ACI #5 Journey Review

Here is our Journey Review from David Yeager:

Good afternoon Pastor Neil. We finished up another four day WOW journey at Apalachee Correctional Institute last week. We started with about 63 brothers in blue on Thursday and finished with about 55 on Sunday. This group was less receptive and not as mature as other groups we have ministered to. However, these are the men we are called to reach out to. Even though this was a more challenging group about 35 men came forward in response to the altar calls during the journey and God touched many hearts as only He can do. The following were testimonies from some of the brothers in blue about how God impacted them as a result of the journey:

One brother said he was in ministry before he came to prison and was mad at God because of the circumstances that he was currently going through. He prayed that God would give him direction and a sign as to what to do when he gets released from prison. He said the four day journey was God's answer to his prayer and knows what he needs to do when he gets out of prison.  

One said he was very impressed that so many men gave their lives to Christ and intends to be a better influence on other men.

One young man said he was 28 years old and that this was his third time in prison. He said the WOW journey was a very special experience to him and was impressed that the volunteers chose to be with them rather than their own families.

One thanked us and the other brothers in blue for showing up every day and said he was no longer a follower of men, but now he is a follower of Christ.

One said he was a believer when he came and now is an even stronger believer. He said the journey touched his heart, thanked us for choosing to spend time with them rather than our own families and because of that he has a whole new family.

One thanked us for being exemplary Christians that just don't talk the talk, but walk the walk as well. He said the volunteers bade him to walk on water.

One said God brought us to show him how much God loves him. Said we are God's messengers.

One said we inspired him to walk out what he reads in the Bible and was very impressed with our testimonies.

One said the journey motivated him to want to serve and to be accountable.

One said we were like angels to him and that he will be praying for us.

One said we made him feel like a human being again and hated that we had to leave.

One said he felt the love we have for him and each other and knows we are now brothers. He said we taught him about forgiveness and showed him how to be a Christian and that we are his example of Christians.

One said he came to the journey just to get out of the dorm and on the second day he gave his life to Christ. He said he had no intention of doing that.

Another said he had no intention of giving his life to Christ, but on Friday "something" made him do it.

One said that he has always had an anger issue. On Friday he gave his life to Christ. He said Saturday morning he was confronted by one of the correctional officers and "something" kept him from going toe to toe with the officer and was able to control his temper. That showed him that God can do anything.

One said that he went to church on the streets and had been asked many times to give his life to Christ, but refused. On Friday he gave in and gave his life to Christ. Said he wants to show his son his WOW certificate.

As you can see by these testimonies that even though we thought this was a tough group, God showed up in powerful ways. All things are possible with God!

In Him,

David

SRCI #24 Journey Review

The WOW team did another journey at Santa Rosa County Prison last week. The group we ministered to were classified as CM, Close Management, which meant they were isolated and were not permitted to intermingle with other inmates. We started out with 53 brothers in blue and finished with 42 with 16 to 18 volunteers. Thank you and Hanna for supplying us with so many letters from our church children. They definitely had a great impact on the men. Every brother I asked were very appreciative of the letters. One brother cried when he told me that he doesn't get any letters from his children and when read the the children's letters that he received he teared up again.

I was once again blessed to have my to have my son, Michael, ministering with me all four days. Such a blessing to minister with my son. Most times when he is a part of the team we give out testimonies back to back with Michael speaking first. Sometimes it is a little difficult for me to speak after Michael shares his story. In addition, I was triple blessed because my daughter, Marie, also came into prison with us on the last day. We have folks praying for each individual at our family tables (prayer partners) and Marie was our family's prayer partner. The administration at this institution allowed all the prayer partners to come in and join us on the last day. So Michael, Marie and I got to share this ministry together. I am blessed!

The brothers in blue we got to minister to were an interesting group. Most all of the brothers opened up and received what we had to share quite quickly and were very appreciative and engaging. We had several Muslims and gang members in the group as well. Several of our Muslim brothers committed their lives to Christ and I was told that a couple of the gang members received Christ and renounced their gang membership as well. God be praised! The following are some of the testimonies our brothers in blue shared with us:

One brother said when he gets out he wants to return to prison to minister with the WOW team.

One said that this journey will greatly help him on his journey.

One said he was a gang member and was lost in the world and the flesh. He said this was a life changing experience for him and gave his life to Christ.

One said we showed him that there are still people out there that cared about them and that we showed him who his Creator is.

One said he learned how to speak to God and prophesy.

One said he just came for the food, but that he heard great and life changing things.

One said he was a monster when he came to prison and said this was the best four days he had ever experienced. He said he has only one living relative left on the outside, but now has big new family.

One brother said he has two life sentences and has been in prison for 25 years. Before he came to the journey he intended to take his own life. He didn't know how good God is. He said he never understood this Jesus thing. He accepted Jesus as Lord and Savoir and is on fire now. Said he feels wonderful now even though he has a life sentence.

One said prayer works. He was very lonely in prison and prayed God would help him. Soon after he prayed someone knocked on his door and told him about WOW. He came, and is not lonely any more.

One said he made a lot of bad choices in his life and that we showed him the right choice.

One said he felt like a disconnected phone. Now he's connected . Said he felt dead spiritually and now he is alive and kicking.

One said that he felt the common denominator of the journey was, what Satan means for evil, God uses for good.

One said this journey is goodness.

One brother said he thought he got his love from the streets, but saw death all around him his whole life. He said he could see and feel the love in us. He  thanked us for our testimonies and that we taught him to never give up.

One brother from our family table shared with us that he was brought up in church. He was very close to his grandmother and she had a peace in her that he wanted, but didn't have. She died when he was 15. When she died he became mad at God and walked away from God. He said when he first down at our family table that same peace he saw in his grandmother he saw in Michael and me. He wanted that same peace. He said we showed him who Jesus really was and now he has that peace. He also thanked Marie for praying for him.

Just about all the brothers that shared their testimonies also thanked all the prayer partners for all their prayers.

Of the 42 men almost all of them answered at least one altar call during the journey. Not sure if all their commitments were genuine. Only God knows our hearts.

As evident from all these testimonies the Lord once again showed up and worked in these men in powerful ways. God is always good!

In Him,

David