JAN/FEB 2012

Gary Benjamin Embraces Benjamin knows what a hard road that can be to travel. NPC Mission He remembers well what another inmate told him while Travis Cravey, NPC Case Manager he was in prison, serving five years: “That’s five years you’ll never get back.” Those words affected Benjamin. Gary Benjamin, House Manager at New Person Center, remembers well the day He started taking math courses in prison. He ended up he met John Rush. Benjamin’s father, who had begun corresponding with Rush taking six Bible courses as well. He worked his way from even before his son was released from prison, had set up a meeting for Benjamin Educational Curriculum Coordinator to Database Techni- and Rush to meet. They had decided on a coffee shop halfway between Reading and cian for the prison’s GED program. Cross Keys, PA, where Benjamin had been staying with his parents for three days Benjamin has not been wasting his time while at NPC, after his release. either. As House Manager, he orders food for the pro- After the interview was over, Rush asked Benjamin’s father when Benjamin might gram, keeps track of the guys’ program fees, and ensures be ready to move in. “How about now?” his father asked. And Benjamin took the that other staff are constantly apprised of the residents’ clothes he had packed in the back of his father’s car and loaded them into Rush’s. comings and goings. As if that weren’t enough to keep That was July 2009. Since that beginning, Benjamin has lived in every NPC resi- him busy, Benjamin recently received his Associates of dence and has filled various roles, including resident, trustee, and now house man- Applied Science degree at ITT Technical Institute and ager. earned membership in the National Technical Honor Benjamin has seen many men receive help at New Person Center. He believes that Society. the structured environment that NPC offers has a lot to do with the men’s success, Benjamin continues to think about the future. He but knows, in the end, that the men themselves are responsible for their own ac- hopes to one day open a similar Christian transitional tions. “We can’t do it for them. The guys who succeed are genuine. They genuinely program in the Hanover area to help more of the hun- want to succeed,” he says. dreds of men who are still sitting in prison simply be- cause they do not have a home plan. New Person Ministries, Inc. “Had I not been arrested I wouldn’t have given a place like this a second thought,” Benjamin says. He is very Address aware of how much NPC has helped him and eager to use what he has learned to help others. Whether it’s making New Person Center offers New Person Ministries sure food orders are adequate or making sure new cli- transitional help to selected ents feel welcome, Gary Benjamin has internalized the PO Box 223 newly released male prison- mission of New Person Center. Reading, PA 19607 ers. During this very needy time the basics for survival like shelter, food, clothing, Email Address gainful employment and sup- [email protected] portive care are the focus. Benjamin New Person Center serves at recently earned his associates several locations and is an degree. Office Phone entity of the faith-based 610-777-2222 New Person Ministries, Inc. www.newpersonministries.org Justice welcomes others to join in the ministry of letter writ- In a December email, this came from a ing. He also welcomes contributions for the ministry which spends about $10,000 a year on postage, paper, ink, cards, Bi- prison counselor: “We are very bles, and follow up materials. Purpose Ministries is currently working on getting a tax deductible status for contributions. For further information, Purpose Ministries can be contacted at: fortunate to have a program [email protected] such as yours. Thanks!” Jeanette Christophel Clergy Corner Ministry Writes Letters With a Purpose From the Mountain of David Justice, of Allentown, from the Salem Bible Church in Transfiguration to a Life McKungie, has always had a passion for men’s ministries. About three years ago he started writing letters to several prisoners. Those prisoners came to accept Christ and shared their faith with of Transformation other prisoners who then also needed discipling. Today, Purpose Up on the mountain top, Peter, James and John had the amazing Ministries, the ministry that Justice founded to respond to that experience of seeing Jesus transfigured in all His glory right be- need, receives and responds to 30-40 letters a week from prison- fore their very own eyes. It was so amazing that Peter wanted to ers. stay there and build on the mountain top “The Tabernacle of Purpose Ministries writes to prisoners in 6-8 states. They corre- Transfiguration”. But instead the voice of God silenced his lofty plans and Jesus charged them instead to get down off the moun- spond with any prisoner, regardless of the severity of their crime or the length of their sentence. They write to lifers and to those on tain into the valley of the real world with real pressures and real demons! (Luke 9:28-42). How often we think that God is only in death row, as well as to prisoners that may be in for only 2-3 years those “mountain top experiences”, but in reality He wants to visit for drugs or petty theft. us with His power and glory in the real world we all live in. The mission of Purpose There are two words in the New Testament used for the word Ministries is to mentor and disciple incarcerated “transformation”. The first is “metaschematizo”, which means to men and to provide them change one’s outward form; to disguise yourself (see 2 Cor. 11:14). The other is “metamorphoo”, which means to change with a path to scriptur- ally and spiritually build who you are; an internal change; not merely a change of outward appearance, but a a strong foundation in change of essence (see Rom. 12:2). Jesus Christ. The goal is to not only prepare them Like the early apostles, we can have amaz- to be stronger in prison, ing outward experiences with God on the but to prepare them to be mountain top. But there is something able to face the world greater that He wants to work in each of us: with a focus on Christ, He wants to transform our lives, from the when and if they are re- inside out! And then He will send us to the leased. Justice and other valleys, where the broken need this same writers share the gospel transforming power to change their lives!! David Justice on a recent visit to the with the prisoners and Pastor Craig Nanna NPM administrative office. invite them to pray the Pastor Craig Nanna, “sinner’s prayer”. After that, they provide the prisoners with a Reading DOVE Christian Ministry Center Bible and get them started on a Bible correspondence course. Throughout the process, the letters of encouragement and sup- port flow. As they study, the men’s lives begin to change, and they share their newfound faith with their friends. Then, there are new Save the Date! prisoners to write to. 2/4/12 Awareness Breakfast at Old Country Buffet, Justice says, “To hear back that they’re sharing their faith and Wyomissing, 8-10 am RSVP at 610-777-2222 that they are into a Bible study, and they’re asking questions that 3/6/12 Spring Banquet at Conestoga Mennonite Church, show me that they’re reading the Bible…it’s such a joy.” Morgantown, PA, 6:30 pm, Speaker: Judge Scott Lash Fallen Evangelist Restored to Ministry

