Hays State Prison
OPERATION CHRISTMAS 2013 - HAYS STATE PRISON - Dec. 13, 2013
What an awesome and blessed time we had helping to hand out Christmas Bags to God's children at Hays State Prison. Julia Smith, Tyler Bentley and Pat Nicely went with me. It was such a blessing and we are so grateful to Chaplain Darryl J. Ellis and the officers at Hays State Prison for giving us this opportunity! We were able to go to each building where the men are housed and hand them their bag and wish them Merry Christmas! Some were in locked down areas so we couldn’t shake their hand but did get to wish them Merry Christmas and let them know they weren’t forgotten. This has been a rough year at Hays State Prison and this was such a blessing to them and to us!
We also thank all of you who contributed items, money, and prayers to help to make this possible! God bless you!
We also thank all of you who contributed items, money, and prayers to help to make this possible! God bless you!
REPORT FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS 2013
Thank you to everyone who gave this year for the inmates Christmas bags. We were able to send in over 1700 lip balm and Bic pens plus 120 lbs. of hard assorted candies to put in the Christmas bags for the men at Hays State Prison. Also, some dear friends, Yanni and Becky Yarufalie donated 2,000 paper lunch bags to put the "Christmas goodies" in to be handed out. We will be going up to Hays on Friday, Dec. 13th to hand out the bags to the inmates.
We were also able to give over 1,300 snack bags of assorted chips to Central State Prison and Macon Transitional Center.
I am thrilled to be able to do this as small as our ministry is. YOU made it possible. I don't want to name everyone who gave because I know I would forget someone, but THANK YOU and God bless you! If anyone else still wants to give, you can still go to our secure PayPal link and give by PayPal or credit card on our donate page. It was quite expensive to do all of this. We were able to do quite a bit with the monies already given and the contribution of actual goods, but we still charged about $750 on our credit card that has to be paid off. Any donations would be greatly appreciated! God bless you richly!
We were also able to give over 1,300 snack bags of assorted chips to Central State Prison and Macon Transitional Center.
I am thrilled to be able to do this as small as our ministry is. YOU made it possible. I don't want to name everyone who gave because I know I would forget someone, but THANK YOU and God bless you! If anyone else still wants to give, you can still go to our secure PayPal link and give by PayPal or credit card on our donate page. It was quite expensive to do all of this. We were able to do quite a bit with the monies already given and the contribution of actual goods, but we still charged about $750 on our credit card that has to be paid off. Any donations would be greatly appreciated! God bless you richly!
DONATIONS NEEDED FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS 2013
We have an urgent need for items to go into Christmas bags for the inmates at Hays State Prison in Trion, Georgia. This year we are donating Bic stick pens (non-retractable), unflavored “chapstick” and individually wrapped hard candies. There are 1,700 inmates and we have to supply enough for everyone. You can either donate by sending money through our secure PayPal link using your PayPal account or a credit card on our “Contact Us / Donate” page. Or you can send the items to our ministry address also located on that page. Any donations are greatly appreciated. Our deadline is Saturday, November 30, 2013.
We are also donating snack size bags of chips to be put in the Christmas bags for the inmates at Central State Prison and Macon Transitional Center in Macon, Georgia. There are 1,300 inmates and we have to supply enough for everyone. Our deadline for this donation is Saturday, December 7, 2013.
Let us show these inmates the love of Jesus! Remember what our Savior said when He was on earth .... when you do it to the least of one of these, you have done it to Him.
Thank you and God bless you!
We are also donating snack size bags of chips to be put in the Christmas bags for the inmates at Central State Prison and Macon Transitional Center in Macon, Georgia. There are 1,300 inmates and we have to supply enough for everyone. Our deadline for this donation is Saturday, December 7, 2013.
Let us show these inmates the love of Jesus! Remember what our Savior said when He was on earth .... when you do it to the least of one of these, you have done it to Him.
