Sunday, July 24, 2011

A LETTER FROM AN INMATE TO A SUNDAY CLASS




I’ve been involved in the Prison Pen Pal Program since 2004. I write to several guys that are incarcerated. Through this amazing ministry, God has blessed me in countless ways. I also handled the miscellaneous mail that comes into Willow Creek Community Church from the prisons and jails. One of the letters I received had a heart shaped necklace with a cross in the middle of it, along with a request for a faith based non-fiction book.

One letter led to another and this particular one to a group of girls in a Sunday class at Willow, by an inmate in Texas named, Clifford. He made each of them necklaces which lead to many questions from the girls. They wanted to know his story, and he was gracious enough to write them this letter. It touched my soul and brought tears to my eyes.

Later each of the girls in the group wrote him a thank you, many accompanied by a hand drawn picture. Each heartfelt, filled with compassion. God truly blessed several lives in what started out as a simple request for a book to grow ones faith.



3/27/2011

To my young friends at Willow Creek Community Church. Hi from Clifford the cross maker in Liberty Texas. First let me say that I am very happy to hear that you like your crosses so much. I had fun making them for each of you. Let me know if you would like another one, okay.

I hear that you are about eight-years old, maybe nine. I guess you know that I’m in jail. The reason I’m in jail now at the age of fifty-two is because of decisions, mistakes, and wrong choices that I made when I was nine-years old, your age. Hard to believe that the choices we make at such a young age can have consequences that last a lifetime.

Are you working what I could have done at your age that could cause me to be in jail? I was warned by my mother and father not to do it. They had some special classes and films at school too. You are all very smart and I know that your parents and your teachers have told you the very same thing that mine told me when I was your exact age. Now you will all have to make a decision and a choice just like I did. I’m taking about drugs. I wish I could find just the right words to tell you how bad they are and not to ever try them. It’s even worse today than it was when I was your age. They are everywhere. I let an older friend of mine talk me into smoking marijuana. He said it wouldn’t hurt me. I wish I would have said no. I did at first but I was curious and it didn’t seem to be hurting him so I tried it. That was the biggest mistake of my entire life, a mistake I made when I was nine-years old. A mistake that has cost me everything, broke my mother’s heart and put me in prison.

It doesn’t happen all at once. At first it was fun. It didn’t seem as bad as they say. I lived in California back then and had a real nice family. I started playing guitar on Christmas day when I was seven-years old. I loved my guitar and still do. It was so much fun. I loved it. I hung around with older guys that played guitar and they would teach me. They were all using drugs so I did too so I would fit in. Little did I know. As I grew older I started playing in bands at different places and everywhere we went there were drugs and beer and alcohol. It took some time before all the bad stuff started happening. It tricked me. Before I made it to college to be a guitar major, several of my friends had died from drugs in car accidents, but that still didn’t stop me. In college there was even more drugs.

Suddenly I realized that I was addicted to different drugs and couldn’t quit. If I didn’t have them I would feel really bad. They made me do things I knew I shouldn’t do but I wanted the drugs so bad. That was a terrible feeling and I got scared and didn’t know what to do. I was afraid to tell anybody the truth. Afraid to stop and afraid to not stop. Before I knew it, drugs took control of my life. I had to quit school because I couldn’t think and do all my homework. I was failing. I quite school and joined the Navy. Thought if I moved and quit playing my guitar that would fix things but it didn’t.

I started playing guitar in the Navy band and made two trips to Europe, France, and Italy, all the while in the band. Everywhere I went there were still drugs. I got worse and worse. It was horrible.

I had two bad car wrecks and by a miracle, didn’t die. Then I woke up in a hospital and didn’t know what happened. They said I almost died from too many drugs. For some reason God had saved me. But He didn’t keep me from jail. I have to pay for my mistakes. He kept me alive though. Maybe it was just so I could write this letter and tell you about a bad choices I made when I was nine-years-old.

“God, I pray that you will let these special young people learn from my mistakes so none of them will ever go to jail or prison or die from using drugs.”

Thanks for letting me share a little of my story. I don’t want to leave you feeling bad or sad though. I’m doing really well here. I’m not on drugs anymore, have a job here and lots of friends. My mother is still alive and lives in Oklahoma. We write a lot and talk on the phone. We have been through a lot together. I told her all about ya’ll and that I got to make you some cross necklaces.

Thanks again. I would love to hear from you. I will be here for awhile so let me know if you want more Heart Crosses. Oh, I learned how to make them in jail.

God Bless all of you,

Clifford.

8 comments:

Rosslyn Elliott said...

Wow, Kim. Thanks for sharing this. I'm going to share it too.

Kym McNabney said...

Thanks for doing so, Rosslyn. Clifford was all too happy when I asked him if I could share his letter on my blog. I loved how he talked right to their age level. I was blown away by his words to them. The girls really soaked in every word according to their small group leader.

I wanted to let you know I recently finished reading your book FAIRER THAN MORNING. My review will be up in the near future. I was blown away by the final pages that I had been unaware of due to my lack of reading the back cover. It prompted much internet use afterwards.

Blessings,

Kym

Heather Sunseri said...

What a powerful letter, Kym. I'm so glad Rosslyn linked to this today. It's very nice to meet you.

Kym McNabney said...

Nice to meet you as well, Heather. Glad you were able to read Clifford's letter. He's been an amazing pen pal, one that wants to learn all he can about God's word and amazing grace.

Blessings,

Kym

Carol J. Garvin said...

I've come over from Rosslyn's blog. It's wonderful to read this letter and realize that prison ministries really do make an impact on individuals, both inside and outside of prisons. I'm sure the girls won't soon forget Clifford's message.

Our writing group has an instructor come in once a month for workshops. Ed Griffin used to be a priest but returned to the secular world to put his faith to work in different ways. He runs a weekly writing class in one of our prisons and even co-authored a book with one of the inmates. Writing has made a big difference for many of them, but faith also plays a big part for many, too.

Kym McNabney said...

Carol, Thanks for stopping by and for sharing. What a wonderful story. It’s always so good to hear of those that go into the prisons and jails to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Blessings,

Kym

Betsy Cross said...

Kym,
I followed a link on Twitter to this post. So toughing! I don't know why or where it started, but I have a soft spot in my heart for prisoners. I talked to someone who visited them often if there would be a way to introduce family history into the life of a prisoner. It's just so healing. Haven't found a way, yet. But your post has rekindled my desire to find one. Thanks so much!
Betsy

Kym McNabney said...

Betsy,

Thanks for stopping by and for having a heart for those that are incarcerated. Writing as well as going into the prisons is an amazing experience as well as a blessing. If you didn’t already, scroll down my posts to the Returning Hearts Celebration. Check out the video on this amazing event that goes on in Angola, LA. I encourage you to listen to Gods whispers and check with your church if they have any volunteer opportunities available in the prison and jail ministries. You can also write to an inmate or attend the Returning Hearts Celebration next year. It’s sure to leave you a changed person.

Blessings.

Kym