Letters to the Good Behavior, Prison Food, In this issue: Editor, p.2 p.3 p.4

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PRISON FELLOWSHIP’S NEWSPAPER FOR AMERICA’S PRISONS VOLUME 23, NO. 4 FALL 2014 A New Life for Jorge by Kate Campbell tion,” he says. “I looked for that attention outside of my family.” orge Garcia was just Jorge’s uncle opened the 13 years old his first door to a life of crime when he time in a juvenile convinced Jorge to become a detention facility. For drug trafficker. At 16, Jorge often J him, it was a badge made $7,000 a day “working” of honor. for his uncle. “It made me think I was cool,” When he was 19, Jorge mar- says Jorge. “But I was only a kid. ried his first wife, who didn’t I didn’t know where all this was know about his criminal lifestyle. going to take me.” “I knew I had to hide myself,” Jorge was born in Mexico but he says. They had four kids and immigrated to San Diego with remained married for 18 years. his family when he was 11. “I Jorge spent much of that time found out that it was a different in and out of prison, and he got language, a different culture,” he tired of his life of crime. remembers. “Deeply, I was not happy,” he says. A Life of Crime Begins In middle school, Jorge began Becoming a Child of God Photo provided by Jorge Garcia Jorge by Photo provided stealing candy, bicycles, and In 1978, Jorge was invited to clothing with his “kids’ gang,” go to church. After a life of crime, Jorge Garcia still spends and sniffing gasoline, paint, and “Before I went in [to church], a lot of his time behind bars—but not as a prisoner. glue. By 13, he was smoking I put my gun … and my bag marijuana. In high school, he of cocaine under the dash- members. “The church where transformed into an innocent Jorge continued his criminal began selling marijuana and board,” he says. The church was I used to go, everybody child again. lifestyle, spending more than pills, which made him very different than what Jorge had was quiet.” “It made an impact,” he re- two decades in and out of pris- popular. experienced before. During a worship song, Jorge calls. “I never cried like that day ons in Mexico and America. In “I grew up with seven kids, so “People at this church were began to cry, and, for a brief mo- … [but] I went back into my car 1990, everything fell apart when ment, a hardened criminal was and put my gun under my belt.” it was hard for me to get atten- singing and clapping,” he re- Continued on page 2 The Art of Looking Back by Jim Liske Repeating the Past behind for good.” We’ve all been in situations Speeches like the ones above Jim Liske is the president and CEO of like Chuck’s. Our mistakes catch are “famous last words.” Sadly, Prison Fellowship Ministries. up with us, and our apparent just having good intentions success goes up in smoke. rarely leads to a changed hen Chuck When this happens, we have life. Why? Colson, a two choices: 1) We can ignore native of the past and try to start over, or Look in the Rearview Mirror Boston and 2) We can look carefully at the Maybe you’ve heard the old a former past and learn from it before saying, “Those who don’t know W captain in moving ahead. history are doomed to repeat it.” the U.S. Marines, was invited to Often we choose Option 1. We That’s true in our personal lives. be special counsel to President make plans for becoming differ- If we try to fix our bad choices, Richard Nixon, he moved his ent, better versions of ourselves, without ever looking at why we things into an office looking over without examining why we do made bad choices in the first the White House lawn. Chuck, the things we do. place, we’re not going to be known for doing whatever it took We say things like, “Man, I successful. to win, was at the high point shouldn’t have had that last If we’re serious about chang- of his success. I wonder what drink. I’m going to be late for ing our direction in life, it’s not Grandpa would think of me now, work again. I hope I don’t get enough to be sorry. We need to he thought proudly. fired. That’s it. I’m going to be take a good, long look in the Just a few years later, facing different. No more drinking for rearview mirror. charges related to the Watergate me—starting tomorrow.” yy Examine the past. Are scandal, Chuck packed up his Or, “I know my wife doesn’t things from your past driving office in disgrace. Looking over like my ‘side business.’ She’s your present actions? Have you the White House lawn again, Thinkstock afraid I’ll go back to prison. But used alcohol, drugs, or toxic re- he thought grimly, What would Sometimes to move forward, we really need to move into a lationships to numb the pain of Grandpa think if he could see you first have to look at the past. bigger place. Just one more big something bad that happened? me now? deal, and then I can leave it all Being reminded of a painful Continued on page 2 Inside Journal | Fall 2014 1 Art of Looking Back the pain we have caused, and Continued from page 1 do whatever is in our power to make up for our past actions. Letters to the Editor event can trigger an explosion Repentance is a lot more of bad choices, like stepping on a land mine. It will be hard to ‘Roy’s Long Road’ Vegan Food stop engaging in addictive be- You can’t change I was laying on my bunk and I am a vegan. It is not healthy haviors until you deal with the this old man came up to my cell or logical in the year 2014 to pain head-on. That might mean the past, but you door and asked me if I wanted eat products from animal-based journaling about your experi- something to read. I got up and foods. […] The problem is that can choose what ences or joining an addiction started talking to him, and my the DOC does not offer any meals support group. You can’t change heart went out to this man in his that are strictly plant-based. you do about it now. the past, but you can choose 80s named Dave. He slid the The DOC does not even offer a what you do about it now. Inside Journal Prison Fellowship’s vegetarian diet. On average, the yy Examine your worldview. newspaper for America’s prisons, DOC serves four ounces of ½ cup than feeling sorry for something We all have a worldview, or way Volume 23. No. 2, Spring 2014 of vegetables about four days out we’ve done wrong and promis- of thinking, that drives how we under my cell door and told of seven. […] The DOC commis- ing to do better. It’s an “about- act. If you think money is the me, “You read that and you will sary is an option, however, the face,” a total change of direction most important thing in life, you find some answers.” I read that Thinkstock only plant-based products that in the way we think and act. It’s will worry about having enough, newspaper three times and was been doing this for years. […] I the DOC sells are peanuts, black a revolution of the heart. and you might break the rules touched emotionally by all of wanted to thank you for your love beans, pickles, trail mix, and pop- As he took a hard look back to get more. If status is the the articles. ‘Roy’s Long Road to and concern for my two children. corn. One cannot create a normal at his own life, Chuck Colson most important thing to you, Paradise’ is a little like my story. […] I will be eligible for early plant-based diet on what the DOC realized that his worldview was you will do whatever it takes to – C.C., Tennessee release next April 2015 and I will provides. […] If a person wants built on the wrong priorities. be on top. Ask yourself what be moving to a [transitional living to be a Muslim, the DOC provides He valued power and winning thoughts might have led up to Prisoner Wages facility]. When I get established, a non-meat-based diet. It is sad instead of humility and serving decisions that you now regret, During my times inside I have I want to help in your program to that the DOC will not honor my others. When he had a personal and what thoughts you want noticed the cost of items give to all who are incarcerated spiritual decision of wanting only encounter with God, the whole to embrace instead. If you’re increase multiple times while with children. Have a memorable a plant-based diet. direction of his life changed. He a Christian, search the Bible inmate worker wages have stayed Christmas just like mine. Thank – K.M., Connecticut pled guilty to charges that he the same. Both state and federal you for your prayers and love! (Proverbs and the New Testa- knew were true and agreed to minimum wages have risen mul- – R.S., Ohio ment are great places to start) serve time in a federal prison tiple times as well. But who cares for principles worth building camp. When he came out, he about the hard-working inmate your new worldview on. dedicated the rest of his life to population? […] It is way past Subscription Info yy Examine your relation- serving prisoners, ex-prisoners, time for a change. It is way past ships. We don’t make decisions and their families, and help- time for a raise. It is way past At Inside Journal® (IJ), we receive many letters each week from pris- in a vacuum. Sometimes the ing others develop a healthy time for respect. oners asking for subscriptions to our newspaper. We are grateful for people around us encourage worldview. – M.P., Connecticut the interest and support of our readers – however, because of limita- us to make bad decisions, and It’s not always easy or flat- sometimes our bad decisions tions on our staff and budget, IJ is only available in bulk shipments tering, but finding a new life hurt others. Before we can Getting in the Christmas Spirit to your chaplain, programming coordinator, or a volunteer who visits starts with looking hard at your Dear Angel Tree, I want to thank be ready to move forward, we your facility. Chaplains, to set up these shipments for free, please old one. Once you have looked you for giving my children … gifts might need to choose to sur- contact our editorial staff at P.O. Box 1790, Ashburn, VA 20146- back, you will be better pre- on my behalf. My daughter wrote round ourselves with more posi- pared to leave the past behind 1790 or [email protected]. me and told me that you have tive influences. We might also for good. n need to apologize to others for

