Inmate Testimony from a Women's Prison

“My name is Bailey and I’m currently serving a nine month term for drug charges. I was blessed with reading one of your donated books and would like to respond. The title of this particular book is “Don’t Get Off the Train” by Juanita Bynum. This book has awakened a renewed spirit within me. I have been a Christian for over ten years now, however I often fall short of the higher calling of Jesus Christ, i.e., getting OFF the train. I realize that God has sat me still so I can reattach myself to His Word once again. I thank God for His grace and mercy. I would gladly like to enroll in the CLI leadership Bible Study. May God bless you in every way, God’s child,” Inmate Bailey, Baltimore, MD

Prisons Receiving Christian Books in June

We praise the Lord for the opportunity to minister to the following prisons in June:

Accomack County Jail Accomac VA
Adams County Adult Correctional Complex Gettysburg PA
Beaufort County Detention Center Beaufort SC
Belton Jail Ministry Belton TX
Blythe Jail Blythe CA
Brazoria County Detention Center Angleton TX
Brown County Jail Brownwood TX
Burnside Group Home Youth Burnside KY
CCA Florence Corr Center Florence AZ
Central Texas Detention Facility San Antonio TX
Eastern Correctional Institution Westover MD
El Paso County Jail Ministry El Paso TX
Gist State Jail Beaumont TX
Jefferson County Correctional Facility Beaumont TX
Joe Ney Unit Hondo TX
Johnson City Detention Center Johnson City TN
Kershaw Correctional Institution Kershaw SC
Lumberton Correctional Institution Lumberton NC
Michael Unit Tennessee Colony TX
Multnomah County Jail Portland OR
Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Dept Nacogdoches TX
North Texas State Hospital Wichita Falls TX
North Texas State Hospital-Vernon Vernon TX
Nueces County Jail Corpus Christi TX
OL Luther Unit Navasota TX
Parker County Jail Weatherford TX
Perry Correctional Institution Pelzer SC
Prisoners of Hope Ministry Austin TX
Ruben Torres Unit Hondo TX
Rutherford County Jail Murfreesboro TN
SCI Albion Albion PA
SCI Camp Hill Camp Hill PA
Suffolk County Correctional Riverhead NY
Suffolk County Correctional Facility Yaphank NY
Tarrant County Sheriff's Department Fort Worth TX
TDCJ Gatesville Unit (Women's) Gatesville TX
Ulster Correctional Facility Napanoch NY
Upstate Correctional Facility Malone NY
Val Verde Correctional Facility Del Rio TX
Wichita County Jail Iowa Park TX

Together we are reaching an army for Christ!

Here's a note from an inmate:

"I am writing you to thank you profoundly from a prison here in Texas. Thank you so much for the support that you have given us, providing us with the Sacred Scriptures. It's true that they have blessed many inmates with knowing Jesus Christ in this unit. When they saw me with a bilingual Bible, many asked me for direction and I was able to give it to them. Many here have received the Bibles you have sent us. They send you greetings and blessings. They come from brothers Gonzalez, Manuel, Martinez, Torres and other brothers who have written to you!"

We Praise God for our Sorting-Shipping Team!

We Praise God for our Sorting-Shipping Team!
Every week Ann, Lorraine, 'Nita, Chandler and sometimes Bob come in on Tuesdays and go through all the week's book donations. They meticulously go through each book and place it in the appropriate box - selecting men/women/youth/Bibles etc.
Next, they stamp each book in the front and back inside covers. (The stamp gives the inmate our address to request information or sign up for the CLI Leadership Bible Study.)
Next, the men pack up the boxes. We use smaller boxes (12X12X12) so they don't get too heavy.
Inside each box is a cover letter to the chaplain.
The shipping labels are attached and then the week's boxes are placed outside our door for pickup.
Each week, thousands of inmates are blessed by a fresh shipment of wonderful, donated, Christian materials.
We praise God for our donors!

Christian Library International distributes Christian books and Bibles to Prisons in all 50 US states!

MEDIA ADVISORY, June 2 - (Raleigh, NC) Christian Library International announced today that as of June, 2009, they are now sending Christian books and Bibles to all 50 US states.

CLI was founded in 1996 to distribute used Christian books and Bibles and in 2003 began providing Christian books to prisons.

"It was like grabbing a tiger by the tail", says Missions Director Anders Skaar. The screaming need for Christian books in the prisons was undeniable. CLI grew from 32 outreaches to 200, then 400, then 900 and now over 1,000. "Two years ago we refocused the ministry exclusively on US prisons. We could clearly see the fruit in the letters we received from both chaplains and inmates. Prisons are the great evangelism opportunity of the 21st century!"

