you touched...."
(letter received, but unsigned)
"Your story has made me realize that I too can forgive....I've opened up to my Mom and Dad since hearing your story. I have honestly forgiven them for not being there for me. (They both were in prison)."
F.H., Inmate at Lockhart State Prison for Women
"You and your wonderful family showed me that I can accept God's grace and mercy. All I need is faith in our God and a Big Ole Heart."
J.L., Inmate at Lockhart State Prison for Women
"You made such a difference in my life. The video made me realize that I can't hold on to that bitterness, or it will destroy me. Forgiveness is such an important part of being a Christian, and you helped me realize that. I'm still experiencing the power of your prayer in so many ways. I now realize I can be a new person--a person who reflects Christ in every way."
D.B., Inmate at Lockhart State Prison for Women
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 The Heart of Texas Foundation, Inc.
An IRS Approved 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt Charitable Organization
PO Box 991, Fulshear, Texas 77441
info@HeartofTexasFoundation.org
281-850-8103
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