A New Life for Jorge Jorge remarried and now has His life story is a message of Continued from page 1 another child and a grandchild. God’s transformative power. “If He directs Prison Fellowship’s I had known what I know now his wife asked for a divorce. He work in Latin America and Mex- when I was a kid, I would have tried to repair the damage, even ico, and also produces “Libres chosen God when I was a kid,” seeking help from a woman en Cristo,” a Spanish-language he says. “But God gave me the who practiced witchcraft. While radio program that airs regularly opportunity … to show what God his family crumbled, the rest of on Radio Nueva Vida. has done in me.” n his life began to crumble, too. “I started losing everything Prayer Warriors one by one,” says Jorge. With no house and no car, Jorge lived in Corner his brother’s garage and rode the public bus. This fall, please pray for the following concerns: “I didn’t even have $5 to buy Garcia Jorge by Photo provided a hamburger,” he says. A church service first broke down Jorge’s defenses, and it’s • Pray for all those who are behind bars in this country Jorge soon decided his life where he eventually turned his back on a life of crime. and around the world, whether they are being imprisoned wasn’t worth living. While lying justly or unjustly. them was, “Why did you bring on the couch he used for a bed, me back? I wanted to die.” A Life Redeemed he attempted to kill himself by “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were His second attempt to After he became a Christian, overdosing on drugs, but his together with them in prison, and those who are overdose was also unsuccess- Jorge left California and spent friends found him and brought mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” ful; a police officer found him five years on a farm in Mexico. him back to life. All he said to - Hebrews 13:3 in a park and took him to the “It was like therapy. God hospital. Feeling like a failure, changed me little by little,” he • Pray for Christians, as well as other religious minorities Jorge thought, I’m not even good says. “He had a mission for me.” in the Middle East, who are being forced to flee their “Before I enough to kill myself. When Jorge returned in 1996, homes as they are persecuted for their beliefs in the That’s when he prayed: “O.K., he began working in Los Angeles Middle East. Tens of thousands of Christians around the went in [to God, I want to go Your way.” and volunteering with Prison world are committed to praying for this special concern Jorge remembered the church Fellowship. In 2003 he became every Monday. church], I put from 12 years earlier and de- Prison Fellowship’s Hispanic cided to go back again. ministry coordinator. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds my gun … “That church had something Through his new position of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and special that I never felt before,” and faith in Jesus Christ, Jorge always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” and my bag he says. discovered his God-given gifts - Ephesians 6:18 When he returned, he found and talents. • Pray that the Lord would continue to reveal Himself of cocaine lasting peace for the first time “I thought that [selling drugs] to those who don’t know Him and comfort the families since he started using and sell- was the only thing I knew how to whose loved ones are incarcerated. ing drugs as a kid. do,” he says. “But I discovered I under the “I was tired, and that’s what know how to love my people be- “Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread made a criminal become a child hind bars … I discovered that I rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” dashboard.” of God.” That day, Jorge gave his have a lot of talents that I never - 2 Thessalonians 3:1 life to Christ. knew I had.”