Thank you and God bless you!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR HAYS STATE PRISON
The Inmates are on modified lockdown at this present time. They are allowed to eat in the dinning hall and come out of their individual cells. We are praying this will be over soon and we’ll be allowed to go back in to minister. Please keep the staff and inmates at Hays State Prison in your prayers.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR HAYS STATE PRISON
The Anger Management classes and church services at Hays State Prison have been cancelled until further notice. There were four murders in less than two months and two officers were also stabbed. They have been on lockdown since the second week in January. The Warden and some staff have been replaced. A lot of changes are taking place. PLEASE keep the inmates and the staff at Hays State Prison in your prayers!
PLEASE PRAY!!!!
The Anger Management classes and church services at Hays State Prison have been cancelled until further notice. There has been three murders at Hays within a month’s period of time so they are on lock down indefinitely. PLEASE keep the inmates and the staff at Hays State Prison in your prayers!
ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASSES
We started up our 5th term of Anger Management classes at Hays State Prison. We have 23 inmates on the roster, but only eight showed up for the first class. We’ll see next week how many attend. That often happens for the first class. Please keep these classes in your prayers.
HAYS STATE PRISON - Jan. 6, 2013
We had 34 come in to the church service. There would have been more but they were screening closely those who were attempting to come in due to an incident they had the night before. The men who were there were eagerly ready for whatever God had for them.
I had an inmate open in prayer and then “Big Mo” came up and lead the men in a few choruses. Then“Concrete” came up and did a song that he had written. Ms. Emily followed with a few songs while playing her tambourine.
Pastor Kevin followed with a sermon entitled “Forward.” He emphasized that now is the time to make the choice to go forward.
He used he following scriptures to emphasize several thoughts:
Matt 19:38 - take up your cross
Philippians 3:11-12 - saved but not there yet
Philippians 3:13-14 - forgetting the past
Acts 9:13-16 - people will look at your past but you must keep going forward and let go.
Eleven men came up for prayer. It was an awesome service! God is so good!!!
I had an inmate open in prayer and then “Big Mo” came up and lead the men in a few choruses. Then“Concrete” came up and did a song that he had written. Ms. Emily followed with a few songs while playing her tambourine.
Pastor Kevin followed with a sermon entitled “Forward.” He emphasized that now is the time to make the choice to go forward.
He used he following scriptures to emphasize several thoughts:
Matt 19:38 - take up your cross
Philippians 3:11-12 - saved but not there yet
Philippians 3:13-14 - forgetting the past
Acts 9:13-16 - people will look at your past but you must keep going forward and let go.
Eleven men came up for prayer. It was an awesome service! God is so good!!!
HAYS STATE PRISON FAMILY DAY - Dec. 14, 2012
Elizabeth Haney and I were honored to be at Hays State Prison for Family Day and the ceremony for the men graduating from the Faith and Character-Based Program. We both received an award. Even though I will hang this award in my home and cherish it dearly, I want all of you to know that I feel this award actually belongs to all of you too. The men made these awards from paper and toilet paper and they are amazing! Thank you again everyone for your help to make Christmas special for these men at Hays State Prison. We will have two prisons next year to help with Christmas bags so we will be starting a lot earlier.
HAYS STATE PRISON - GIVING OUT CHRISTMAS BAGS - Dec. 7, 2012
Elizabeth Haney, Julia Smith and I went to Hays State Prison to help give out the Christmas bags to the inmates. Set Captives Free Ministries was able to donate 1,711 bars of bath soap to be put in the Christmas bags for the inmates. This is the first year we were able to help in handing out the bags and it was such a blessing!!! Thank you again everyone who contributed towards the bars of bath soap!!! God bless you!!!
HAYS STATE PRISON - October 7, 2012
Kevin went with me to Hays State Prison and we had an awesome service. Ms Emily wasn't feeling well and was not able to go with us, so we didn't have any music planned. I asked one of the inmates to sing and then I sang and ministered to "What Sin?" Kevin brought the message from John 11 entitled "I Will Rise." The men really got involved in the message and 21 came forward wanting a deeper walk with the Lord. We received some testimonies afterwards about what God did in that service that I cannot put into print, but it was AMAZING!!!
