Chaplain Comments

Posted by Anders Skaar - CLI Staff

We send our books directly to prison chaplains. Every year we email them and confirm any changes. But to keep things simple, if the info is OK, they don't need to reply.

This year we received an unsolicited avalanche of thank yous and kudos. We thought we'd share a few with you.

Thanks for all the books and Christian material you send us. The over 2,600 inmates read and pass around your books they are greatly appreciated each time new titles arrive.

Thanks for all of your past support and what you are doing in supporting the outreaches on the inside and out.

bless you......... thanks for reaching out to those ...who are incarcerated at Big Sandy.

Thank you for your ministry to those behind bars, the materials you send are greatly appreciated.We do appreciate all you do on behalf of the inmates here.

Greetings from Zambia

Posted by Jeremy Watson - CLI Staff

An inmate on death row in Zambia sent CLI four completed Bible Study lessons and a letter today. Nevison, the inmate, first wrote to us in September 2009. He has now completed our Christian Leadership study through Lesson 8 and qualifies for a Study Bible.

Because Zambia is a developing country, prison life can be more difficult than it is in the United States. For instance, Nevison must use his finger or a stick to clean his teeth instead of a toothbrush. However, he has hope because of God’s promises in the Bible. Nevison writes that our Bible Study lessons have inspired him to preach to his fellow inmates on death row.

“I am grateful for your encouraging messages,” he writes. “Every time I receive a letter from you, I feel like you have visited me physically and are counseling me in this prison.”

David Marshall, a CLI volunteer, reviewed Nevison’s lessons at our Raleigh office today. He said that he could see that Nevison has a heart for the Lord despite his circumstances.

“He makes the best of his situation,” David said, “and he has molded his life to the image of Christ in a very profound way.”

Parent’s Love Does Not End at the Prison Gate

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. NIV Isaiah 40:31

Posted by Kathleen Skaar Executive Director

Not all inmates have loving parents. Perhaps a large percentage lacked the stability, discipline and love of a mother or father. But there are inmates who do have parents on the outside who love them dearly.

One of those parents wrote us recently:

“I am finally able to receive calls from my son after a full year. That is a tremendous blessing to hear his voice and talk with him and encourage him. I believe God transferred him to that prison that he may partake of their faith based program. Richie seems to be struggling with that decision. It’s as if he knows that is what God wants him to do, but something (the enemy) is restraining him right now because of his desire to "fit in" and be accepted--something he has struggled with his whole life.”

This mother asked us to pray for her son Ritchie which we have. We invite you to pray for Richie to seek God's will and to let go of the need to be accepted by man. Pray that he has the proper fear of God and no "fear of man."

We praise God for this inmate mother who also writes:

“God keeps speaking to me profoundly through Isaiah 40:31 "For those who WAIT UPON THE LORD" they shall run and not grow weary---they shall rise up like wings of eagles."

He shows me eagles wherever I go.”

Inmate Anthony's Artwork

Posted by Anders Skaar - CLI Staff

Inmate Anthony from Pontiac Correctional Center in Pontiac, IL sent CLI this drawing.

Prison inmates around the US continue to bless CLI with their original artwork. Enjoy!

CLI Appears in Mature Living Magazine

Posted by Anders Skaar - CLI Staff

Former CLI Board member, Pastor Norman Beckham, wrote an outstanding article about CLI for this LifeWay publication. Mature Living is distributed to thousands of Baptist churches all over the US. See the article on the CLI website.

We praise God for His constant provision - especially Christian books and Bibles.

101 Decisions for Christ

Posted by Anders Skaar - CLI Staff

How many people did you lead to Christ last year?? Not so fast. If you supported CLI with your time, treasure or talents (especially Christian books), you might want to add to that number.

Last year CLI received responses from 101 prison inmates, telling us that they made new decisions for Christ! Praise he Lord! We look forward to spending all eternity with these new saints!

CLI Served 120 Prisons in December

Posted by Anders Skaar - CLI Staff

CLI served 120 prisons in December, 2010 with Christian books and Bibles!