2 Inside Journal | Fall 2014 Good Behavior Counts, Right? by Johnathan Kana imagined them saying. “Let’s trying to keep a clean disciplinary make room for someone who record. They say good behavior No Revocation Hearings stared excitedly at the really needs to be here.” Already counts, after all. But as I watched folded slip of paper the dreaming of what I’d do the first others receive similar set-offs Parole comes with conditions, and it can be taken away for officer had just handed day I was out, I eagerly unfolded time and time again, I began to misbehavior. God’s mercy isn’t like that. His grace has no strings me. At that moment, the notice. lose hope. It became clear that attached, and He’ll never summon you to a revocation hearing. it was the single most Moments later, I wished my crime would always be the important thing in the I hadn’t. first and most important thing You can’t earn that kind of love, but if you’re willing to confess your worldI to me. “The parole panel assigned to the parole board considered, and sins and invite Jesus into your life, you can receive it right now as It was my first parole decision. review your case has determined nothing I said or did behind bars His free gift. You can start with a simple prayer like this one: I felt good about the release that, in light of the nature and would ever change “the nature plan I’d filed with the board. I circumstances of your offense ...” and circumstances of my offense.” God, I’ve tried so hard to run away from my sin, but I can’t. I don’t had a safe place to live, excellent I didn’t need to read any further After my second set-off, cold deserve Your love, and yet I know You still do love me. I believe You job leads, and a strong support to know I wasn’t going home. I’d reality set in: I would never sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins, and today I network. Over a dozen upstanding never felt so heartbroken in my deserve to be set free until I had ask You to come into my life and set me free for His sake. Help me members of my home community whole life. fully served my time, all the way live in a way that honors Your love. had written letters on my behalf, down to the last day. and I’d voluntarily completed Worse Than a Set-Off The same is true for all of us If you just prayed those words from a sincere heart, then you’re several self-improvement courses It was my first parole set-off, when it comes to our standing on the road to a new life, and Inside Journal wants to help. You behind bars. What more could but it wouldn’t be my last. In the before God. The Bible says, “When can enroll in a free correspondence Bible study—and get a Bible, they possibly want? months that followed, I slavishly Adam sinned, sin entered the if you don’t have access to one through your facility—by writing to “Get this guy out of here,” I followed all the warden’s rules, entire human race. Adam’s sin “No Revocation,” c/o Inside Journal, P.O. Box 1790, Ashburn, VA, brought death, so death spread 20146-1790. We will connect you with a partnering organization to everyone, for everyone sinned” that provides these materials. (Romans 5:12 NLT). A lot of us think we can be saved from our sins by going to church and doing has nothing to do with our merits. I’m reminded of how I felt the day our best to follow God’s rules. “He saved us,” the Bible says, “not I passed through those prison We think that our good deeds because of the good things we gates, having served less than will somehow cancel out past did, but because of his mercy” half my sentence before making mistakes, and so we do our best (Titus 3:5). parole, despite the set-offs. With to simply be “good people.” God knew that once His perfect only an empty street to keep But that’s not how God judges. justice was served, we would all me from being reunited with my The Bible says, “The person who perish. That’s why He allowed His family, I felt nothing but profound keeps all of the laws except one own Son to become one of us. gratitude for the unmerited favor is as guilty as the person who has Jesus Christ, being God in human I had received from the parole broken all of God’s laws” (James flesh, lived the perfect life none board that day. I may have been a 2:10 NLT). That means anything of us ever could; yet He was also good candidate for early release, we think, say or do that falls destined to die at the hands of but I still didn’t deserve the short of God’s perfect standard the very people He came to save. privilege. I also knew there would makes us eternally guilty before Nailed to a Roman cross like a be strict rules to follow on parole, Him—and nothing we say or do common criminal, He submit- but I was so thankful that it afterward can erase that guilt. ted to a punishment He didn’t didn’t matter. When our cases come up for deserve so that God could extend That’s how I still feel as I strive review, those past misdeeds will us the mercy we don’t deserve. each day to live in a way that still be on our records, and we’ll At the cross, God exhausted His honors the God who went to such still have to answer for them. wrath against our sin, and then extraordinary measures to save Thinkstock He raised Jesus from the dead me from my sins. It’s a privilege three days later to demonstrate to serve Jesus, because in Him Nothing Johnathan did seemed to make his parole date arrive Better Than Parole any faster. He realized there was nothing he could do to earn Because He created us and that death no longer has any I have something far better than his freedom—or his salvation. But there was still hope. loves us, God has provided a way claim on us. parole. My case has been to wipe those blots away, but it Whenever I think about that, wholly expunged. n

