Ministry at Tutwiler is limited to women coming to one of two locations where We Care volunteers are waiting and ready to spend time with them.  Below are pictures of the volunteer team relating to the ladies at Tutwiler.

Eight volunteers went into BWR.  During the day we sang in the hallways and dining room. That was an amazing answer to prayer because the hallways were off limits this year.  We asked permission to go and sing and at first we were told no.  Later the warden came and granted us permission to go only into the hallways but no dorms.  The ladies were very excited and came out of the dorms to listen and sing along with us.

In the evening we had an awesome service!  Lynda Randle was the musician, and Ramona Rosser, the speaker.  Lynda and Ramona together was divine!  Fifty ladies came out to the service.  Just as Ramona called for the altar call, the announcement came for “count,” so everyone had to stay in their seats.  But it became a God moment.  Almost every inmate had tears running down her face or was shouting praise to Jesus.  Each volunteer went to a table, and we were able to pray at each table and with each inmate….it was amazing!  No dry eyes in the house!  No new commitments were made but many, many re-commitments!  It was an awesome ending to our crusade…One the team will never forget!! Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity to once again bring Jesus to hurting broken people!!

We had a very good response to the revival at AWC.  The attendance was very good, and the men were blessed in many ways.  Last night two men made first time commitments to the Lord.  We praise God for those responses, and many others were at the altar for prayer and recommitment.

I believe the church at AWC was encouraged.  This blessing will last for many weeks.  The inmates just love the fellowship of the outside church with them.  I can see it in their response and enthusiasm.  Thanks so much for your gift of love to them. – Richard Heatwole

The Crusade quilters finished up the quilt on Thursday… then took some time to play:)  This quilt will be auctioned off at the Support for Prison Ministries auction in PA this Fall.  Many thanks to (left to right) Marj Heatwole, Anna Weber, Mary Jane Schrock, Martha Horst, Sally Hochstetler, Ruth Weber, Wilma Graber, Emma Yoder, and others who helped during the week.

Birmingham teams in the following order:  Donaldson, St. Clair, and Lovelady/Birmingham Women’s

Here are some photos from Frank Lee and Montgomery Women’s Facility.  God continues to use the volunteers to make a difference in the lives of many men and women through this event.

Montgomery teams in the following order… Kilby, Draper, Staton, Elmore, Frank Lee, Tutwiler, Tutwiler Annex, Montgomery Women’s

We are very grateful for a new awning being constructed at the Atmore Economy Shop.  We have been wanting to do this for a long time and with Board member Sherwin Wenger’s help it is now becoming a reality.  Sherwin owns Wenger’s Construction (PA) and brought along an employee (Mark Stauffer) to help with the project.  Other local Crusaders and friends have also been lending a hand as able as the week progresses.  It was a blessing for me (David R. Landis) and my son David to be able to help on the project on Tuesday. (Sherwin assured me that construction was also “spiritual” work!)  I became good friends with Sherwin about 10 years ago when he and his wife Carol served as We Care’s host couple. They have been an ongoing source of encouragement and friendship to my wife and I since that time.

The Atmore region has a number of different things going on.  Since Atmore is where our headquarters are located, we have a good number of local volunteers participating in Crusade along with many from other states.  We  also have a food service team here the labors all day to provide food for the volunteers before they go in to prison and when they return from their services.  A Noon meal is also provided for local workers and singing groups who are waiting to go in for their services.

Atmore is also home to 5 prison teams for the Crusade, although this year two of those locations were cancelled due to security issues.  Our staff chaplains were able to go in and carry on their everyday work in those two institutions. below are pictures of the three prison teams… Century (FL), Holman, and Atmore Work Center.

A group of Crusader spouses and local women also traditionally put a quilt together during the week of Crusade.  Ladies come and go throughout the week to help with the quilt.  The finished quilt is then sold at the Support For Prison Ministries Auction (PA) in the Fall.  This auction gives a percentage of it’s proceeds to help support the work of We Care Program.

Randy and I were on death row and had a good time of fellowship and prayer with a Brother and as we ended our time with him, I asked if he knew of any others that needed encouragement. He directed us to a neighbor two doors down. He said that he had been talking about suicide. We proceeded to his cell and he had his back turned but Randy was bold and asked if he would like to talk? He said sure and we entered into some small talk. One of us asked what his vocation was in the free world and he answered by saying that he drove truck and how much he loved it and missed being on the road. Randy and I looked at each other and we knew we had an instant connection!　 ”Mark”* lit up, after we told him that we drove truck and he was full of questions, everything from the new DOT regulations, to what were our favorite brand of trucks. We talked for some time like we were at the counter of a truck stop. I think God allowed us to take Mark out of his 4′ by 8′ cell and back into the cab of his Freightliner for just a short time. We ended our visit with prayer knowing God had led two wore-out truck drivers to speak truth and encouragement into another! Praise God. – Jason Shelly, Holman Team (*inmate name changed)

Over 400 participants gathered in Montgomery, AL for a day of worship, reflection, empowerment, and fellowship.  The “Revival” theme was incorporated into every part of the day and God was clearly touching hearts in preparation for a week of ministry in the prisons.

Former Death Row inmate Recardo Cook gave a moving account of God’s deliverance from prison to present, thanking We Care volunteers who visited him in prison many years ago.

Our dynamic duo, Noreen Horst and Hannah Neighbors displayed great hospitality, professionalism, and attention to detail as they and their team welcomed crusade participants through the registration process.  A huge “Thanks!” to every We Care staffer whose behind the scenes work made life much easier for all of us.

We Care staff assembled on stage to lead participants in the song “Here I Am, Lord” as a reminder of our own call and an opportunitiy for participants to consider the open doors of ministry in Alabama prisons.

Glenn Weber challenged all of us to humility as a prerequisite for revival.  Glenn invited everyone to kneel for the closing prayer, a very fitting response to what we had just heard.  It was a holy moment.

Hundreds of Crusade Volunteers arrived Saturday evening and joined us for the “Reunion Concert” by the McDonald Family from Orange, Massachusetts. They displayed an incredible amount of variety and talent in their music as well as directing glory to God.

Midway through the program Board Chairman Aaron Martin introduced the We Care Board of Directors then turned it over to Eli Yoder (KS) to reminisce about his 30+ years of crusade experience. Honor was given to Eli for just completing over 20 years of service to the Board. We are also thankful for the Board service given by Harvey Fox (PA) and John Bender (PA), both of whom also ended their terms.