Prison Preaching in America
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
In these last days God is calling out people from the dark hidden places of society. Behind prison walls there is no hope unless a person is truly called. The prisons do have chaplains, but their doctrines are false and only lead to the darkness of the grave with no hope. When inmates are released, they often end up back in prison because they have no goal in their life and they have no vision. These prisoners need God’s Word as their guidebook to life and they need to know that God has a plan and a vision for them of His Kingdom. This gives these prisoners a Hope.
In August of 2004 we received a coupon asking for Bible Basics from Sotero Ceja in the Corcoran Prison. He received this coupon from another prisoner. We sent him the English version of Bible Basics. Then we received a letter from Julio Diaz of this same prison explaining that he was writing the letters for Sotero since he could only read and write in Spanish. He also asked if he could have a copy of Bible Basics. I answered Julio’s letter and suggested that he have Sotero give him his English version of BB and we would send Sotero a Spanish version. We did this and the two of them studied when they could. Sotero and Julio did not share a cell together, but could only meet out in the exercise yard.
Julio would do his lessons and send them to me and often include Sotero’s answers as well. Sotero wrote his answers in Spanish and since I don’t know Spanish, I had my daughter, Anna, help me with the translation. Julio and Sotero did very well with their lessons. When they were finished, they both in 2005, they wanted further contact with the Christadelphians.
At one time I wrote to Julio about another inmate named Mark, who had a hard time letting go of the belief in a devil. He wrote me back. “I was reminded about a time when Sotero and I were just starting out with the Bible course, another fellow inmate, saw me reading the book (Bible Basics course) and told us that it was no good and something along the lines of ‘they don’t even believe in the devil.’ That last statement actually attracted my interest more. I felt I had to keep an open mind, because there might be truth in something and if God is guiding me to the truth, I shouldn’t be overlooking it.
“It certainly was different than what I was previously being taught, yet it did make sense and it all came together, backed up by lots of scripture to make the point clear, while what I was learning before tended to confuse me. Then thoughts would arise about, beware of cults and such, something also engrained in my mind by listening to society and stuff, but then there had to be some common sense in my inquiring, so I looked at the pros and cons:
“It’s not like they’re trying to steal my money.” (I ain’t got none.)
“They’re not trying to brainwash anybody to manipulate them.”
“They’re not looking to send someone down the wrong path.”
“They’re not extraterrestrials trying to eat our brains.” (My imagination ran wild with thoughts.)
“From the letters I’ve been receiving from Sister Marilyn, I see no evil intent, in fact there’s more of a humbleness and a genuine interest in helping others learn the Truth.”
[Extracted from his letter of May 28, 2006]
Then Julio wrote me when Sotero was to be released, in September 2006 that sometime during the night he was taken and deported to Mexico. Julio had written a letter to me in English for Sotero as he dictated it in Spanish in which he did give me an address in Mexico where he would be going. We wrote to this address, but received no reply. To this date we do not know where Sotero Ceja is, but he knows of God’s Hope and about the return of Jesus.
On October 9, 2006 Julio Diaz was released and he went to live in Napa with his sister. He decided to attend the local junior college and enrolled there taking Art and basic courses. At this time I wrote to Julio and asked if he wanted to do the Exploring the Bible course and he replied ‘yes’. We did this by mail.
Then in January 2007, my husband, Jim, was scheduled to speak at the San Francisco Ecclesia, which meets at Marinwood in San Rafael, California. I found this was within the radius of Julio’s parole limits. He could come and to meet us and other Christadelphians here and come to a meeting. I called and he did come and brought his sister with him. All the Brothers and Sisters were happy to meet Julio. He is kind of a quiet young man of 30 years old. This was the first time we ever met him. He learned about the mid-week Bible Class and went to it. He started coming regularly. We would see him when the Northern Christadelphian Ecclesias would get together for events like the Sunday School Program or the Sunday School Picnic. Julio told me that he brought his mother to meeting on Mother’s Day and she had told him to thank me for contacting him. She has seen a good change in her son.
In August of 2008 Julio asked for baptism. The Brethren of the San Francisco Ecclesia gave him an interview. I had mentioned to Julio that whenever he decided to be baptized, I wanted to be there. This was because when you do prison preaching all you can do is teach the inmate and give them a baptismal interview. You cannot see an inmate get baptized because the chaplain has to do it on his time. The inmate has to request a baptism by immersion. Then on August 26, 2008 he was baptized in the San Francisco Bay by Bro. Jim Sillars and Bro. Paul Campbell.
Photos:
Julio Diaz in San Francisco Bay, with Bro. Paul Campbell (L) and Bro. Jim Sillars, Sr. (R)
Julio Diaz in San Francisco Bay, with Bro. Paul Campbell (L) and Bro. Jim Sillars, Sr. (R)
Bro. Julio Diaz in San Francisco Bay, with Bro. Paul Campbell (L) and Bro. Jim Sillars, Sr. (R)
Bro. Julio Diaz with Sis. Marilyn Seagoe
Bro. Julio has finished his courses at the Junior College in Napa now and applied to San Jose State University in San Jose. We heard he has been accepted and will be moving down our way later this year. Then he will be attending our ecclesia, the San Francisco Peninsula Ecclesia. We are looking forward to having him at our meeting. He speaks Spanish and will be helpful in our Spanish Sunday School class and with preaching.
Sis. Marilyn Seagoe, (San Francisco, USA)
