Lately things have been changing rapidly at Orleans Parish Prison. My ministry partners and I, who minister every Friday at Orleans Parish Prison, continue to pray for the LORD to give us the time, place, position, and opportunities to make a lasting impact on the young inmates.
Last week, we showed up at the building we would normally minister to the juvenile offenders, but we were met by the Sheriff and the Warden with the news that our young men had been moved. Not just a couple of them; the whole cell block. The whole tier was transferred to another building.
The Sheriff was leading a tour of Loyola University Law Students through the prison, but he stopped to speak to us about the transfer and asked us to speak to the students about what we do at OPP as chaplains. The Sheriff introduced us, and we addressed the law students for about a minute or two. Then we spoke to the warden, who told us how to get to the other facility to go see the inmates from the tier we usually minister to.
Then today, I found these news articles online ALL POSTED THIS MONTH, that I think are very interesting. Why? Because I serve as a volunteer chaplain in this prison every week.
Group files lawsuit against Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman
Sheriff Marlin Gusman: Make New Orleans’s Criminal Justice System More Just
Immigration and Customs Enforcement pulls its detainees out of New Orleans jail
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman finally addresses prison’s sexual assaults: Jarvis DeBerry
DOJ Issues Scathing Report Over Conditions At Orleans Parish Prison
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman must fix prison now: An editorial
Orleans sheriff says feds bullying office to get OPP reforms
I know first-hand the conditions of OPP, but I was unaware until now of the actions being taken politically to bring improvements. All of my interactions with Sheriff Gusman have been pleasant, but I am honestly not sure whether he is helping or hurting our city when it comes to Orleans Parish Prison. I have heard hear-say to support positions on either side, but nothing substantial.
What I do know is that, the juvenile ‘red band’ inmates that we are discipling at OPP have been moved to a different facility. And, it seems from last week’s experience in the other facility that we may have some new opportunities to advance our NEW MEN program in the building their detained in now. We spoke with several of the wardens, chiefs, captains, sergeants, & deputies last week, and it seems the LORD may be setting us up for BIGGER and BETTER things (in terms of more effective ministry in OPP).
We’ve been making progress, but we were having trouble getting the ‘classroom’ space we needed to implement our NEW MEN program as we’ve been praying & planning to do. Maybe this will be an answer to prayer!? We’ll see… STAY TUNED!
As far as the deplorable living conditions of the facilities at OPP… all I can say is, it’s not the Hilton Hotel or the Marriott. Then again, I’ve never been to a prison I’d want to live in.
Our focus isn’t the politics. Our focus is discipleship. Please continue to pray for the inmates at OPP and the city of New Orleans! And, please continue to support this ministry! We need your help.
Posted in City Life Living Faith New Orleans News Urban Ministry by .
It’s been a long time since I’ve been entrenched in the world of NCAA College Basketball. As some of you already know, some of my youth was spent working hard on my game trying to earn a Division I NCAA Athletic Scholarship to play basketball before I eventually blew my knees out.
But for a while… that was my world.
And, now many years later, many years removed from the game of basketball, I barely ever watch college basketball anymore. But, this weekend I was back in that world. For a few hours anyway.
The NCAA Final Four 2012 was hosted here this weekend, and thanks to Dr. Kevin Brown from Trinity Christian Community over in the Hollygrove neighborhood I got FREE tickets to participate in some of the events of the weekend.
On Saturday morning, Cross It Up, Inc. CEO Jonathan Burton and I attended the NCAA Hardwood Legends Breakfast, hosted by Athletes In Action (AIA) in partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). The event honored the memory of ‘The Coach’ John Wooden, with several other popular NBA, NCAA, & sports media personalities there. ‘Big Diesel’ Shaquille O’Neal was part of the event, along with Earnie Johnson from NBA on TNT. Countless Division I College Coaches were in attendance along with former players, like North Carolina’s Phil Ford and Jason Capel.
