My name is Dot McEntire and I have a jail ministry given to me by God, under the direction of my church, First Baptist of Anderson, Missouri. I have been blessed in many ways while ministering to the women in our county jail.

There are two other women also involved in this jail ministry. They are Judith George from my church and Linda Lang from First Baptist Chruch of Pineville, Missouri.

We deeply felt the need to respond to cries rising from the suffering, isolation and despair of women in our county jail and those in prison. We felt those pitiful cries could not be ignored and that's when God planted His call in our heart.

When we first started this ministry there was an eighteen year old mother of a three week old baby in jail. She was in jail for forgery and desperately needed prayers and support. There have been many more like her who struggle with questions and problems that come with poverty, ignorance and jail time. If you are poor and in trouble, you can count on a long jail term (possibility prison too). Only the more affluent are able to get out on bond and hire a decent lawyer.

You may say, "They have access to a free county lawyer who is court appointed and that's more than they deserve". Our county lawyers serve hundreds of prisoners and has little or no time to take into consideration the personal situations of these women. We all deserve to be in prison... Yes, even the best of us! Yet, we expect God to have mercy on us and not give us the punishment we deserve.

Now, I'm not a bleeding heart liberal who thinks anyone who gives a sob story should go free. However, I do believe each person, no matter what they have done, deserves to be treated with dignity. Our county jail has two cells with one bunk-bed in each cell. That means when there are more than four women in jail, one of them has to sleep on a pallet on the floor. Several times there has been anywhere from eight to twelve women in the jail at once. Is this how we should treat those who are awaiting trial - treated guilty until proven innocent?

They have no privacy when they use the bathroom (not even a privacy screen) and there is no window to the outside. They rarely get a chance to breath fresh air... and if one of these women happens to be NOT GUILTY but in jail until proven innocent... they are treated the same!

What if it were your daughter? Even the guilty deserves hope and dignity. The terrorist are treated much better in the prison system we have for them than the women in our county jail. I don't know this for sure, but I suspect it's the same in most county jails.

Thank God we have a sheriff who cares about these women and tries his best to hire people who will not mistreat them. Most jails in the USA are not so fortunate. We need a new jail and our Sheriff is campaigning for one, but it's up to the voters and I wonder when and if it's going to happen.

When you enter a jail with incarcerated women who have little, or no hope (with their dignity taken away)... you can offer them something they would probably never have thought about outside of jail. You can offer Jesus, who IS the key to open the door of hope in their heart.

If you have ever considered getting involved in a jail ministry then let me give you a bit of encouragement.

You should get involved because of the Great Commission from Jesus...

Some of the most powerful words Jesus gave us are found in Matthew 25:31-46.
"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, OR IN PRISON, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

You should get involved because of the
great Commandment from Jesus...
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died" (2 Corinthians 5:14, NIV).
"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself"' (Matthew 22:39).

One of your neighbors is the one in prison.

You should get involved because God forgave you and He commands us to have compassion on others
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God"
(2 Corinthians 1:3,4).

Below are links to many pages you may want to visit. Click on the sitemap to start your journey.

SITEMAP

Below is a link to our church, First Baptist Church of Anderson, Missouri. The link opens in a new window you may click out of to come back here.

ANDERSON FIRST BAPTIST