They are:
Burruss Correctional Trng Ctr Forsyth GA
Butler Correctional Facility Red Creek NY
Butler County Jail Hamilton OH
CA Dillon Youth Development Center Butner NC
Cabarrus Correctional Center Mt. Pleasant NC
Caldwell Correctional Center Lenoir NC
Calhoun Correctional Institution Blountstown FL
Calhoun State Prison Morgan GA
Calhoun Work Camp Blountstown FL
California City Correctional Center California City CA
California Correctional Tehachapi Tehachapi CA
California Institute for Men Chino CA
California Institute for Women Corona CA
California Medical Facility Vacaville CA
California Men's Colony San Luis Obispo CA
California Rehabilitation Center Norco CA
California Substance Treatment Facility Corcoran CA
Calipatria State Prison Calipatria CA
Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution Columbia SC
Camp Georgetown Georgetown NY
Campbell County Detention Center Newport KY
Carol S. Vance Unit Richmond TX
Carole Young Medical Facility Dickinson TX
Carroll-Montgomery Correctional Facility Vaiden MS
Carson City Correctional Facility (DRF) Carson City MI
Carteret Correctional Facility Newport NC
Caryville Work Camp Caryville FL
Caswell Correctional Center Blanch NC
Catahoula Correctional Center Harrisonburg LA
Catalina Mountain School Tucson AZ
Catholic Detention Ministries Santa Rosa CA
Cayuga Correctional Facility Moravia NY
CCA Citrus County Jail Lecanto FL
CCA Florence Corr Center Florence AZ
CCA Kit Carson Correctional Center Burlington CO
CCA Leavenworth Detention Center Leavenworth KS
Centinela State Prison Imperial CA
Central Arizona Detention Center Florence AZ
Central Calif Women's Facility Chowchilla CA
Central Florida Reception Center Orlando FL
Central Maryland Correctional Facility Sykesville MD
Central New Mexico Corr Facility Los Lunas NM
Central Prison Raleigh NC
Central State Prison Macon GA
Central Texas Detention Facility San Antonio TX
Central Utah Correctional Facility Gunnison UT
Central Virginia Regional Jail Orange VA
Centralia Correctional Center Centralia IL
Century Correctional Institution Century FL
Century Regional Detention Facility Lynwood CA
Charleston County Detention Center North Charleston SC
Charlotte After Care 1 Charlotte NC
Charlotte After Care 2 Charlotte NC
Charlotte Correctional Center Charlotte NC
Charlotte Correctional Institution Punta Gorda FL
Chatham County Jail Savannah GA
Cherokee County Jail Canton GA
Chester County Prison West Chester PA
Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center Colorado Springs CO
Chippewa Corr Facility URF-W Kincheloe MI
Chippewa Correctional Facility Kincheloe MI
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Blythe CA
Cibola County Correctional Center Milan NM
Cimarron Correctional Facility Cushing OK
Clallam Bay Corrections Center Clallam Bay WA
Claremont Custody Center Coalinga CA
Clayton County Jail Jonesboro GA
Clemens Unit Brazoria TX
Cleveland Correctional Center Cleveland TX
Clinton County Correctional Facility McElhattan PA
Coastal State Prison Garden City GA
Coffee Correctional Facility Nicholls GA
Coffeewood Correctional Center Mitchells VA
Colleton County Detention Ctr Walterboro SC
Collier County Jail Naples FL
Collins Correctional Facility Collins NY
Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility Canon City CO
Colt Juvenile Treatment Center Colt AR
Columbia County Sheriff's Office Lake City FL
Columbus Correctional Inst Brunswick NC
Columbus County Jail Whiteville NC
Columbus Juv Residential Facility Tampa FL
Connecticut Juvenile Training School Middletown CT
Cook County Jail Lemont IL
Cook Inlet Pretrial Anchorage AK
Correctional Reception Center Orient OH
Corsicana Residential Treatment Ctr Corsicana TX
Coyote Ridge Corrections Center Connell WA
Craighead County Detention Ctr Jonesboro AR
Crawford County Jail Prairie du Chien WI
Crockett State School Crockett TX
Cross & Shield Prison Ministries Russellville AR
Cross City Correctional Inst Cross City FL
Cross County Correctional Institute Wynne AR
Crowley County Correctional Facility Olney Springs CO
Crowley County Sheriffs Office Ordway CO
CSC Houston Houston TX
Culpeper Juvenile Correctional Center Mitchells VA
Cumberland County Prison Carlisle PA
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Portland ME
Cumberland Juvenile Detention Fayetteville NC
Cummins Correctional Unit Grady AR
Cummins Unit Grady AR
Curran-Fromhold Corrections Philadelphia PA
Currituck County Detention Center Maple NC
Cuyahoga County Jail Cleveland OH
Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Highland Hills OH
D. Ray James Prison Folkston GA
Dade Correctional Inst N. Annex Florida City FL
Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch Minot ND
Dakota Horizons Youth Center Dickinson ND
Dakota Women's Corr Rehab Center New England ND
Dallas County Jail Dallas TX
Dan River Prison Work Farm Yanceyville NC
Dare County Detention Center Manteo NC
Darrington Unit, TDCJ Rosharon TX
Davidson Correctional Center Lexington NC
Davidson County Correctional Center/CCA Nashville TN
Davidson County Jail Lexington NC
Davis Correctional Facility Holdenville OK