Immediately after, Jonathan and I connected with Carey Casey, CEO of the Kansas-city based National Center of Fathering and author of Championship Fathering: How To Win At Being A Dad (2009). We helped Mr. Casey move some boxes from his booth in the Convention Center over to the Hotel, which he was gracious enough to pay us for.
After a break, we headed back into the dining room at the Hilton Riverside for the FCA NCAA Basketball Coaches Lunch. There we met some coaches from various universities, and ate more delicious food than we could handle, including chocolate pecan pie.
It was nice to get out of my usually routine and be able to do something different. It was even better to see that there are men of God serving as coaches at major NCAA Men’s Basketball programs. Some of the coaches being honored this weekend were truly incredible.
By far though, the most pleasant surprise of the day was hearing TNT’s Earnie Johnson share some of his family’s personal hardships and heartache while preaching the good news of the kingdom of God while in tears. It was awesome! I’ve been getting laughs out of watching Shaq, Earnie, Kenny & Charles on NBA on TNT for a long time, but now when I watch it’ll be a little bit different.
When we walked the streets of downtown New Orleans after the FCA Lunch, people were clearly excited about the Final Four games. I didn’t get to go to the basketball games in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, but it was a good weekend.
Posted in New Orleans News by .
Mar 12
29
Unexpected Blessings
So, I just got a call from my step-mom. She lives far away in another state in the Midwest.
She just told me that this week, she met a young woman at her job that she doesn’t know, and has never met before. She told me that her and the woman started a conversation, and the woman was sharing all kinds of personal stories about her life, her health difficulties, and raising her children. My step-mom found her story very compelling, and was touched by the woman’s faith and determination to do the best she could for her kids, while also reaching out to others to be a blessing to people in need.
My step-mom said that she also shared with the woman about her kids, namely me, and the work I’m doing here in New Orleans through Kingdom Living.
Well, apparently the LORD touched this woman’s heart by what my step-mom shared as well, because she returned to my step-mom’s workplace later with a $500 gift for Kingdom Living Ministries.
Amazing.
God is so awesome isn’t He. There is no one like the LORD. The way that He provides for His children, for His work, is just awesome. I’ve seen Him do so many miracles in providing for this ministry, but I gotta say… this is a new one. And, I am especially thankful, because He demonstrated His amazing love & provision before my parents’ eyes. I know this had to encourage them in their faith.
I thank God for His faithfulness, for His provisions, & for the amazing way He demonstrates His love for us. And, I am thankful for all of the people who have blessed this ministry with their prayers & gifts. I hope that you too are encouraged by reading this.
Posted in Funding Living Faith New Orleans Urban Ministry by .
Mar 12
24
WOW JAM 2012 @ Hunters Field
I had never been to a WOW JAM event before, but when pastors Corey Hicks & Jonathan Burton asked me if I wanted to volunteer with The Vine to serve at WOW JAM 2012 in New Orleans, hosted by The Vine, I was ready.
Stephen & Linda Tavani are missionaries, through WOW (Winning Our World) International, based out of Los Angeles, CA. They organize WOW JAMS in cities all across the country in order to help the local churches advance the kingdom of God. And, I have to say, it’s not often that I am impressed with ministries, but I was definitely impressed with theirs.
They partnered with The Vine NOLA, Household of Faith, and a number of other local churches to bring thousands of New Orleans’ residents to Hunters Field in the 7th ward, just up the street from where The Vine meets on N. Claiborne Ave.
