San Antonio Prison Ministry

Richard Story

We are very grateful to once again receive sponsorship from Activated Ministries in the form of free devotional Christian booklets for our ministry with the Hayes County Juvenile Center and a correctional facility in San Antonio.

Our volunteers distributed the devotional “Who Cares?” booklets during our Christmas outreach here at the juvenile center. In the two years since we began this ministry, we have established a group of young people within the facility who are eager to learn and grow from the material they’re receiving via the Activated magazines, and now the “Who Cares” booklets. So far, over 400 teens between the ages of 12-17 at this juvenile center have accepted Jesus as their personal savior.

We have also been able to distribute these books to the inmates of a correctional facility in San Antonio. Many of those we minister to remark to us how God’s word in these booklets is having a wonderful effect on them.

We use these books at our weekly Bible classes in the prison, and have approximately 150 Activated magazine subscribers as a result of these weekly classes. The following are reactions from some of the inmates:

Brian: “Thank you for your love and the comfort you bring to class every week. When you read From Jesus with Love, it never fails to move me deeply – often to tears. I thank God for these times.”

Jim: “God is leading me in His truth and since I have gotten out of prison I am starting to get my life right with God. Please send me more things to read if you can – that would be such a blessing. You were my inspiration in the midst of my sufferings and I thank you with all my heart!”

Parker: “I would have gone through this system only to have learned to fine-tune my criminal skills. Instead I have found out about God! It was all through the volunteers and the way that they have introduced me to God and His grace. These volunteers have also led me to the pinnacle of what I have been looking for in my entire life, which is love – love that could not be filled by any drugs, alcohol, or circumstances.”

Alfredo: “This ministry and all the reading material and classes we receive have helped me a lot. They’ve helped me to explain the Lord and His love to my wife, and how our faith and obedience can move God’s hand so we can receive His blessings in our lives. It’s made spiritual truths simple for us so we can understand things better now. My family has seen a big change in me. I’m learning to forgive, no matter what someone does to me. I write to my family more and tell them about my changes too. My mother is so very happy now that I know Jesus, as she has seen me begin to turn my life around with His help.”

Kenneth: “This ministry has put God’s word and will in laymen’s terms for me so that I can understand. It destroys the myth that God’s word is complicated. It also helps me to explain the word to others here in prison so they understand God’s love and His plan for salvation.”

Joe: “These classes and reading material have opened my eyes in many ways and I see things much more clearly now. These classes have also helped me to share my heart and be more open to discuss things I wouldn’t have in the past. They’re helping me to prepare for when I get out of prison.”