One Day With God
By Jody Griffin
Avery and Mitchell County
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,8 provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8 KJV)
Typically, around this time of year, this column is used to give witness to the incredible miracles of God that have taken place through the One Day With God Camps sponsored by Forgiven Ministry. Since I have been privileged to serve as Chaplain here at Avery Mitchell Correctional Institution we have rejoiced in holding this event annually and in seeing some incarcerated men and their children spend an entire day together within the walls. It is always a day filled with nonstop laughter, fun, a delicious meal, but MOST importantly with the wonderful message of the Love of our Heavenly Father expressed in Jesus Christ.
Due to the pandemic, this year we have not been able to have a Camp. But we are NOT giving up on 2021! Instead, we are taking this opportunity to prepare and to gather resources so that whenever the time arrives that we are allowed, we will be ahead of the game!
YOU can help us by sponsoring a child ($175.00 for the day) or by making any sized donation to:
Forgiven Ministry (c/o AMCI Camp Fund)
200 Macedonia Church Road
Taylorsville NC 28681
They are on Facebook if you want to look them up!
(Donations can also be sent to Chaplain Jody Griffin, 600 Amity Park Road, Spruce Pine, NC 28777. Again, please put AMCI ODWG Camp Fund in the Memo section!)
Please understand that this appeal is being made in response to God’s inspiration of the proverbial wisdom above. With life somewhat slowed by restricted movement and access for the usual hustle and bustle of ministry, Chaplains are still faithfully working daily to provide for the spiritual needs of offenders and staff but we are also seeking to use any additional time to build up resources for our special ministries provided to our population throughout the year.
Hopefully, whenever the day comes that we can welcome volunteers back into our institutions, we will be able to have a FULLY funded Camp! If we can achieve this goal, then we will not have to wait until funding is solicited because we will be already able to begin the coordination needed to make this incredible day happen!
Children will have time to play, sing, and celebrate the gift of a day filled with the Blessings of God and share that day with their incarcerated father! Dads spend time preparing for the day by getting a class on Biblical Fatherhood and are challenged to plan for the day in ways that will help them make the most of it.
Please prayerfully consider making a tax refundable contribution as outlined above! It will truly be a day filled with joy as lives are touched and changed! And it will be a Day of Blessings for the most vulnerable little ones, those who through no fault of their own are navigating the trials of life without their Daddy.
God Bless You for helping to make this Day possible, and especially for helping us fund our Camp fully before we ever even get it scheduled! And thank you for helping these difficult days of pandemic be productive ones as we plan for the earliest possible time we can to host a Camp again!
(Estimated total cost of the Camp is $9000.00 which includes gifts for the children, all of the food and snacks, craft supplies, games, special entertainment like clowns, sports demonstrations by real professionals, a backpack with school supplies and much, much more!)
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Jody Griffin is pastor of Central Baptist Church in Spruce Pine and Community Funded Chaplin at Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution. If you would like more information contact him at joseph.griffin@ncdps.gov.
You can read more good news from Jody HERE.
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