Here is the Welcome sign as you enter Monroe. The first few times I ministered in music at Twin Rivers I drove right by the entrance and sign (below). It's not like they want the sign to boldly announce, "Hey, there's a Prison over here!"
I was reminded how confusing it can be when I walked through the door (picture below) and saw to my left 3 Prisoners for Christ volunteers. One of them was hugging his guitar and the other two their Bibles. I introduced myself and quickly surmised they were in the wrong Unit. They had thick accents and were so excited as they told me it was their first time ministering through Prisoners for Christ.
About ten minutes later 3 more Prisoners for Christ team members showed up and now I knew the others were in the wrong Unit. They were supposed to be at MSU, the Minimum Security Unit on the other side of the Facility. We still had time before we had to go through the check in so I drove my fellow (lost) PFC volunteers over to MSU. As I left MSU I could only pray they were allowed into the unit in time.
From the moment I first stepped in front of the Mic to the last guitar note of the last song I sang the inmates at Twin Rivers were inviting and responsive. I was able to finally share with them a new song I wrote called "I saw Jesus walk on water". It's special to me and to this unit because the song title originated at Twin Rivers. About a year ago an inmate shouted the title out after I asked if anyone had a song title in mind for a song I could write on the spot. I wrote the first verse that evening as I sang it and finished the song a few months later.
The men at Twin Rivers, as in the other facilities I sing at, warmly come up to me and shake my hand and tell me how much a song or many songs spoke right to their heart. As a songwriter I sit down and write out a song that comes to me but many times I rarely know how, or if, it says something special to a listener. Through my ministry with Prisoners for Christ I have been able to see and hear first hand from people, that, what God has allowed me to write and sing actually says and means something to others and that the message is getting through to the lost and the saved.
The men at Twin Rivers, as in the other facilities I sing at, warmly come up to me and shake my hand and tell me how much a song or many songs spoke right to their heart. As a songwriter I sit down and write out a song that comes to me but many times I rarely know how, or if, it says something special to a listener. Through my ministry with Prisoners for Christ I have been able to see and hear first hand from people, that, what God has allowed me to write and sing actually says and means something to others and that the message is getting through to the lost and the saved.
