GOD GRANT THEM PEACE 

Can you test your own Christianity by thinking of the young Littleton girl, having just seen two friends murdered, being asked "Are you a Christian? Denounce God and Live!" Holding onto her faith and Jesus' love, she was martyred. We listened to hundreds of the youth talking about their problems, and they all had the same comment, worded dif-ferently. "We have no one to turn to!" Many of you remember us talking a few months ago about the need for a Youth Hot Line. What if someone had seen the two boys with guns going to the school and called a Hot Line number- how many might have been helped if the police were there even quicker than they were? Young people are turning to other young people for advice. There are more coming and God grant peace to the families who do nothing. 

MY HELPER 

Ten iron bars lock me in
A cell of stone and steel,
Forty-eight square feet of room;
fear is what I feel.
I see the hurt and pain
In this place each day.
So how can I smile?
What took my fear away?
Yes. I'm a prisoner in this jail
But not in my heart, you see;
Because there is SOMEONE
Special here with me.
So don't feel bad
Because I'm here,
You see there is a good part.
I have my Bible and my faith,
And Jesus in my heart.
He gives me strength
To hang on,
Hope to face each day.
When things get rough
I close my eyes,
And see Him when I pray.

A NOTE OF APPRECIATION 

Just a note to say thanks for your ministry. The newsletter always uplifts me because it is so focused on the love and power of Jesus to heal all of us, whatever our situation in life may be. I am keeping in touch with my Pen Friend the best I can. She is really a blessing to me, I'm glad you picked her for me. Carol Joy [All are matched by God. When your name comes up, the first name on the pile is yours.] 

SEEDING INTO YOUR MINISTRY 

I am a Minister and Founder of "Life Changers Ministries." God called me to this jail/prison Ministry. We are on a very limited budget and also on a fixed income, so I am seeding your Ministry with $1.00. So accept this as a $100.00 seed offering. God will give it back to me and I will send you more.
Jerome. 

We have received many dollar bills and are putting them all toward hiring a new worker full time. 

NOAH'S ARK 

We asked the inmates at Delano to watch this movie and see how they would rate it. The press clipping said:

The Greatest Bible Film Ever
Well, folks, the inmates on a scale of one to ten-ten being bad-rated it at eleven, or F. We only watched part of it while doing the mail, and I found many errors.

The Bible says Noah's sons were married before the Flood; the movie has Noah's wife perform the ceremony when they hit land.

The Bible has everyone destroyed but those on the Ark. The movie has a small navy attack them in the middle of the ocean.

The movie has God telling Noah of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; the Bible shows that conversation between God and Abraham, about a millennium later.

I'm almost afraid to go back to prison. One inmate said it was worse than the "baddest Three Stooges movie, or equal to the Bride of Frankenstein." 

PEN FRIENDS, P-L-E-A-S-E 

I am going to ask Jean to once more show the right way to address letters.

Your return address on mail to your inmate is: 

YOUR name or Pen Name 
Box B 
Ivanhoe California, 93235. 

Nowhere in the return address should "Someone Cares" appear. The letter is from you, using our address (not our name) for safety. Also if you have chosen a pen name, make it a first and last name. Let's say the top of the pile has Sherry Patterson, so I will use her as an example. (Her Pen Name is Sherry Patt.) So her return address is: 

Sherry Patt,
Box B 
Ivanhoe, Ca 93235. 

When writing to your Pen Friends, mention Someone Cares from time to time, and ask if they know inmates who get no mail, but would like to. Forward the names with the complete address of each interested inmate to Someone Cares and we will send them an invitation and forms to join the Pen Friend program. The Pen Friend's address includes name, prison number (very important), street or P.O. Box number, cell block if given, city, state and zip. 

FEMALE INMATES VIOLATED 

According to the UN, female inmates suffer frequent sexual abuse from guards. The Human Rights Commission urged Washington to review drug laws, pointing out many females are jailed because of drug-related offences that could be better and more economically handled by community-based programs. Sex for drugs is also common in prison. Just a few stories we will share:

Barbara came to prison for check charges. Out of pure fear she was taken in hand by several homosexual women, used and abused. A male guard told her he would protect her from these women in exchange for sexual favors for himself.

Joan refused advances made toward her by female gang members. She was beaten and put in the hospital. While under medication, she was sexually abused by staff.

Where do they turn when so little is offered, unless more volunteer programs are provided? 

HELL ON EARTH 

I just got your letter from my locked-down cell (23 hours a day) where it looks like I will be for the next two years. It was so good to hear from you, especially now as I am so lonely and helpless. This place they try to run like a boot camp and the guards are really trigger happy. Gun guards are in a caged area of our cell block. Two inmates were shot today. They have a red line and yellow line; if you cross either you get shot. Sometimes we get three bag lunches a day, sometimes all at once and all the same. 

