Florida is Great! I am loving every single minute of my time
here. I am learning so much and am growing closer to the
Lord everyday. My core field is in Gulf Correctional
Institution. I split my time in there between the Annex and
the Main Unit. They are basically the same thing, just are
different compounds. I assist the Chapel with all of his
daily activities. They have programs that they teach on a
weekly basis. Such programs are the Commands of Christ and
Character Qualities that go with them, Abundant Life,
Master Life, Employability, Experiencing God, Celebrate
Recovery, Financial Freedom, and AA and NA. They also have a
Bible College study that lets the inmates learn more about
the bible, like they would at a Bible College.
At the Annex I work with a Faith-Based Dorm program. Which
is a dorm for inmates who have requested to be in it and are
professed christian. They take classes that will both help
them with tools for when they get out and to grow
spiritually with the Lord. I teach the Character Quality
class with these inmates on a weekly basis, every Thursday
Morning. I participate with them on the other classes that
they are taking and help them with what ever is on their
heart. My favorite class that the Annex offers is Celebrate
Recovery. It is a Christ-Centered Recovery program. Its not
only from those who have substance abuse but helps everyone
who has a tough sin in their life that they need to get
over. I spend Monday, Wed and Thursday Mornings at the
Annex.
At the main unit I work with both the General Population and
the Re-entry dorm. The Re-entry dorm is a dorm designed to
help lower the rate at which inmates return to jail. The
rate now is 70% within 2 years. I also teach Character
Qualities to these men as well. The good thing is that its a
different quality than those I teach at the annex. I teach
them this on Tuesday Mornings. I also teach Abundant Life at
the Main Unit, this is for the inmates that are new
Christians. The class is designed to help them with the
basic principals and ways of a Christian, like how to pray,
develop a quiet time and things of that nature. I teach this
on Wed afternoons. The rest of the time I spend at the Main
Unit is helping the Orderlies (Inmates who work in the
chapel and help the chaplain as well) and growing a
relationship with them. They are really great guys and love
the Lord and walk with him everyday. I am at the Main Unit
on Tuesdays, Wed and Thursday Afternoons.
The inmates at the prison are really an inspiration. They
know so much about the bible and are teaching me things
about the Bible. They have a lot of verses and chapters
memorized in the Bible. They are the ones who are spreading
the Gospel to the compound. As a chaplain intern I can only
talk to those who come into the chapel but the inmates are
the ones who bring the message to the compound. I'm hearing
stories it seems like everyday of inmates who came to the
Lord in the Dorm or in Chow line or something. Its such an
Inspiration to hear it. They are making disciples through
out the compound!
Thats about all I got at this point, Can't wait to tell you
more about it after the trip!
God Bless
Josh
