Prison Ministry
Ministry Leader: Patricia Burt Email: nicholsstreet@sbcglobal.net
Mailing Address: 1200 Nichols St. Bay City, TX 77414
This is a very rewarding ministry. This is my 13th year in this ministry. I started in it in Sept. 1996 after my brother was released from prison. He was the one who opened my eyes & heart to this kind of ministry. You just don't understand how it is in prison until you have a family member incarcerated. Before he went, I was under the same impression many people are that prison inmates were on the same level as animals & non-human. I forgot that they were members of a family. Someone's son or daughter, husband or wife, father or mother... While there are a lot of people in prison for heinous crimes, many are there for stupid mistakes that they made. There but for the Grace of God...
If you have a relative or friend in prison that you think might like to receive a Bible study please contact me & give me their name & TDCJ# & address. Also if there is anyone who might be interested in doing this, let me know as I get new students all the time.
With this prison ministry you can't help but develop feelings for the people you write. Sometimes yours is the only letter or card they get. Some of my students call me their 2nd mom or christian mother & that is a good feeling. Its always a blessing when you can help someone. People just don't realize the sacrifice in time & effort is a double edged blessing - it blesses the person you are doing for & it blesses you. But you can see how needed something like what you are doing was! Its a lot of work, but its worth it. If only more people would step up out of their comfort zone & just do these things. There are so many ministries needed & that could be done. But people don't know how to just step out in faith & do them. You grow so much spiritually doing these kind of things. I wish people could understand that. I promise you if you keep on God WILL provide. When you do His work He will always help you. I have been constantly amazed through the years at how much He helps us when we do HIS will. I get letters that I have been floored about wondering how in the world am I going to handle it & what could I possibly say to do any good. Suicidal inmates, men who have been made to be girls for sex, etc. Stuff I knew absolutely nothing about & was at a loss for words about. I pray before I write & the words just come - they flow from the pen like it has a life of its own. That is not me! It is God all the way. Its unbelievably humbling.
My students love to get Christian & inspirational books as well as Bible study help books, so if you have any you no longer need or want, please give them to this ministry. They do share them amongst themselves.
Pray for my students as they need all the spiritual strength & guidance they can get in there.
Pray for me because I am getting Muslim students & some who are teetering toward becoming Muslims. I need wisdom in dealing with them.
Francisco Ramon
One of my students was recently paroled out to Austin Transitional Center in Austin, TX & has been attending the Bible studies & worship services that the Westover Church of Christ in Austin holds for them. He was baptized at the Westover Church o... [more]
One of my students was recently paroled out to Austin Transitional Center in Austin, TX & has been attending the Bible studies & worship services that the Westover Church of Christ in Austin holds for them. He was baptized at the Westover Church o... [more]
Johnny Robertson Jr
I got this one recently from one of my longstanding students who is up for Parole this month. He calls me his "Mama in Christ". When I began writing to him he was a gang member in the free world & went by the name "Young Gunn". ... [more]
I got this one recently from one of my longstanding students who is up for Parole this month. He calls me his "Mama in Christ". When I began writing to him he was a gang member in the free world & went by the name "Young Gunn". ... [more]
Perry Haynes
WOW! I got a letter from a student I had TOTALLY given up on & had quit writing to! He was a really tough gangster. He scared me a lot of the time with the things he would talk about. The people he supposedly killed. But I kept sending him Christi... [more]
WOW! I got a letter from a student I had TOTALLY given up on & had quit writing to! He was a really tough gangster. He scared me a lot of the time with the things he would talk about. The people he supposedly killed. But I kept sending him Christi... [more]
Thommas
I have a special prayer request for one of my long time students. His name is Thommas and he is HIV postive. He is understandably upset. He was looking forward to release in the next few months but now he is depressed. He was a cutter and this last year h... [more]
I have a special prayer request for one of my long time students. His name is Thommas and he is HIV postive. He is understandably upset. He was looking forward to release in the next few months but now he is depressed. He was a cutter and this last year h... [more]
Goldie Calhoun
Did you ever think that a simple Christmas card could save a person's life??? Well, one of mine did last Christmas! How awesome that God could use a little card to save a life! One of my students, Goldie Calhoun, wrote: "I got into a depression m... [more]
Did you ever think that a simple Christmas card could save a person's life??? Well, one of mine did last Christmas! How awesome that God could use a little card to save a life! One of my students, Goldie Calhoun, wrote: "I got into a depression m... [more]
Jarvis Baker
Here is another touching testimony from another student. I didn't know much of his story or how he got my name before I got this. It is long but worth reading. In 1996 I was in the 5th grade and I was living with my Grandparents in Small town Texas. My... [more]
Here is another touching testimony from another student. I didn't know much of his story or how he got my name before I got this. It is long but worth reading. In 1996 I was in the 5th grade and I was living with my Grandparents in Small town Texas. My... [more]
John O'Bannon
This is another testimony from another of my students. He has made some great changes in his life. I guess the place to start with is to say during my childhood there wasn't very much access to the Word of God. I did go to church, but I was in the B... [more]
This is another testimony from another of my students. He has made some great changes in his life. I guess the place to start with is to say during my childhood there wasn't very much access to the Word of God. I did go to church, but I was in the B... [more]
Luis G. Costas, Jr
Here is a testimony from one of my students who has become very dear to me. His is a success story. Hello! My name is Luis G. Costas, Jr. and I'm currently incarcerated in the Texas Department of Corrections. I've been in prison since Feb. 15th, ... [more]
Here is a testimony from one of my students who has become very dear to me. His is a success story. Hello! My name is Luis G. Costas, Jr. and I'm currently incarcerated in the Texas Department of Corrections. I've been in prison since Feb. 15th, ... [more]
Johnny Robertson
This just came to me this week from one of my longtime students Johnny Robertson aka "Baby Jr" along with a beautiful portrait with vines and a rose and angels, etc. Hello, Mother, You came into my life unexpectedly and everything took a ... [more]
This just came to me this week from one of my longtime students Johnny Robertson aka "Baby Jr" along with a beautiful portrait with vines and a rose and angels, etc. Hello, Mother, You came into my life unexpectedly and everything took a ... [more]
Francisco Ramon
One of my students was recently paroled out to Austin Transitional Center in Austin, TX & has been attending the Bible studies & worship services that the Westover Church of Christ in Austin holds for them. He was baptized at the Westover Church... [more]
One of my students was recently paroled out to Austin Transitional Center in Austin, TX & has been attending the Bible studies & worship services that the Westover Church of Christ in Austin holds for them. He was baptized at the Westover Church... [more]