Don's comments: We need prisons and we need punish-ment. Men and women should be sent to prison as punish-ment not for punishment. What good does it do to lock a man or woman down, pulling dead time? The man above did something (maybe) to be put in the hole. But caged and given nothing to do is cruel. We spend from $35,000 to $45,000 dollars a year to warehouse these men and women, and some states do not spend a dime to rehabilitate them. Sentences, mostly for political reasons, are getting longer and longer. 80% of these people will some day be released. When prisons were first built, they had factories and schools; not now, except in rare cases. Chances are, if a person goes to prison not being able to read and write, they will leave prison the same way. By the end of this year we will finally have 2 million in prison. The average sentence is 7 years. If $35,000 is correct, that's a quarter of a million dollars; if they had family, maybe even welfare expenses. With limited job and educational skills, who will hire them if they have no training while locked up? Even religious programs, proven to help, are being cut back, and they cost nothing to the prison or state. 

YVONNE'S CORNER 

Giving credit to and honoring our Mothers last month and our Father's this month is a privilege for those of us who come from Christian homes, raised with strong morals. Being a parent is an awe-some responsibility; we need to make wise decisions after much prayer, and let God our Father guide us.

Don has mentioned above about guns in school-maybe we all should give thought to the choices we make...

They lie on the table, side by side; The Holy Bible and the TV Guide.

One is well-worn but cherished with pride, {Not the Bible, but the TV Guide}.

One is used daily to help folks decide, { No! Not the Bible: It's the TV Guide}.

As the pages are turned, what shall they see? Oh, what does it matter, turn on the TV. Then confusion reigns, they can't all agree On what they shall watch on the old TV. So they open the book in which they confide, {No! Not the Bible: It's the TV Guide}.

The Word of God is seldom read, Maybe a verse e'er they fall into bed. Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be, Not from reading the Bible; but watching TV. So, then back to the table, side by side, Lie the Holy Bible and the TV Guide. No time for prayer, no time for the Word, The plan of salvation is seldom heard. But forgiveness of sin, so full and free Is found in the Bible, not on TV!

We pray that this does not apply to any of us, but so often it is easy for us as Christians to fall into the same trap. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's plan for us. We pray that we will stop and think this through. Phillippians 4:8 says it much better than I can, check it out. 

WHY WE ARE HERE! 

We chatted with 100 men at a local prison. Some of the questions we asked:

How many of you, growing up, had daily family worship? (3)
How many of you had daily prayer with family (6); with yourself (11).

How many went to church weekly? (70); more than once a week (56).
How many of you feel if you did all of those things you would not be here today? (91).
How many of you recall seeing a Bible in your house sometime while growing up? (98).
How many of you had prayer in school? (31); all over, (45).
How many of you knew, if you had a problem, you could go to a parent or relative for help? (16).
Who was the family member? Mother(3); Father (1); Grandparent (12). Is there a message here? 

THANK YOU THANK YOU 

I went to prison15 years ago at the age of 20 for killing a stepfather who beat my mother. I did not mean to kill him but that's what I did. After several years I was transferred to D.V.I in California.

In my new cell I started to make my bed and found a book, Steps To Christ, with an application for a Pen Friend inside. I threw it in the garbage and made my bed. Seconds later an alarm sounded and the prison was locked down. This, by the way, means all are kept in their cells almost 24 hours a day. Well, having nothing to do or read, I pulled the book out of the garbage. After reading it more than once I started to reflect on my life and knew I needed a change. Why not send in the application? I did and forgot all about it. About three weeks later I got a letter from Bonnie & Carl. It was a nice letter, a little too preachy, but it showed a caring I knew not. Well I wrote and for the next five years we became fast friends. They enrolled me in two Bible studies and sent me many self help books. Then they came to visit. What a true blessing! I must have walked around beaming.

I am out of prison now, married, a good job and Carl was my best man and he and his wife are my best friends. The enclosed check is a small way of saying thanks to SOMEONE I have never met who helped change my life. I pray to meet you and your wife soon. I am enclosing the name of a guy, a real bad dude, who I think you can help. [We have.] Like all tough guys in prison they cry when they think no one hears them. 

George B. 

God Bless each of you- 

Those new to us and those whose Email addresses have been given by friends. Some-one Cares, an international prison ministry, has a need for Christians to visit, once a month, a prisoner in their area. Also we need folks to write to inmates in our RISK FREE Pen Friend Program. Lastly, we need quality used Study Bibles. We are a 501 Non-profit Organization if you are looking for a tax shelter. Where your treasure is, there your heart is also. God Bless. Because of you, Someone Cares. 

AN EVERYDAY SURVIVAL KIT 

Toothpick; Rubber band; Band Aid; Pencil; Eraser; Chewing gum; Mint; Candy Kiss; Tea Bag. 

Here's why: 
Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others...Matt 7:1 
Rubber band - to remind you to be flexible; things might not always go the way you want, but they will work out...Romans 8:28 
Band Aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's...Col. 3:12-14
Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings every day...Eph 1:3 
Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay...Gen. 50:15-21 
Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything ...Phil. 4:13
Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint to your heavenly Father...John 3:16-17 
Candy Kiss - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug every day...1 John 4:7 
Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings...1 Thess 5:18

This is my gift to you. May God richly bless you. To the world, you may just be some-body... but to somebody, you may be the world.

Send this to anyone who you think needs to know that they are loved by someone in their lives. Make someone's day just a little brighter today! 

TEMPER 

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggest-ed that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry,' the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us. 
Agape, 
Don & Yvonne