Seminole County Jail-personal testimony

Written by: Gretchen Kerr on June 6, 2010

The message below was submitted by one of our faithful Prison and Jail Ministry Team Members who serves in the Seminole County Jail two days per week.  Manya Gabaldon assists with the weekly worship service and is an important part of the Wednesday morning mentoring team.  This class is where the inmates have the opportunity to share their struggles, hear the word of God and talk through their next steps and plans following their release.  These men often create an amazing bond with each other offering the opportunity for Christian fellowship even when they return back to their cells/Pods. 

Below is a story from one of our younger inmates that has been coming regularily to the mentoring class.  He is growing in his faith understanding who he is in Christ and reaching out asking for help and support along the way.  We have not changed the way it was written so you have an opportunity to connect with him where he is.  This letter was a challenge for him because of his reading and writing challenges, but he perservered and got it done, the entire Northland team is very proud of you Andrew!

When I first came to jail, I didn’t feel the need to go to church and didn’t know about church.  but when I got out the First time I then Became interested in the word of God and became baptized at my cousins church.  I was going to church 2 or 3 times a week and then I didn’t feel that interested any more and wanted to hang out with my friends.  That’s when I began to Drink, Do Drugs and lying to my parents.  At the age of 19 years old I started staying more and more with my friends Drinking and Druging every day.  Then it got worse, I started stealing and robbing people to support my habit.  On October 26th 2009 I got arrested for loitering and prowling and resisting arrest without violence.  At that time I went back to jail on a V.O.P. for my first offenses at which time I was sentenced to a year in the County Jail.  The first few months incarcerated I didn’t feel the need to do any programs and classes.  As time went on my mind started to clear and signed up for G.E.D class, life skills, and wednesday mentor class.  Now since doing these classes for a while, I’m getting to know more about the word of God, and a better way of thinking to help my life and Better my trust relationship with my parents.  Now with 3 months left, I know and feel better about my self, thanks to Northland showing me that there is a better way of life.  Northland Church Breaks down the word to a way I can understand better, so when I leave jail I will remain going to Northland and keep bettering my self with the word of God and will try to remain in the word of God.

Andrew - Seminole County Jail - inmate