HAYS STATE PRISON - September 2, 2012
Kevin, Susan and Emily joined me tonight to go to Hays State Prison. When we got there, we were told that there was a shortage of staff due to several inmates being taken to the hospital and we would not be able to hold the church service. We were extremely disappointed because most of my Anger Management class told me they would be there as well as the Chaplain’s Aides. Fortunately this does not happen very often and a few setbacks will not deter us from doing what God has called us to do. Amen!
HAYS STATE PRISON - August 5, 2012
Pastor Kevin, Emily, Susan and I went to Hays to hold our first Sunday service.There were 52 inmates in the service. I asked for a volunteer from the population to open up in prayer and then Emily led the inmates in praise and worship. We were blessed by a special song by Inmate Lewis which was a blues spiritual. The men loved it ..... and so did we!!! I wanted him to sing again after the message but we had to leave early tonight because this is the Muslim month of Ramadan and they were coming in to have their service. Pastor Kevin preached from the 15th chapter of Luke. One man came forward for salvation! Praise God for that one that He left the 99 for! Amen!
HAYS STATE PRISON - July 1, 2012
Pastor Kevin, Emily, and I went to Hays to hold the first Sunday service. There were 40 inmates in the service. I asked Pastor Kevin to open up in prayer and then Emily led the inmates in praise and worship. We were blessed by a special song by Inmate Lewis which was a blues spiritual. The men loved it ... not to mention so did we! I then did interpretive praise dance to "Holy Ground" followed by an awesome message by Pastor Kevin from the 5th chapter of Mark entitled "Don't Be Afraid ... Just Believe." He used the story of Jairus going to Jesus to ask him to heal his daughter who was dying, but was "pushed aside" by the woman with the issue of blood who was determined to get to Jesus and nothing was going to stop her. In the meantime Jairus is given a bad report that his daughter died (we need to be careful who we keep around us for companions) but he just had to believe because Jesus returned his daughter to him. Pastor Kevin brought the message down to where the men live and 18 men came up for prayer at the end of the service. Once prayer was finished, Inmate Lewis blessed us with another song and I closed in prayer. It was an amazing service ... Thank you, Jesus!!!
HAYS STATE PRISON - Anger Management - June 20, 2012
We just completed our 3rd class at Hays State Prison for Anger Management. Out of 18 who were enrolled in the class, we had 12 to graduate today. That is the largest class we have had yet! This group of inmates were attentive and participated in the discussions. This was also the most challenging class we have had because they wouldn't accept just the curriculum ... they wanted things that actually related to prison life. This brought about some great discussions which sometimes made it a little difficult to stay on course, but it seemed to be what was needed for the majority of the inmates. Some great ideas came out of this class that I believe will help future classes. Thank you, Chaplain Darryl J. Ellis and Deputy Warden Dean for all you do to make this possible!
HAYS STATE PRISON - June 3
Pastor Kevin, Emily, and I went to Hays to hold the first Sunday service. There were 64 inmates in the service. Emily led the inmates in praise and worship. Then Pastor Kevin ministered from Judges 11 on Jephthah the Gileadite who was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot. When his father Gilead's wife bore sons and they grew up, they drove Jephthah out told him he could have no part of his father’s inheritance because of who his Mother was. So Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him. Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor: This brave and notable man in Israel had a clouded pedigree. His mother was a harlot, a common heathen prostitute. Worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him: Jephthah wasn't necessarily the leader of a band of criminals. The term worthless men does not necessarily mean a bandit: "The word may, however, mean in this place poor persons, without property, and without employment" but they stood by him and supported him. Pastor Kevin brought this message down to where the men live! When he was finished, he gave an altar call and 3 men came up for salvation. Then 13 men came up for prayer for rededication or a deeper commitment. It was an amazing service!!! God moved as always!!!