Reverend Phil Ludwick, age 45, the son of a pastor in the coal know what that person went through --maybe not the exact same region of Pennsylvania, was saved at the age of 13 and later re- thing, but you know what it is to fall.” Ludwick continues: “So you ceived his call to ministry at a youth rally. He went on to study at don’t have to be depressed and down. You know that God will a Bible college and received a bachelor’s degree in theology, a take you right back. His love is unconditional. His mercy is ever- master’s degree in religious education, and a doctorate in Chris- lasting.” tian counseling. Ludwick’s ministry was mainly a traveling, evan- gelistic ministry, up and down the east coast , into the south, and Jeanette Christophel as far west as Missiouri. Like so many, Ludwick’s downfall was involvement in an adult chat room. He was arrested in a sting operation and was sentenced to 10-23 months in prison. Housing for Returning

Ludwick served a year in the Monroe County Prison and then was released to the care of New Person Center in November Citizens a Great Need 2010. He believes that God worked everything out for him to be New Person Center in Reading, PA is a transitional housing min- at New Person Center. Ironically, he already knew John Rush as a istry for newly released, selected, male prisoners. It is one pro- colleague from his own involvement as a volunteer with Yokefel- gram, among others statewide, that provides stable housing for lowship at the state prison in Frackville. Ludwick stayed at NPC those who are repentant, desire to serve God, and agree to basic around five months before finding his own housing. On October rules. Residents must participate in character and life skill devel- 14, 2011, he was released opment such as Bible studies and mentoring. There are a large from parole. He says, “My number of applicants, over sixty per month, and only eighteen at a relationship with New Per- time can be accommodated, due to space limitations. Almost 10% son Center doesn’t end just of all recently released ex-offenders are homeless, and there is a because my parole ends.” 20% homeless rate for those with mental health issues and for Ludwick has been on “both those who live in major urban areas. There is simply not enough sides of the fence” in prison available, affordable housing for persons released from prisons or ministry and is available to jails. help out with NPC in what- The stigma of criminal records restricts even further the limited ever way he can. supply of affordable housing. This stigma also restricts employ- In the year since his re- ment possibilities which would enable ex-offenders to afford lease from prison, Ludwick housing. Some governmental housing authorities restrict housing has been attending the to many parolees who have drug, alcohol, or sex offenses. Families Mount Zion Church of God are often reluctant to help relatives released from prison since in Christ (on S. 6th St. in they do not want to jeopardize their own public or subsidized Reverend Phil Ludwick Reading). The pastor there, housing. Elder Dr. Kevin Glimp, be- Programs like New Person Center can facilitate a successful re- lieves in restoration. He has been working with Ludwick for entry for those seeking to live Christian lives. NPC is a worthwhile about a year and believes that God still has a call on Ludwick’s ministry that continues to serve such people who are humbly life to preach the gospel. On October 23, 2011, Ludwick was re- seeking to live right and to serve God. stored back to ministry in a special service at the church. For Donald Murphy now, Ludwick is one of the ministers and an elder of the church. He looks forward to evangelistic work again in the future.

