THANK YOU LETTERS FROM PRISON INMATES

I just want you to know how thankful I am for my bag of goodies, the Bible and testimonies you all sent. It made my day! I feel so loved and remembered. It is awesome to know you care because it is easy to feel forgotten in prison.

I pray blessings on your ministries and good-will towards your families. I know it takes a lot of work putting all those bags together. You are not forgotten. You are appreciated and loved. Thank you wholeheartedly.

-Jonnay, inmate in Columbianna, AL

On behalf of all the women here in Tutwiler Prison for Women, I want to thank you all for your prayers, kindness and food support! Some do not receive any funds, nor do they have mail, phone calls or prayers from any outside of these prison walls, except for people like you all, who remember the prisoners with Christ’s love guiding your hearts to bless those less fortunate. Therefore, may our Heavenly Father bless you all as you have blessed others.

-Your Sister in Christ, Carlotta, inmate in Wetumpka, AL

Thank you for our boxes of food. The white chocolate is precious, and the Korma meals in a sack and the noodles are delicious. We have a microwave and hot water, so the Korma vegetarian meals are welcome, and we can boil water in the microwave for the coffee. I like the literature, “He Came for You,” “Breaking Addictions,” and the calendar, the homemade card, and the prayer request form. This is a blessing for those that get no money or family support, like my friend. We have thanked the Lord in Jesus’ Name for what you have blessed us with. The “Daily Manna For The Soul” is much appreciated. Thank you and bless you!

-Amy, inmate in Wetumpka, AL

Thanks for the food package. I enjoyed every bit of it, even my new Bible! Please have Giving Light To Our World Ministries send me their free Bible studies. Please contact them for me. Thanks again.

-Marcus, inmate in Bessemer, AL

I’d like to thank you for displaying the love of God to me and all the other prisoners that your ministry reaches. Receiving the “holiday sacks” is probably the high point of the year for most of us. It’s certainly the most talked about event. Being made new by Christ while being incarcerated is an interesting situation to find yourself in. There’s so much unrighteousness, so much ministering needed, but the depravity can definitely torment those trying to work with the Holy Spirit to produce piety. It’s encouraging to come in contact (by way of Christian literature) and experience the selflessness of others. Once again, we thank you all so much!

-Kameron, Inmate

Your ministry just visited here at ISO last week, and I wanted to just say thank you all very much and I appreciated it very much. I’m just sorry the volunteers couldn’t come in this year with all that’s going on these days, but I thought I’d write and express my gratitude. I’ve been locked up for 11 years now, and I look forward to seeing you all each year. I have 8 more years to do. It’s nice to know that some people do think of us and even still care to do something nice for us guys and I’m sure I speak for everyone here. It means a lot and it helps. Doing time is rough and something like this happens and its a blessing and a sign from God. I hope you have a good day and thanks again for all you do. I sincerely appreciate it.

-Eddie, Inmate

I am currently incarcerated at IWP in Indianapolis. I wanted to thank you for your ministry, it has been such a blessing to me! Your ministry touches so many lives, and it wasn’t until recently that it made a personal impact on me. I have been doing life on the installment plan for the last 15 years, and through it all you have been consistent to come here. That consistency, andyour message finally got to me, to see that Christ’s love for me is consistent and always there. I just had to listen. Now I see that you show people like me, that feel unlovable, that God sees us, and we are not forgotten or unloved. Because of that, I am now building a relationship with Christ, and I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude for those who share his message. I still have a couple more years to go, but one day down the road, on the other side of this, I hope to help you in this ministry. Thank you again, and please thank all those volunteers who come along with you. You all are appreciated very much!

-Elizabeth, Inmate at Indiana Women’s Prison, Indianapolis, Indiana

I just wanted to write a letter of appreciation...I have been down a destructive path ever since my mom passed away in 2020. I’ve been in and out of jail and prison since September of 2022. I lost everything, family, and job, but that’s when I picked up the Bible, and it’s sad to say, but jail saved my life. I go to court in March, and I’m trying to get my parole hold lifted so I can go to Sober Living. I just wanted to say thank you so much for Christmas Behind Bars. It really lifted me, as I don’t get commissary. Thank you, and God bless!