Doing HIS Time: Meditations and Prayers for Men and Women in Prison By James C. Vogelzang with Lynn Vanderzalm Foreword by Charles Colson Revised Edition with Study Guides

Doing HIS Time

is a daily devotional that brings the Gospel of Jesus to you in your language, in your “real-life” situations.

This is the new, revised, Study Guide edition that has added 25 new meditations and 25 pages of Study Guides.

It is available FREE !

To receive a FREE case of books (English, Spanish, or both) or your own individual copy, write directly or ask the chaplain or religious services director to contact: Doing HIS Time Prison Ministry PO Box 91509 Santa Barbara, CA 93190

Inside Journal | Fall 2014 3 Inside Journal – Classic Articles Great Prisoners of the Bible In honor of Inside Journal’s 25th it appears that the last time he described in the New Testament. anniversary, we’ll re-run some clas- was imprisoned without hope We can learn a lot from him sic content from the last quarter of release. He was executed at about what it means to live a century in each of the next four Rome in A.D. 66 or early 67. purposeful, meaningful life. editions. We hope you enjoy! Questions for personal or Questions for personal or group study: group study: Apostle Paul: From Jailer yyFor what kinds of offenses yyPaul often referred to his to Jailbird was Paul imprisoned? You’ll Acts 9 experience as the start hroughout history, find some of the account in of his new life in Christ (1 many people have Acts 16:23 and chapters Corinthians 9:1). At the center found themselves 23 – 28. of his vision was Jesus Christ. on the inside yyA particularly dramatic New life begins with a personal looking out. Paul, prison event is recorded in Acts encounter with Jesus Christ. Tone of the dominant personali- 16:22-40. How were Paul and Have you met Him as Paul did? ties of the New Testament, was Silas (his ministry partner) yyHow did Paul use his various one. We read Paul’s story in Acts spending their time in prison? prison stints productively? 7:58-28:31 and throughout yyWhy was the jailer about to What could you do to improve the many New Testament books commit suicide? the productivity of your time he wrote. Most of those books yyWhat happened to him behind bars? were letters he wrote to young instead? yyPaul was sometimes impris- churches. They contain excellent yyWhat impact might how you oned unjustly. Often he had dif- teaching on how to grow as a spend your prison time have ficult conditions. But he tells us Thinkstock Christian. Of the 27 documents on those around you? in Philippians 4:11-13 what his that make up the New Testa- Paul was one of the greatest enemies—and later one of the attitude was toward it all. This greatest champions—of the early Christian movement. ment, Paul wrote 13 of them. Lessons From the Life is a good model for all of us. Luke and Acts were written by a of Paul What would it take to have that doctor who was Paul’s friend. A Dramatic Turnaround dramatic turning point in your Something incredibly dramat- life so far? We know more about Paul kind of attitude every day? n than almost any other person Paul the Enforcer ic happened to Paul (who was When we first meet Paul in previously called Saul) one day. Paul the Repeat Offender Acts 7:58, he is vigorously per- Luke gives the historical account Now Paul, the persecutor of secuting Christians. of it in Acts 9. Paul talks about it Christians, began to receive Questions for personal or in Acts 22 and Acts 26. some of his own medicine. We group study: Questions for personal or learn in 2 Corinthians 6:4-5 and yyWhat was his attitude toward group study: 11:23-28 that he was in prison the stoning of Stephen? yyDescribe, in your own words, many times. The book of Acts re- yyWhat else was he doing to what happened to Paul cords at least three. Other early make life rough for Christians? that day. church documents record at yyWhy do you think he hated yyWas he any different after least 7 times that he was in jail, them so much? that? In what way? in prison, or under house arrest. yyHow did he view God’s He once spent two years under