HAYS STATE PRISON - May 6, 2012
I took a team with me consisting of Pastor Kevin, Emily, Elizabeth H., and Jim Houchens from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. There were 52 inmates in the service. Emily led the inmates in the music service, followed by a testimony by Rev. Houchens. Pastor Kevin ministered on "Nothing Just Happens" using Scriptures from Genesis, Jonah and Matthew and using both Joseph and Jonah in his illustrations. Ten men came up for prayer and a deeper walk with the Lord. We prayed with one inmate for deliverance from the demons that were trying to oppress him. I know that God changed lives tonight! I can hardly wait to hear the good reports next month. Thank you for your prayers for Set Captives Free Ministries!
HAYS STATE PRISON - April 1, 2012
We had less men than normal because the weather was absolutely awesome and we are now on daylight's savings time. A lot of the inmates went out in the "yard" to play basketball, but we still had 50 in the service and 13 came front for prayer. We had an amazing time and God showed up just as He always does!!! Praise God!
HAYS STATE PRISON - March 4, 2012
Susan, Emily, Wanda, Kevin and I went to Hays to hold the monthly service. What an amazing service we had tonight! We had 67 men in the service. We opened in prayer and I had an inmate come up and lead in a praise song followed by Emily backed up by her inmate choir. Then Pastor Kevin delivered the message from John 11 about Lazarus and brought it down to where the men "live." Eight inmates came up for prayer at the end of the service. Some of the gang members who sit along the side started to act up at the beginning of the sermon, but something quieted them down and they were all listening. This is the first time this has happened. Thank you for your prayers! Pastor Kevin had a word of knowledge about an inmate's 14 year old son. He didn't know who it was for but gave some details. He asked the man to come up for prayer, but nobody moved, so Pastor Kevin prayed with the eight men who did come up. After the service a man came up and said that was his 14 year old son and told Pastor Kevin the situation. Pastor Kevin prayed with him for his son. I believe lives were changed tonight!!! Praise God.
HAYS STATE PRISON - Feb. 5, 2012
Susan, Emily and I went to Hays State Prison to hold our church service. There were 66 inmates in the service in spite of Super Ball. Emily sang a couple of songs and some of the inmates “backed her up” so she had her own choir. I delivered the message on “The Father’s Heart” which came from the scripture on the Prodigal Son. One inmate came forward for prayer. I knew in my spirit there were more who needed to come front for prayer, so all of the men joined in with a corporate prayer.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS 2011
We committed to give Hays State Prison toothbrushes for the inmates Christmas Bags. There are 1700 men housed at Hays SP and we were able to give 1,300+ toothbrushes. The Chaplain was thrilled. Another ministry gave the remaining amount so the toothbrushes are covered with a few left over for the indigent in 2012! Praise God! Thank you for giving!!!!
HAYS STATE PRISON - Nov. 6, 2011
This was our first service in the main prison at Hays State Prison for men. Our team included Melony Matteson, Wanda Waters, Emily Williams, Susan Slaven, Elizabeth Smith and Kevin Humphery. Since this was our first service we kept it short and simple until we could get a feel of the way the service needs to go. Emily led in praise and worship and Pastor Kevin brought the message. We had 55 in attendance and 9 came front for prayer. We had an amazing service.
We later received an e-mail from a sister of one of the inmates. With her permission I am including her message: “Just a note to say thank you for visiting Hays Prison. My brother called last night and I have never heard such happiness in his voice in quite awhile. He enjoyed church so much and the great fellowship with all you guys. His name is Victor Ledbetter and he is a Christian and a wonderful man. Thank you again for the great blessing you were to him and I am sure many, many more and PLEASE go back whenever you can. Love, Donna Grant”
We later received an e-mail from a sister of one of the inmates. With her permission I am including her message: “Just a note to say thank you for visiting Hays Prison. My brother called last night and I have never heard such happiness in his voice in quite awhile. He enjoyed church so much and the great fellowship with all you guys. His name is Victor Ledbetter and he is a Christian and a wonderful man. Thank you again for the great blessing you were to him and I am sure many, many more and PLEASE go back whenever you can. Love, Donna Grant”
HAYS STATE PRISON ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASS
We completed the 12 weeks of Anger Management and the inmates graduated on September 28th. We start a new class on Wednesday, November 2nd. Please keep us in your prayers.