-Keith, Inmate at Vigo County Jail, Terre Haute, Indiana

LIVES CHANGED

LIVES SAVED

HOPE RESTORED

MOTHER’S TESTIMONY

Recently, we received a phone call from a mother who wanted to volunteer for this ministry. Curious, we asked her why, and she told us that her son was in a county jail in 2019 facing double murder charges. While there, he received a gift package from Christmas Behind Bars. He began reading the devotional materials and Bible, and he gave his life to Christ. He spent 2 years in the county jail before being sentenced to 60 years for his crimes. He is serving his time in an Indiana maximum security prison psych ward. He has continued his walk with Christ, and he told his mother that every time he gets a new cell-mate, God sends someone who does not know the Lord, and he has the opportunity to share the gospel with him. His mother said that he is the happiest he has ever been in life. We don’t know who sponsored his gift package in that small county jail in 2019, but their sponsorship has made a tremendous difference in this young man’s life, and possibly the lives of many other inmates who come into contact with him. Your sponsorship makes all the difference. Without you, this ministry couldn’t go and share the Gospel with prisoners.

EX-MUSLIM’S TESTIMONY
Christmas Behind Bars visited a large prison in Kentucky. A group of people came and sang songs and delivered homemade cards, while helping to deliver gift packages. I was told by the Chaplain that the main Muslim leader in the prison was in attendance during the last service. I prayed, asking the Lord to give me the words to share. We always pray at the end of the service before handing out gift packages. After the prayer, this Muslim leader, accompanied by another rather large man, came up to me, and he asked if I would pray for his “Mama,” who was very sick with cancer. We went to a little room and knelt together, and I prayed for his Mama, closing the prayer with a request that “the Lord’s will be done.” We returned to the prison the next year, and this man came up to me, and, recognizing him, I asked how his Mama was doing and he said “Much
better!” After some silence, he spoke and asked me if I would have prayer with him, as he was thinking about becoming a Christian. So we went to the same small room that we had prayed in the previous year, and we knelt down together and I prayed for him, and he closed with prayer. After getting his name and DOC number, we were able to send him a study Bible. I saw him the following year at another prison in Kentucky, and he said he was reading his Bible every day and was growing in the Lord. Thanks to sponsors like you, stories like this are possible.

FATHER’S TESTIMONY

In 2016, our oldest son was sentenced to time in prison. While there, Christmas Behind Bars Outreach Ministry visited the prison, and handed out gift packages to the several thousand inmates. Our son was so happy to receive the items in the gift package. Christmas Behind Bars made sure he was given a Bible of his own. This made such a difference in his life. He has put his faith in Jesus, who is working him though his struggles. As God works in his life, he is beginning to understand what God wants him to do, and that God wants his trust. He says he is excited to see what God is going to do when he gets out! We are so thankful for the ministry of Christmas Behind Bars! UPDATE: Our son has been out for over a year, and is living a changed life in Jesus. He participates in church, small group ministry, and sharing with others what God has done in his life. God has done an amazing thing in his life!

HOPE INSTEAD OF SUICIDE

Christmas Behind Bars arrived recently at a prison with gift packages that would bring hope to nearly 3,500 inmates. The semi was directed to the prison loading dock, where about 30 of the inmates were waiting to help unload the gift packages. They had about 15 laundry carts, and were very willing to help. As we were unloading the semi, one of the inmates told me how everyone had been looking forward to the gift packages, and during that time of anticipation, there had been no one placed into suicide watch (a special isolation area for those who have tried to or are contemplating suicide). This inmate actually worked in that part of the prison, helping to take care of suicidal inmates. He said that the reason no one had threatened or tried to commit suicide was because they were looking forward to Christmas Behind Bars bringing everyone a very special gift package. Prisoners are real people; they are somebody’s son or daughter. Jesus died for all of us, and God has challenged us to“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” which includes the prisoners (Mark 16:15). Jesus also said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren (including prisoners), ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:35-40). We provide gift packages and Bibles to help fulfill this mission. Jesus is the answer to the hopelessness that grips the prisoners!