For example:
I just received the second shipment of books from you all! We were just now looking for a fresh supply and "bam" just on time. God is right on time isn't He? Thank you again for being obedient to His call for your life. Christian Library is in our prayers. Carry on and one day I'll see you when we get HOME, Chaplain Norman, Cleveland Correctional Center
and:
…”I was in need of a Spanish Bible so of course I pray about it. Two weeks later the Lord answered my prayer and used your ministry to help. And (Praise God!), instead of just a Spanish Bible I got a bilingual version. Hallelujah! Now I hold a Spanish Bible Study in my wing. I pray that the Lord blesses your ministry. Inmate, Jose Garcia, Vacaville, CA

CLI receives book donations from Christian publishers, authors, churches, individuals, Christian schools and other ministries. To date, over 150 churches all over the US have sent their Christian books to CLI.

Based in Raleigh North Carolina, Christian Library International has recruited a team of volunteers to collect, sort and ship Christian books, answer the loads of inmate letters that arrive every week, review the CLI Leadership Bible Study with hundreds of inmates enrolled, visit churches to encourage them to do a "Christian Book Drive" and sponsor an annual Author-Dinner. Guest speakers have included Pat Robertson, Elizabeth Elliot, Gary Chapman, T. Davis Bunn and Evelyn Christenson.

CLI is currently partnering with several Family Christian Stores who ask their customers to purchase a prison Bible for CLI at the checkout counter. CLI has also received trucks of book donations from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Prison Fellowship.

To see the list of prisons in each state, visit www.cli-nc.org/ministries/prisons.html
and click on "List of Prisons".

A Note from Marty

You have a powerful ministry and one I know that works to help prisoners.

Books change inmates lives. I witnessed that first hand when I was in prison over 28 years ago. I watched of inmates spending thousands of hours with their heads in book. Many were provided by outside ministries such as yours. One was the late Chaplain Ray's International Prison Ministry. He was the one who encouraged me to write my book when I told him my story back in 1980. I never forgot his words and finally published my book in 2005.

Please keep up the great work. I will gladly donate more books as needed.

May God continue to bless you and your ministry.
Marty

Book Sales are Down

How many Christian books are sold in the US every year? Would you believe about 250 million?

For the last several years, CLI has dreamed of distributing one million Christian books to the prisons. That would be 1/250th of every Christian book and Bible sold. Here at CLI, we pray that the Lord will show us the way to achieve this goal.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:10 (NIV)

A Christmas Testimony from Florida

“How can I begin to thank you for this Bible?!! I love it! And I received it Dec. 24, 2008- Christmas Eve!! . . . I felt I received a Christmas gift. I know the blessing came from God but I wanted to thank you personally and all the other volunteers at Christian Library International who allows themselves to be used by God. It is my prayer that some day God will find use for me, too, in His kingdom’s business.
I have already dove right in and am so delighted with the way this [study] Bible explains everything that I feel like a brand new world has opened up. I was led to start in Isaiah. He is among the prophets rich in symbolism that I have struggled in the past to understand! I am so excited for God’s Word again I can’t explain it. Anyway, thank you again.” Inmate Karen, Quincy, FL

A Prison Testimony from Louisiana

“The last letter I received from CLI lifted my spirits tremendously! I am engrossed in studying the “rules” by studying the “rulebook” (bet you can guess which book that is!)…the unfortunate aspect of my (and every other inmates) learning the “rules” is that sometimes it is very, very hard to obtain adequate study materials. But, by God’s grace and guiding hand I have found CLI and I praise Him and give Him all the glory on your behalf! Please, never be sorry that you could not meet all my needs [requested books] at this time, especially when I know that you are doing so very much for so many other inmates such as I. Even if you were never able to fill a single request that I might send I am still blessed with that knowledge! A prisoner and servant of Christ,” Inmate Mark, Winnfield, LA

A Testimony from Pennsylvania

“I want to first say that God is good and Jesus is risen, he’s risen indeed. I also would like to say that I’m always praying for CLI., and the people behind what goes on there and how CLI is helping to spread God’s Word across the country to men & women and boys & girls who are locked up, and who hunger and thirst for the Word of God. Amen. Also I want to thank CLI for the books. . . no matter what book CLI sends they’re always a blessing and uplifting and helpful to my spiritual growth. Thank you.” Inmate Michael, Mercer, PA

A Testimony from Florida

“I want to thank you for the last package that you sent me. It was truly what I needed and the Lord is truly blessing me here and these men are truly accepting God’s truth and love.
I cannot thank you enough for what you have sent me and when I share God’s spiritual truths with these men and when they share their transformation with their families and friends I’m overwhelmed with joy. May the Lord continue to bless you richly. In His Amazing love,” Inmate Kermie Lee, Graceville, FL

A Testimony from Texas

Greetings and blessings in the glorious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; sister Kathleen. I am writing you to thank you profoundly from a prison here in Texas. Sister, thank you so much for the support that you have given us, providing us with the sacred scriptures. It's true that they have blessed many inmates with knowing Jesus Christ in this unit. When they saw me with a bilingual Bible, many asked me for direction and I was able to give it to them. Many here have received the Bibles you have sent us. They send you greetings and blessings. The come from brothers Gonzalez, Manuel, Martinez, Torres and other brothers who have just written to you!