GO......MAKE....Revolution

Greetings all,

   I am writing you on this beautiful June morning in the hopes of encouraging your continued support of our Lords ministry. I would like to start by bragging about my new baby boy that was born just three days ago. His name is Andrew James Iorio and he weighed in at a healthy 9lbs. I also have a three year old named Gabriella and now am the proud father of the so called "million dollar family." Last night was the first night we were all together in our home and let me remind you parents, that a newborn is a joyous but overwhelming experience.

   It is a time of celebration and important transition in a families life. I am instantly reminded of the joyous but overwhelming transition it is for our released inmates returning to their families and communities. The vision God laid on the chaplains team at Luzerne County Correctional Facility the last three years has been "Reentry". I am proud to tell you that your chaplains are a part of the newly formed "Luzerne County Reentry Committee" formed with the purpose and mission of helping released inmates make better choices upon their release. Our God is in control and He gives the vision to His children along with the provision to see the fight finish in a victory. (2 Timothy 1:7) tells us: For the Spirit God does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self discipline. He fights for us! He puts us in the right places at the right times to do His work and perfect will.
 
   This past Thursday, I was invited into Luzerne County Judge Amesbury's office to talk about serious matters. It turns out that with the cuts of federal, state, and county money, the church is being looked upon as one of the limited solutions in solving the recitivism rate in Luzerne County. Along with the assistance of the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Services, our chaplains department, and Judge Amesbury came up with some great solutions and immediately put them into plan. Every Thursday there is a bail hearing set and we will be in attendence helping the Judge place those into Christian rehabilitation services who show a history of relapse into crime and chemical addictions.

   Gods love is deep, its wide, and it covers us. Now is the time in our country like never before that the church of Jesus Christ must take a seat at the table of our government and area agencies and reach out the loving hand of God. This is what God is doing in Luzerne County and we can do a whole lot more your support and financial blessings.
 
 It is obvious that our government is in a time of transition also. As you celebrate our country this summer, help us in our fight and calling to help all those in transition. Please remember that our Lord is the only tour guide that can help us find our way. Without you, this will not continue. We love you and your voice is heard inside and outside the prison. We can reach those inside the prison with the Gospel, please allow us the opportunity to help them when they get out. (Mathew 28:19) " Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." We follow Jesus's command here.
 
This past month, we seen ten men in our M Block population accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. We then baptized all ten and continue to minister to them weekly. During a day at the prison filled with chaos and turmoil, these men on the M block were seen on the "yard" in a prayer circle. I can go on and on with stories like this. Our Jesus said go and make disciples. That is what we must continue to do as a team. We love you!!!

In Gods Love,
LCCF Chaplain: Rev. Andrew T Iorio

The Unnamed Warrior

One of the most difficult things to accomplish while ministering in the criminal justice arena is to "quantify" results. It is really not different from any other area of ministry except that the individuals we minister to are under an immense amount of pressure to "prove themselves."

An individual who is in prison and makes a decision to turn from their wicked ways and change the way that they view God, themselves, and the world is looked at many times as a "jail house" convert. Comments like "oh you just got religion to get out of trouble" are often heard and many times echoed by the masses.

In prison the only way to "prove" life change is time, time, and more time. Most of these men and women have made promise after promise only to fall on deaf ears of those that they have manipulated and maligned in the midst of their descent.

That is why when I share something from inside I say that is a snapshot of "an imperfect journey." The truth is we ALL are on a imperfect journey. I am not able to judge intentions or heart change only take someone at their word.Only God can judge a heart and we as humans can only evaluate actions.

With that being said I wanted to share with you another snapshot of an imperfect journey that I came across today.

I recently mentioned the book "Gifts of Freedom" that has had a tremendous impact on many of our inmates. Today I received some books back that an inmate returned since they were being released or transferred. In that pile was a partially completed "Gifts of Freedom" book with no name in it.

I wanted to share some of the thoughts of this unnamed warrior. I say unnamed warrior because that is who he or she is. They are "warring" for their future and destiny.

In a summary of chapter one subtitled "what's my purpose what went wrong" this is what they said to answer the question "what are the things you can do in the pursuit of His destiny for you?"
Response: I know Him a little better, no I don't understand completely, I must stay in this book and the Bible to keep up on what I am destined for.

Another question that was asked was in regard to accepting the gift of salvation and this is what our unnamed warrior said "I have received, but I am weak, my plan to grow spiritually is to keep close with God and to be able to live a better life so far it is very difficult."

I will share one more response with you that encapsulates what is needed, but not always acted on by those transitioning from prison. The question was asked about practical things that needed to be done to embrace "new life" and their response like so many we work with was "go to church, read scripture, and pray. Yes there are a lot of habbits [sic] I need to change, I will change friends, and relationships."

All that you or I can do is take them at their word. This snapshot is very similar to what we hear on a daily basis. There are many imperfect warriors that are wrestling and warring for their future and destiny. Pray with me that they maintain their will to fight to victory.

Unintimidated Redemption

Only the most notorious crimes and criminals make it on the front page of the local paper. Those involved in those stories you read live (at least temporarily) where we work on a daily basis.
The redemption of God is not intimidated by an above the fold story of the newspaper and that was evident the other day as ten of our "higher profile" men made a decision to be baptized as a result of a Bible Study led by our very own Chaplain Rev. Andy Iorio. He has been using a book titled "Gifts of Freedom."
This book written by Greg Rice (www.giftsoffreedom.com) has made a noticeable impact in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. Over the past three months or so we have given out (by request) nearly 100 of these books.
Here is a little about this book " it is about 12 gifts which God offers to each of us. As we accept, unwrap, and use these gifts, we develop a more intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, thereby unlocking incredible freedom in our lives; spiritually and even physically in many areas. I believe that most Christians neither receive nor use all of these gifts to develop that closer relationship with their Heavenly Father. Either they have never been taught about them, or they don't fully understand them. This series will give both new and mature believers the information they need to receive all that God has to offer them, as well as draw them into the Bible."
And it has, as a result there are currently three Bible Studies in the prison that are using this book as a starting point and the discussion and study that begins in the classroom usually continues on the "block" (living area.)
This book is one of the tools that God is using to transform people from the inside out on a regular basis in our local county prison.
I wanted to share that with you and remind you how grateful that I am for people like you that make it possible. I would ask that you consider or continue to support Providing Hope financially so that stories like this will not only continue, but multiply.
You can now give online at www.jub.org our Proving Hope link is on the top left of the page. Thanks again.