A Peek Behind the Fence...

The first thing most folks notice about a prison or jail is the fence. What goes on behind that fence has been written about, filmed, sung about, etc. And, to be honest, life behind the fence is TOTALLY different than life outside the fence (or, "in the free").

This note is not written to explain the hierarchy of prison life, to explain the gang violence that goes on, to talk about the success, or lack thereof in the prison system, or any other such matter. Nor, is this note written to glorify me. This note is written so you will see the potential behind the fence.

Below you'll find a letter written to me (misspellings and errors left intentionally) by my buddy... I call him, "Big A"...

"RICHARD WALLACE! Hey wats up Richy Rich? I hope this letter finds you in the best of health God can bring us! As for me I'm doing good. I'm just here in my being bored, and i remembered you gave me your address last night. You don't know how anxious i was to tell you that i asked God into my heart. I knew you would be happy for me. I just want to say thank you for showing me the way. I can't wait for my realease so i can find me a good church to attend! My cousin is a christian rapper, and he's my age. I'm 17, and i told him about my change. And he told me that he can't wait until i get out so we can hang out. He said he don't chill with any body no more. For the fact that he don't smoke or drink any more. So im really looking foward to spending alot of time with him. I should be going home within six months. My man goal is to be home for my little sister's birthday. Wich is April ** (deleted for privacy). And that way i can be home for easter sunday! I know when ya'll come on mondays (For Life Prison Team) we don't have time to actually talk, and thats why i asked for your address so i could let you know whats going on with me. And because of that reason i want to tell you a little bit about myself. I usually don't share much with people i don't know but i think we would have a better communication if you knew me. Well to start off i want to say im not a bad kid. I just hung around the wrong crew. But i still take responsability for what i did, because i did it. I grew up with both of my parents and they have supported me all my life up until this day. I have an older brother and a younger sisters. I love my little sister with all my heart, and i would say my big bro has that same love for me. I grew up in a small town called ******** (again removed for privacy). The population is like 3-4,000. We had 2 convience stores, a dairy queen, a subway, and 1 stop light. The majority of the people i know there do nothing but smoke weed. I will only be there a short period of time after my release. Thats until we move. We will probably move to ********, TX. It's away from that small town but close eneough to where if anything happends to my grandmother, we can be there for her. I was sentenced to 5 years in T.Y.C. (Texas Youth Commission). I have a minimum of 3. And my minimum is up on March **. My case worker told me to stay out of trouble and i should be home around that time. My commiting offense is Aggrivated Robbery. I know if i wasn't drunk or high i would have never pointed that gun at that clerk. Maybe some day we can talk and ill tell you about it. Now you know a little bit about me. Why don't you write me back and let me know a little bit about you. So until next time I'll see ya. And thanks again for everything!

Sincerely,

Big A

P.S. I look forward to you guys coming every week!"

Let me close by saying, that I had VERY LITTLE to do with my buddy trusting Christ. When he arrived in our RU class he was an agnostic/borderline atheist. Our team/church/program just kept loving on him. In fact, he is in Jimmy Marta's group. Due to some schedule changes here at the church we were unable to go to the prison for 3 weeks. My buddy came to me after group time Thursday (wearing a HUGE smile) and said, "I asked God in my heart!!!". To which I replied, "TONIGHT?! AWESOME!!!" He said, "No! Last week. I was reading in John where y'all told me to read, and thinking about what I had learned in your class. I asked Jesus to come into my life, save me, and change me!"

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!! Isaiah 61:1-3