My name is Scottie Barnes. I wanted to have a very special page on our web site just for you. There is a reason that you are special to me. When I was four years old, I began going to prisons to visit my Daddy. When I was six years old, I was still going to prisons every weekend to visit my Daddy.

I know what it is like to sit in those big rooms and be quiet. There is always someone watching you so you have to be on best behavior. I remember getting so hungry, but there was nothing real good to eat, just crackers.

Sometimes Mom and Dad were not real happy with each other and I wished I could go play. I wished that our family could go for a walk outside, but the rules would not let us. I knew there had to be rules just like at school.

It was always sad to say goodbye even if we were coming back the next week. There were lots of kids like me who had a Mother or Daddy in prison. My prayer every night was: Jesus, please let my Daddy get out of prison and never go back. I did not want my friends to know about my family problems, but I am sure they did.

Daddy did get out, but not for long. When I was a teenager, he went to prison again. Now, I became very angry and thought that he did not love me and my Mother. Now I prayed: Jesus, help my Daddy to come home and to love me.

We all make choices and some of these are not good, so we have to pay a price for wrong choices. My Daddy made wrong choices and had to go to prison. He did not know Jesus and I began to want him to let Jesus into his heart. Many years passed and more times in prisons, but as I kept praying for my Daddy the anger left and I wanted to know Him more. Jesus heard my prayer and my Daddy asked Jesus into his heart. I prayed for 30 years for him to become a Christian.

Jesus is always our best friend who hears us each time we pray. He has a plan for each of us and in that plan is to give our life to Him. He hears and answers all our prayers in the best way. Jesus is never late or too early. I want to tell each of you that you are special and can be something special for Jesus.

Email us with your prayer request and know that Forgiven Ministry loves you. Guess what!! Now, I go into prison all the time telling men and women that God can change their life and make them a new person. Isn't that GREAT!

Jesus loves you and I do too,
Scottie

“When I was about 5 years old my Mommy had to go away. I didn’t know why, but all I knew was that she had to leave and I had to go and stay with my Nana and Papa. While she was gone I was really, really sad...." read Courtney's Story

Here are some books that are fun to read for kids that have a mom or dad in prison.

When Andy's Father Went to Prison
by Martha Hickman

A Trip to the Big House
by Oliver Butterworth

Joey's Visit
by Donna Jones

Just for You -
Children with Incarcerated Parents
by Center for Children with Incarcerated Parents

My Mother and I Are Growing Stronger
by Inez Maury

Two in Every Hundred: A Special Workbook for Children with a Parent in Prison
by Reconciliation, Nashville, TN

I Know How You Feel Because
This Happened To Me
by Center for Children with Incarcerated Parents

This list was found on the Family corrections Network website. Visit their site for more listings:
www.fcnetwork.org

EMAIL: Scottie@forgivenministry.org

Each "One Day with God" camper receives a children's library filled with the items above.  The boxes contain age appropriate  material for the inmate's child.  Through Library of Hope which is located in Colorado Springs, CO. we can equip the children of inmates with wonderful tools to learn and grow in the knowledge of Christ.  Thanks for ministries networking together to make this possible.  Visit the Library of Hope web site.

Jack Barnes, co-founder of Forgiven Ministry is assisted by Fed-Ex employer in unloading the 300 Children's Libraries.  What an exciting day for Forgiven Ministry as ministries assist to make possibe great Christian children's material for "One Day with God" Camps.

No wonder Jack Barnes is smiling as he is knowing that boys and girls will receive a bible, devotional, movie and other things through God's provision. 

What a load and what a blessing to know that children in 9 states will have a Library of material available to them because of the blessings of Children's Libraries God sent to us through Library of Hope and those who partnered  with them to make this possible.  In the background you can see the temporary office of Forgiven Ministry and the enclosed trailer that is filled with everything it takes to do a children's camp behind the walls.