Inmate Letters
Here’s a letter received December 2016:
EPSON MFP image

EPSON MFP image

Here’s another letter received December 2016:
 

12/1/16

My name is Derrick.  I am a client at CBCF in Cuyahoga County.  I would like to thank The Way Out Prison Ministry for your commitment to do Bible study and Chapel services here.  Through you faithfulness I was able to meet Minister Butch who has been a blessing to me.  A relationship I will continue when I leave here.

Through Butch I have started helping the homeless at St. Malachi and St. Herman. 

So, if no one else has said thank you, let me be the first to say thank God for your faithfulness, prayers and sacrifice.

God Bless you all!

Your Brother in Christ,

Derrick

Here are two letters from an inmate named Kathryn
 

11/16 Cuyahoga County Oriana House (CCTC)

Below is a correspondence between The Way Out women’s team ministering at the Federal re-entry facility in Cleveland, and a returning citizen named Kathryn. 

To God be the glory!!!

Hi Terry!

I just wanted to thank you again for all your help, support, and time.  I prayed for the Lord to give me some direction about what church I was to go to when I got out and the next day you showed up at the Oriana House and you told me.  I love His Ways!!  Thank you!  I just hung up with Pastor Dale and we had a great conversation!  He set aside some time to meet with me at 9:15 am on Sunday before services.  I am really looking forward to it!  Thanks again!  I hope you are having a blessed day!

Love,

Kathryn

 

Hi Terry!

 

I can’t think you and Sue enough for getting me connected to Pastor Dale and to Cuyahoga Valley Church.  I met with Pastor Dale this morning and he was so welcoming, compassionate, attentive, and helpful.  I shared the titles of two books I read while incarcerated that might interest his son and he shared the names of those who may be able to help me in my job search, join a small group, and more importantly, with my 3 Jewish teenagers. The worship service really touched my heart and the Word today through Pastor Chad was very moving.  I was very hungry and I was most definitely fed.  I will be joining the church and I am so grateful to you both.  I am going to go online now and complete the CVC spiritual gift assessment Pastor Chad mentioned today.  I hope you are well. God bless you both!  Thank you for being His good and faithful servant!  You made a difference in my life!

 

Sincerely,

Kathryn

Here are some inmate letters in their own handwriting.  Click on the links below:
(Use your browser’s “back” arrow to return to this page.)
 

Here is another letter, this one typed.

June 2, 2016

 To: The Way Out Prison Ministries

 

My name is Mike P and I am from Cleveland Ohio.  I recently graduated from CBCF (Community Based Correctional Facility), in which I was deeply involved in your ministry. 

Prior to this, I have been in and out of jail and rehab for the last 7 years.  My father had passed away and I used that as an excuse to turn my back on God and simply not care about life anymore.  I turned drugs and alcohol into my higher power, along with gambling and many other addictions.  There seemed to be no hope left for me, and I was beginning to be just fine with that. 
 
In early December of 2015, I overdosed twice on heroin.  In a way, I wanted it to end because it was such a stressful existence.  I would wake up and chug vodka to get the “liquid courage” and energy to go to the department store and steal items.  Then, I would call around my group of drug using associates and find somebody to return the item that I stole to the same department store.  From there, they would give us a store gift card that we would have to take across town to another store that buys gift cards.  They give roughly 60% money for the card.  On average, I would get about $200.  With that money, I would divide it between me, the person who did the return, and the person that drove us.  Next, we would call around different drug dealers to see who could get us our heroin the quickest (because we were so sick from not having used yet in the day).  Once we got the drugs, we would fly back to the dope house to get high.  Once we were numb, we would find crack, steal more liquor, then chug that until we passed out.  When we woke up, we did it all over again the next day.  I tell you this to give you an idea of how miserable of an existence it was and how hopeless I felt. 
 
So when I got caught and arrested on December 10, it was almost a relief.  For the first 2 weeks in jail, I was so sick that I wanted to die.  So I turned back to the Word of God while I was in jail.  I couldn’t really feel the presence of God in there, and I was beginning to get really discouraged.  After being locked up in county jail for 2 months, I was sentenced to CBCF. 
 
When I got to CBCF, I didn’t know your ministry was there.  I didn’t even think there was church in there.  But on my first Sunday being there, they made a little announcement that church was starting.  So I said, “what the hell.” 
 
When I walked in to church that Sunday night, I can honestly say I felt the presence of God for the first time in years.  It was not overwhelming by any means, but my spirit was stirred.  Along with church on Sunday night, I got involved in bible study on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings.  Working through the bible with Pastor Jim and Butch was a great experience.  They both did such a good job at helping us understand the depth of what we were reading.  I can honestly say that I looked forward to going to church and bible study.  Jim and Butch were very easy to talk to and share things with.  I was able to open up about my addictions, which made it that much easier to battle them.  I was now growing in my faith with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 
 
By the time I left CBCF, I was at peace for the first time in a long time.  I have been in the “real world” now for 3 weeks.  I have shelter at a halfway house on east 55.  When I had 6 dollars left to my name this past Tuesday, God provided me with a job.  I go to Grace church every Sunday (Ted from Grace church came into CBCF twice thru your ministry).  Again, I truly have peace in my life right now.  I am sober almost 6 months now.  Thank you Jesus!  I have hope again!  I am getting reacquainted with my family.  I just saw my Mom for the first time in a year and a half, and she gave me a 20 second hug that put tears in my eyes.  Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and I am so happy and honored to say that. 
 

I would like to thank your ministry for being there for me in CBCF.  It is a great ministry, and it is evident that God runs the show in it!  I pray that you continue to reach out to men that were in my shoes.  With God, all things are possible!

Your brother in Christ,

Mike P