WOW JAM 2012 With The Vine provided FREE community services included:
- FREE Bicycle Repair Tent
- FREE Hot Meal Food Tent
- FREE Ice Cold Water & Tea Tent
- FREE Family Photos Tent
- FREE Plant Potting Tent
- FREE Hair Cuts / Barbershop Tent
- FREE Face Painting Tent
- FREE Manicure Tent
- FREE Cosmetics / Makeup Tent
- FREE Blood Pressure / Health Screening Station
- FREE Original Art Contest Tent
- FREE Singing Contest Tent
- FREE LIVE Music / Concert
- FREE Raffle Ticket Prize Giveaways of TVs, Bikes, Stereos, Pots n’ Pans, Cookware, Computers, iPods, Toys, Sports Equipment, & Hundreds of dollars in CASH MONEY
- Preaching of the good news of the kingdom of God
- Prayer Partners for Individual & Family Prayer
- Salvation Followups & Baptism @ The Vine
- Local Home Visits
- and more…
I served in the Bicycle Repair Tent for a couple hours, before being asked to stand in as Stage Security, and then eventually as an altar worker praying for many people who committed their lives to the LORD God in prayer.
It was an amazing day. The Vine counted 193+ people who submitted information cards stating that those people had accepted Jesus Christ as both their Lord and Savior on that day during the WOW JAM event. The next day, they also baptized 25 people at their Sunday morning service. Hallelujah!
At the altar, I prayed with a man named Justin, who lost his wife & 3 kids during Hurricane Katrina. He had recently been released from prison after serving 16 years. He was at the front of the stage desperate for Jesus. I also prayed for a 10 year old boy named David, from a nearby neighborhood, who had given his life to Jesus too. It was powerful. And, I prayed for countless others, before handing out FREE groceries to residents before they left this evening.
It was truly a blessing to serve today, but even more so to see a genuine move of God in our city.
Posted in Living Faith New Orleans Urban Ministry by .
Each week, when I enter Orleans Parish Prison, I experience an opposite of extremes.
I feel extremely privileged to have an open door to be able to serve the LORD God there, yet it is a extremely sad & humble place to be. It’s a place where nobody wants to go. Yet, I choose to go there.
It breaks my heart to see ‘new guys’ on the ‘block’ (aka cell block), because I know that their captivity often means another murder in our city, another life lost to violence, another family in despair, another parent grieving, and another young man who has most likely made a terrible decision that is going to cost him many years and maybe his entire life in prison. Yet, at the same time, when I meet the ‘new guys’ it means another opportunity to bring the good news of the kingdom of God, the hope of salvation, and the freedom of Christ to a young man that has never known what it truly means to live. Meeting new inmates, by God’s grace, often means I have the opportunity to make another disciple, and to teach a child how to be a real man.
And last Friday was no different.
We met 5 new inmates. All of them processed the same week. Imagine what that means for New Orleans.
And, one of the inmates that I’ve known for the past 8 months, came to me when I arrived to inform me that he was convicted & sentenced to 8 years in prison last week. He had already been ‘down’ (which means ‘in prison’) for 8 months, and was really hoping that he would be going home. But, he won’t be going home for at least 2 years, if he completes a program while incarcerated. He turns 18 this Summer, so he won’t be with juveniles anymore. He’ll be with the men. He told me he was nervous, scared, and sad.
This is the case for many of ‘my young men’. Most of them think they’re going home soon, but most of them will not.
We’ve been having a great time together, as I lead them through THE VOICE OF GOD Bible Study Series. But, at the end of the day, I go home. And, ‘my young men’ remain in prison. It’s rough, but this ministry has HUGE significance in the lives of these young men, but also for the city of New Orleans.
Please pray with me, for me, for my ministry partners Raymond, Pastor Jonathan, Elder Ed, & Pastor Corey, for these young men, for the deputies who are watching & listening, for the warden Major Pittman, for the Sherriff Marlin Gusman, for the families of these young men, and for the families of the victims of the violence & crimes that pain our city.
We are turning mourning into joy by making disciples of these young men, working to ensure that they serve God in prison, in society, or both so that they value, appreciate, & give life to others rather than death.
Please help us by donating today! We need $150 for books, and another $300 for 2012 to purchase Bibles & Bible Dictionaries to bring into the prison.
Feb 12
10
God Sees – Bible Study With Elliot
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