Some new info (#17)

I haven't had a chance to update Jeff's blog. I only have one pending blog, but I thought I would provide some information that I have gathered from some of Jeff's letters I have received over the past couple of weeks.

As you may have read about previously in this blog, when Jeff initially entered the camp, one of his main concerns and prayers was that he would find a person with whom he could pray, trust, and just share his fears, concerns, joys, etc. that those of us on the "outside" take for granted. I do not recall if Jeff wrote about how inmates generally are very private people. There are a few reasons for this. First, they are surrounded by convicted criminals. Some are in for failing to pay child support (like Jeff's current prayer partner Tim), while the vast majority are in there for drug related offenses. Nevertheless, the culture is one of trickery and manipulation of other inmates. Second, the inmates are dynamic in that they all have varying sentences and could be moved to another institution at any time. They are property of the bureau of prisons, and they must adjust to being chattel of the government. Again, you may recall me writing about Michael Santos. He was moved to Taft because they thought he was "conducting a business" from prison, which is prohibited. Third is just the fact that these are all men, who don't open up and share their feelings very easily.

Anyway, my point in all this is that God provided Jeff a prayer partner very early on in his sentence in Tim. Tim, as I mentioned, was sentenced to Taft for failing to pay child support. However, Tim leaves Taft in Jan. '08. Obviously a few months away yet, but Jeff was going to lose his prayer partner. Recently, however, a strange development occurred up on Oregon at a Federal Prison Camp. The guards were bringing in contraband to the camp prisoners at the Sheridan camp. So, in order to prevent this, locals were assigned or moved to different camps. A guy named Doug who lives in Oregon was sent to Taft (I do not know the nature of the offense - but Jeff told me that he turned himself into the FBI over the situation). It turns out that Doug was an elder in his church in Newberg, Oregon (which is about 30 minutes from where I live in Portland), has a similar education and background as Jeff, and is also interested in finding a prayer partner. Jeff and Doug have been walking around the rec yard and Jeff has said that he enjoys Doug's company very much. One thing that Jeff can cling to with Doug is that he was sentenced to 33 months. So, Doug's release date will fall shortly after Jeff's, which will provide Jeff with the consistency in a prayer partner that he wanted, not to mention a guy that he can confide in and share with. Jeff and Tim will still pray together, but they will add Doug as well.

There is more to this story about Jeff's church if you read the previous blog, and I believe that is the subject of Jeff's blog that I will update shortly.

Oh, Jeff's son, Connor, has his birthday on Sept. 13. So, keep Jeff in your prayers as this is the first of a few birthdays that he will miss of his kids.

Scott