Ludwick is passionate as he shares about our restoring God. The Bible is full of stories of sinful, repentant, and restored peo- ple. He shares about David, a man after God’s own heart who committed adultery and murder and yet was restored to a right relationship with God. He mentions Moses, a murderer who was used by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Then there is Pe- ter, who denied Jesus and yet after restoration preached two powerful sermons that brought 8,000 people to salvation. Paul, another murderer, was restored and used mightily in the spread- ing of the gospel. Ludwick speaks passionately about restoration after sin because it is his own story.

“Just because you fall doesn’t mean you’re done,” Ludwick ex- plains. “You can help someone else up that has fallen because you NPM Administrative Assistant Pat Antosy, receives at least 20 letters a week from inmates seeking entry to New Person Center. The Forgotten Victims I hear children of many ages asking, "Daddy/Mommy, when will The previous issue of The New Person newsletter told of children they let you come and hug me again?” I hear many spouses asking, being kept from their daddy by the system for months after his re- "When can my partner return to help carry this heavy load?” lease from prison. I feel strongly that children and spouses must be In a magazine article entitled permitted to reunite with their released parent with very few ex- “The Forgotten Victim” (Mental “Daddy when will they ceptions, and this should, when possible, be accompanied with of- Hygiene, 1973), P.W. Perry let you hug me again?” fers of counseling toward successful reunion and outcomes. explains how innocent children The D.C. Council for Criminal Justice once recommended a and spouses suffer as a result of one parent being incarcerated. He Neighborhood Resource Center to offer services like family counsel- quotes a corrections professional who said that when fathers are ing and neighborhood education. NPC seeks to do both for its com- incarcerated, most kids are shocked beyond the point of under- munities. Since in Pennsylvania one in twenty-eight is now under standing. Any possibility of a positive identification with the parent some sort of criminal justice supervision, these services benefit the is almost invariably destroyed. Too often a spouse and children feel health of the entire community. To serve one’s neighbors in such they are being punished for something they had no part in. They, too, are placed into a “jail existence”. Research shows that a child ...there should be no discrimination separated from his parent by prison has a six times greater chance against former offenders regarding work, of also ending up there. The director of a Washington, D.C. correc- tions center has stated, "Incarceration worsens any destructive education, voting, and other civil rights. influences of the family and weakens any strength it has.” While that may be true, Perry also states that the offender’s family labor is an honorable patriotic duty. Such caring also honors the may be the most important force in rehabilitating the offender and loving God of great mercy and grace and forgiveness. for reducing the number of The New Testament, in II Cor. 2:5-12, teaches caution when pun- As the family goes, so tomorrow's offenders. I ishing another, lest excessive punishment causes the greater harm. agree, as do many judges Satan is the Father of hate and lies and is assisted in taking a person goes the larger society. and experts in the field of down by those who seek excessive punishments. This should moti- corrections. Yet there are vate us to hear Christ's words anew: “Blessed are the merciful for laws and policies systematized in our society that negatively affect they shall obtain mercy.” In the epistle of James we read that the ability of families to function as viable units, even after exiting “mercy overcomes judgment.” prison. At what point does hate and vengeance drive punishment? I be- Some such counterproductive lieve that excessive punishment brings negative returns. Mostly, as measures include stripping some re- sanctions are applied, we should not lose leased prisoners of their driver’s licenses sight of an end desire to see restoration or professional licenses—just when gain- of that which is whole and healthy. ful employment is necessary to provide While the primary victim of a crime is family support and to pay restitution, the one directly violated, there are other fines, and court costs. Government reac- victims suffering harm, as well. Let us tions to various levels of crime can have value the family members of the offender, far-reaching effects on the future of the the “forgotten victims”, and advocate for whole family. As the family goes, so goes a justice whose ultimate goal is the larger society. This topic is a big deal restoration and life. and should matter to us all. Judge Charles R. Richey, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has advocated that John Rush upon completion of a prison sentence New Person Ministries there should be no discrimination against Executive Director former offenders regarding work, educa- tion, voting, and other civil rights.

Staff Board Executive Director President: Leon Weber John Rush Newsletter Editor: Jeanette Christophel Vice President: Dan Trusty Administrative Assistant Treasurer: Pat Antosy Pat Antosy Webmaster: David Christophel Secretary: Roger Mast House Manager Gary Benjamin Board Member: Gary Burkholder Case Manager www.newpersonministries.org Travis Cravey Board Member: John Rush