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River Baptism in Belize
Jeff Nickell (left) Baptizing a New Believer.
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“Jeffrey Nickell here. In 1954, I was born in Dallas, Texas, and lived there and in Boerne, TX, until my parents divorced. Then, when I was around ten years old, my mom and us three kids moved to San Antonio.
My mom couldn’t control us two boys. We started to get into trouble early; stealing, drinking, pills, and smoking marijuana. By age nineteen, I had progressed to intravenous use of methamphetamine. This is also when I went to prison (my first of three times).”
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Belizean Prison
“We started to get into trouble early…”
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| “From 19 to age 29, I was locked up. During that whole decade of my life, I was only on the streets for 20 months. The first time I was out for three months, and I went right back to prison. Then, I was released a second time. After 17 months, I was back in prison again. But when I got out the third time, I never went back, except to preach the Gospel.” |
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“Jesus set me free!
He did that in April of 1982, in the Bexar County Jail in San Antonio, TX. That is where I met Chaplain Sister Margaret Carew, a born-again Catholic nun. She was very instrumental in my coming to the Lord because she loved me when I didn’t love myself. I saw something in her that I wanted, and she showed me how to get it: Jesus! Jesus set me free!
So, after getting saved, I still had to go to prison for the third time. God forgave me, but the state of Texas didn’t. But I went to prison as a Christian and used my time there to grow in the Lord.
On January 18th, 1984, I paroled out of prison to Calvary Commission. So, this year, January 2024, marks 40 years that I have been so blessed to be a part of this ministry. I went through the Basic Christian Training. Then, I was on the sales team where we sold products we had made to support the ministry.
Afterwards, I served in Tucker, Arkansas, as a chaplain on the Tucker unit, including on death row.”
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Early Days in Belize
Jeff Nickell & Joe Fauss
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| “In October of 1987, Joe Fauss and I flew to Belize. I had a one-way ticket. When Joe left a few days later, I stayed in Belize. As of October 2024, I will have been in Belize for 37 years.
My main goal was to minister to the guys in prison, letting them know that if Jesus could change me, He could change them too.” |
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“If Jesus could change me, He could change them too.”
Calvary Commission Ministry Trip, Belize
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| “So, I worked in all three prisons of Belize consistently for 26 years. I started by going in one day a week, then increased to two days, and eventually three days a week. When they consolidated all the prisoners in Hattieville, I began going in four days a week, and eventually, I volunteered as a chaplain five days a week.” |
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True Freedom Starts with Inner Freedom
Prison Ministry in Belize
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| “On June 28th, 1997, something truly special happened to me—I married my lovely wife, Ruby. This June will mark 27 years of marriage.” |
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Jeff & Ruby
27 years of marriage
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A New Ministry: Freedom House
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| “In 2008, we started a Christ-centered aftercare facility in Roaring Creek Village called Freedom House. We launched this ministry for the men who were saved in prison but who struggled after their release. They needed help to learn how to walk with Christ on the streets..” |
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| “At Freedom House we usually have from 20 to 30 men, including those with drug and alcohol problems from the streets. Today, my main focus is Freedom House.
Over time, we’ve constructed several buildings. In fact, we need to build a bigger dining room and kitchen now because we can’t fit all our guys into the one we have now.” |
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| “God has been so good to us and blessed us. I am so happy to be a part of what God is doing in Belize, how He is transforming the lives of these men!” |
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Praising the Lord
Prisoner no more
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Independence: 21 September 1981
Population (2022): 441,471
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Belizean Creole, Mayan
Religion: 87% Christianity (40% Roman Catholic, 31% Protestant, and others)
Average Salary: US$580/ month
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| Jeff Nickell is founder and director of Freedom House. The ministry provides food, housing, vocational training, and above all Christian discipleship for men leaving drugs and prison in Belize.
You may donate to this Calvary Commission missionary through the link below. |
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Press the above button.
Under: “General Donation / Missionary Name” choose “Jeff Nickell” to give securely online.
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Jeff and the men of Freedom House
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Currently we are managing a matching funds campaign to help with the completion of the media, library and computer lab of our new Student Academic Center. For those of you who have contributed to this campaign, thank you. If you would like to donate, there is still time. We still need approximately $15,000.00 to reach the matching funds offer of $30,000.00.
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In His Service,
Joe & Charlotte Fauss |
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