Day With Dad

PRISON TEAM UPDATE REPORT

Through the years many of you have seen the face of Calvary Commission change, although the heart remains the same. “Help them when they get out,” echoes through the offices at the new International Center as the phone is answered by one of the many students or volunteers who are part of a team with a common goal, helping people. Many calls during the week are mothers, spouses, grandparents and even children of the incarcerated, asking about our school. What a joy it is to be able to explain that God has prepared a place for him or her and how we are able to support what God is doing in their life. Some of those calls are prison Chaplains requesting help. This year in 07, we have had over 700 prison meetings in the state of Texas alone. Over the past 30 years the staff at Calvary Commission and many of the Chaplains have become great friends. We have found ourselves being an extension of their work, as they have poured out their lives into these special people. We are able to continue this great work by having them come to our school. Most of the meetings we do in the prisons are discipleship classes where relationships are established and also recruits are found for the school. This past year, we have increased to over 450 volunteers working under the covering of Calvary Commission. We presently have 22 anointed team captains who preach throughout the system. This past year, we also held CVCA training for volunteer chaplains to become certified through the state.

Our latest program that is working on 5 units with a team of 20 workers is called, “ Day with Dad”. The team captain just happens to have been incarcerated himself for 10 years. He missed his wife and children so that after 7 years of being reunited with them, he and his wife and daughter brought their burden to Calvary, where God has opened a door. In the past 6 months, we have been able to facilitate hundreds of children coming into the prisons and spending a Day with Dad. Just recently, my wife and I attended this program that was at the Beto 1 Unit near Palestine Texas. At 10:30 on a Saturday morning, we arrived at the gate along with 20 other workers.

Our ID’s were checked and we were quickly escorted into the gym. There, we set up 50 tables and “Oh Yea”, we brought 120 pizzas. About 30 minutes later, the guards escorted 50 guardians and 147 kids into the gym. We had 250 chairs set up with a microphone and we were all instructed by the team captain to be seated. He explained to the children that if their daddy’s were spending too much time with their mama’s, to come see him and that child could pick out any game, and the team captain would make sure their daddy would play .

Just minutes later, 50 inmates dressed in white, entered the gym. In all the years of ministry, I can say my wife and I have never cried so openly for so long. What an emotional moment that was to see all the children run to their Daddys.The families began to sit at tables and visit. Thirty minutes later, pizza was served. My wife and I walked down the line and greeted these special people. One girl spoke up and said, she had never eaten as a family before. After an hour had past, we gathered as a group and the men were asked prior to coming, to prepare something special.

Well, one man took the mic and he read a poem he wrote and then asked his daughter to forgive him. Well, the tears started again, but this time in the whole house. God’s presence came and much healing took place in the hearts of many that day. You have probably wondered why I have called these inmates “special”. I have come to find that to the depth of depravity they have known, is also the measure of healing thy have received and for the purpose only to give to others. What a God we serve! Thank you for letting me be your representative. With Great Hope, John Owens (Calvary Commission Prison Coordinator)

WHY PRISON MINISTRY?

 PLEASE PRAY FOR THE CALVARY COMMISSION HOPE TEAMS GOING INTO PRISONS IN THE U.S., PERU, CUBA, BELIZE,MEXICO, ENGLAND, AND ROMANIA EACH WEEK.

Why Prison Ministry?

WAR ON CRIME BY JOE FAUSS U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

"Never before have Americans felt so cheated of their liberty to move freely without fear. They feel they must turn their homes into fortresses and their children and older relatives into prisoners to keep them safe. The crime wave has changed the way we walk down a street, the way we drive, the way we shop, the way we think about other people, the pride we once had in our cities. America is outraged by crime. In California, a sweet child is kidnapped from her own bedroom and murdered. In New York, a pregnant girl is shot in the stomach. In Rockland County, N.Y., two teenagers are abducted and one is killed, by a gunman who covets their Jeep. Another gunman runs amok, slaying passengers on the Long Island Railroad. And these are the recent bloodstains on a fabric of daily gunplay, murder, rape, and mugging, the like of which is not seen anywhere else in the civilized world. An estimated 34 million crimes a year are committed in this country of 260 million people. More than 80% of us can expect to be the victim of a crime at least once in our lifetimes. Crunching the numbers, the U.S. News estimates that America's bill for our crime runs at $674 billion a year in direct and indirect costs (U.S. News & World Report, Jan 17, 1994, War On Crime, Zukerman, Mortimer B.)." Well, it seems hopeless. The news writer describes the decay of America with real precision. What can be done? We can give stronger and longer sentences. We can put more police on the streets. We can target habitual criminals. We can revise the system of parole and probation and keep more criminals in prison. All of the above may be necessary attempts at solving a growing problem and declaring war on crime.

WAR ON CRIME!

We made this declaration over 20 years ago when we took the life changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the streets, jails, and prisons. Calvary Commission began with an affirmation that if we were going to see breakthrough in the problems of our society, we would need to see breakthroughs in the lives of individuals. I wish that I could say that we have made a major difference in the statistics. I wish that existing prisons were being sold instead of building more and more. However, I can say that we have seen the Lord Jesus Christ save the lives of all who have truly turned to Him and have followed His Word. We can say that we have pastors and missionaries and a host of Christian workers who are free from their past and living for God and making a difference in their world.

THERE IS HOPE

We discovered a “treasure in the field” really believing the through Jesus Christ anyone can be changed, we have been receiving inmates from prison since 1974. Our application process is very selective. They have to be a born again Christian, participate in all of the Chaplain’s activities, and have his recommendation. We look for men and women who display a zeal to be part of the healing team of the Body of Christ. We pray for those who can function in a discipleship program as an extension of what God has already done in their lives. We continue to take Hope Crusades to the prisons to rescue one more soul from the clutches of the enemy. We send workers into the prison hospital and into solitary confinement. We have approved over 165 Christian inmates to join with us when released. We have other students in Life Skills Institute and the International College of Missions who do not have a prison background, but desire to be trained, discipled, and to find their place in ministry.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me (Matthew 25:35-36)

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