I write this
letter heavy hearted due to recent news to
consider eliminating Chaplaincy Services due
to the budget restrictions. I am heartbroken
at the way our beloved nation insists on
taking God out of everything we do and even
more concerned that we are dangerously
deceived to think it is the right way. We
have continuously compromised God to the
extent of losing it all. I shutter when I
think of the consequences.
Woe to those
who call evil good, and good evil; Who put
darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for
bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
The
devastating mindset to do things man’s way
has trickled down to State levels to sway
and mislead our very own Georgia Department
of Corrections. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. We can’t
possibly have become so insensitive to allow
our Chaplaincy Services to be put on the
chopping block.
For My
thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your
ways My ways,” say the Lord. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, So are My
ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts
than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8,9
We lost total
Fear for God. The further away we get from
God, the further we disconnect from our true
identity. Government does not and never will
have the real answers.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,
for this is man’s all. For God will bring
every work into judgment including every
secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13,14
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for
whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the
flesh reap corruption but he who sows to the
Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting
life. And let us not grow weary while doing
good, for in due season we shall reap if we
do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let
us do good to all, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO
ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. Galatians 6:7-10
Chaplains
communicate God’s grace, mercy and
forgiveness. Where many people only see in
prisoners the worst that society has to
offer, Chaplains see a mission field filled
with desperate people hungry for the peace
only a RELATIONSHIP with God can bring. They
penetrate the darkness of prisons despite
the challenges and dangers.
Here on
earth, we place people in prisons who have
sinned against us, but imprisonment does not
bring about their atonement. True and
lasting repentance and forgiveness is not
something that can occur in the physical
arena but only in the spiritual for it
involves the unconditional love of God only
a Chaplain can demonstrate. Needless to say
a Chaplain’s influence is priceless.
I can’t say
enough about the work of our Chaplains. They
definitely fill a place that would otherwise
be void of God’s presence. I consider them
invaluable. Please carefully consider the
harmful results of eliminating this work of
God.
Department of Corrections Employee
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It's the human
heart
Below is a letter one of our donors sent to
Governor Perdue and Commissioner Donald in
support of chaplaincy. Imagine the effect if
thousands of such letters and phone calls rolled
into the Gov's and Commish's office!
"I’ve been made aware of
the plan to fire Georgia prison chaplains this
December. As a taxpayer (meaning you work for
me and the other several million Georgians), I
insist that you scrap this plan and retain the
chaplaincy program. Here’s why and it’s simple
logic.
Despite the popular
notion that crimes are committed because of
poverty or the absence of fathers in homes or
dropping out of school, there is one inescapable
cause of crime. It’s the human heart. External
factors only trigger what is already on the
inside of a person. People must be changed from
the inside out. Prisoners are people.
Chaplains deal with what’s on the inside.
Therefore, since prisoners are people and since
it’s what on the inside of people that causes
crime and since chaplains deal with what’s on
the inside of people it just makes good sense to
continue the chaplaincy program in Georgia’s
prisons.
The chaplaincy program is
an investment in the reduction of recidivism and
every Georgian benefits from such a reduction.
And, of course, there’s the no small matter of a
prisoner’s eternal soul. Chaplaincy isn’t a
budget issue, Governor – it’s an eternal issue.
If you have to cut the budget, find something
more short-term."
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Fishers of Men!
This e-mail from one of
our donors concerning Governor Perdue and the
chaplaincy issue was too good not to share. See
below....
"I wanted to let you know as I had already put
my name on the petition to save the chaplains, I
wrote Gov. Perdue a letter. I was nice &
respectful. I told him I believed him to be a
fellow believer that I had voted for and
supported. I thanked him for praying for rain. I
than pleaded with him to save the chaplains for
the prisoners. I didn't bring Heartbound into it
in case I said something to make it worse. I did
tell him how I had a lot to answer for to our
Lord on judgment day & I just didn't know how he
was going to explain to the Lord how he spent
$23 million on fishing all the while doing away
with fishers of men for the prisoners. He may
never see it but I wrote what the Lord led me to
write & hopefully others will do the same. I'll
tell Ben to write too & of course pray.
I noticed in your letter you might need people
to help in distribution of Christmas bags. I
would be happy to help if you need me,
especially on the ones north of Atlanta. Is
there anything else."
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PLEASE Gov. Purdue & Commissioner Donald
PLEASE Gov. Purdue &
Commissioner Donald, it is with the utmost
respect that I ask that you PLEASE do NOT
"furlough" the Chaplains in the DOC. As formerly
incarcerated, I speak from personal experience
and observation, that these Chaplains are a
LIFELINE to your inmates. Without their
presence, their availability, their counsel,
their positive influence, their mentoring [by
their very presence alone], their facilitating
outside ministries coming in for needed
religious services, programs, {thank you for
this privilege]. Their "ear" in personal grief
and the everyday brutality of living with the
reality of incarceration, helping to see ,
understand and accept the consequences for the
harm done to victims, families & even self, you
will be eliminating a much needed light in an
already dark place & a "very present help..." to
those you seek and desire to become changed for
the better, law abiding, tax paying, not tax
draining] citizens. Based on your own words, I
believe you both to be genuine Christian men
,men of compassion, with a very heavy burden of
leadership. Please find a way, SOMEHOW, the
funding, SOMEWHERE, to keep this viable,
integral ,desperately needed department in your
DOC. If there is no other way to keep these
Chaplains, even as part-time paid employees, may
I personally offer my assistance [in ANY way] in
appealing to the multitude of Ministers, Pastors
,Preachers & congregations in this state to step
up & "stand in the gap" to meet the need for the
"least of these" Thank you, respectfully, Butch
Evans. - BUTCH
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