Queen of Prison Ministry
by Virginia Haynes
Religious Editor, Tyler County Booster
Last year we challenged the students of Tyler County to decide on some goals, have something definite to shoot for, to dream big and work toward that specific target.
Recently I came across someone who had written some goals,
and had set such high standards that I have not seen in a long time. Chaplain
Maness introduced me to Ms. Gertha Rogers, and how I was Wowed; came away from
that meeting with a new respect for women ministers, especially for ‘The Queen
of Prison Ministry’ as Chaplain lovingly refers to her.
Check out goals like this: Establish homes for ex-offenders when they are released from prison; Network with businesses to establish working contracts to hire or assist in hiring ex-offenders; provide transportation for unfortunate families of inmates that have no means or money to visit them; establish the means to help ex-offenders earn their GED or to continue their education. Those are a few of the goals being worked towards by JOY Prison Ministry (JPM). It truly is an unusual ministry. JPM works with the belief that God created man to be the wall of his family. To protect, to lead, to pray, to love, to care, to be the Priest of his own family.
Ms. Gertha Rogers is celebrating her 25th year of going behind bars to share God’s and her love with the incarcerated, as well as with their families left behind. In October of 1981, after the death of her husband, Ms. Gertha did not sit and grieve herself to death, but began to seek the Lord to give her a purpose so she would not dwell on her loneliness. While listening to Sis. Minnie Francis on KJOJ radio station reading letters from prisoners, her heart was touched greatly, and before she knew what she had done, Ms. Gertha called Sis. Francis and volunteered to take two men to write to and visit on a regular basis. That initial commitment has blossomed into a life ministry that now provides bi-monthly newsletters, Bible Study materials, prison evangelism at various TDC units, and family counseling ministry, among other assistance to those behind bars.
Ms. Gertha is now well known by prison officials across the State of Texas, respected, and welcomed into their prisons. She was the first woman to visit death row. Her favorite scripture will be no surprise to those familiar with the Bible, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matt 25:35-36 (NIV)
Last week during the community revival on Tuesday evening, two of the inmates from the local Gib Lewis Unit spoke to the congregation. The men shared their experience with the congregation back at Gib Lewis on Sunday morning at their own chapel service, both stating how well they were received and what a blessing it was to them to be in attendance at the revival. These men represent the hope in Christ that Ms. Gertha believes in and preaches about to the men and women doing time in the Texas prisons. She has certainly modeled how to do ‘widowhood,’ and work with goals.
If you would like to know more about JOY Ministries, get in touch with Ms. Gertha Rogers at P. O. Box 7324, the Woodlands, TX 77087.