yyHave you ever hated some- Thinkstock one that intensely? working in his life? (Galatians a soldier’s guard and bound 1:15-17) with a light chain (Acts 28:16, Paul oversaw the public execution of Stephen, an early follower of yyWhat has been the most 20). From the book of 2 Timothy Jesus. Eventually Paul would be jailed and executed for his own faith. Prison Food—From Field to Chow Hall by Kate Campbell ment for all of us. We’ve never vism rate of only 5 to 10 per- where farming skills are in high this one, we start on a small done anything like this before,” cent, compared with California’s demand. Wehtahnah has been scale and we see where it he Richard J. says Richard Winkler, who is on overall rate of 61 percent. working alongside Elizabeth takes us.” Donovan Correc- the board of directors for San Gransee, information officer at Richard hopes that the pro- tional Facility in Diego Roots and volunteers to Potential for Growth California Correctional Health gram expands beyond the half San Diego recently help run FARM. Wehtahnah Tucker, health Care Services. They hope to acre set aside for its launch. launched its new “For me, this is sort of a big care administrator and FARM one day expand FARM into a “There’s a huge potential to TFarm and Rehabilitation Meals opportunity to demonstrate program coordinator, hopes statewide initiative. grow food and have an out- (FARM) program, in which pris- what’s possible,” says Richard. that the program will be able “My expectation is that this door recreational activity,” says oners work as farmers and learn “It seems to me that [farming] to provide certification for curriculum will be successful in Richard. sustainable agriculture, accord- is a basic skill that I think every- ing to The Huffington Post. body should know.” participants, so prisoners can teaching inmates … not only at As for prisoners entering the To accommodate 20 prisoner- more easily find jobs in the Donovan, but statewide,” says application process to be a farmers, Donovan Correctional Getting Back to the Roots sustainable agriculture indus- Wehtahnah. “When we start out part of this program, Wehtah- Facility is building farming In the first class, the prison- try, especially in San Diego, projects that are innovative like nah says, “We’re looking for the facilities, including three acres ers will start by growing summer inmate who wants this, who is of farmland on prison grounds, vegetables, including tomatoes, motivated to learn and to take a classroom, and several raised cucumbers, peppers, that knowledge and share it garden beds to serve prisoners and squash. with others.” n in wheelchairs. Their produce “We teach them how to do will be served in prison cafete- rias after undergoing an ap- everything from irrigation to proval process by the California growing healthy soil [to] what Department of Corrections and you need to know to grow food,” © 2014 by Prison Fellowship INSIDE JOURNAL® is published 4 times a year Rehabilitation. says Richard. The program will by Prison Fellowship Ministries, P.O. Box 1790, Ashburn, VA 20146-1790, San Diego Roots Sustain- also teach prisoners about good www.prisonfellowship.org • (703)478-0100 nutrition. able Food Program, a nonprofit Editor, A.R. Quinn; Writers, Kate Campbell, organization that promotes The program was created in Johnathan Kana, Jim Liske, A.R. Quinn; Graphic Designer, Sheri Beauchamp gardening and farming edu- response to a study conducted A member of the cation, is partnering with the at facilities with similar pro- Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, health department at Donovan grams, which demonstrated Thnkstock and the American Correctional Association. to coordinate this program. that prisoners involved with the A new prison agriculture program in California may bring fresher, Prison Fellowship® is a registered trademark healthier food and marketable skills to prisoners. of Prison Fellowship Ministries®. “It’s kind of a grand experi- farming program had a recidi-

4 Inside Journal | Fall 2014