Providing Hope Prayer Letter

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

2009-10-24T05:12:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of our Wilkes-Barre fundraising banquet program-it was a great time, well attended. Thanks one and all who sponsored us, participated, who came, our speaker Pastor Jim Law. His message was a challenging one, that God is raising up an army for Himself out of the prisons, and we need to be the mentors and helpers for those preparing to come out into the world. Thank to those as well who signed up to be volunteers. We need many hands to accomplish this task.

This season is definitely our most busy time of the year. We have several projects running concurrently, the inmate gift bag collection, the Christmas Angel project, the Hazleton banquet coming up Nov. 6th and a new fundraising effort, a Barnes & Noble bookfair. The bookfair is happening November 15. We need folks to come and buy books, encourage friends, family and church family to come, and we need gift-wrappers. Barnes & Noble hosts hundreds of bookfairs a year for every type of group and non-profit organization imaginable. They will provide us with everything we need to make the day a success, but we cannot do it without your help. If you want vouchers or would like to help with gift-wrapping, please call Sue at 570-735-8109. Or with the inmate gift bag or Christmas Angel project.

And we have a great blessing in Pastor Jim Wilbur, who has agreed to serve as our head chaplain for Providing Hope. Jim is well-qualified, having served in prison ministry for many years. We are so grateful to God to have such a wonderful ministry team in place in the prison, and we are believing for great things.

One final note-I was reading my daily scripture entry, which happened to be the passage in the book of Acts about Cornelius, the righteous centurion, and Peter dreaming about the unclean animals. God told Peter that anything He has pronounced clean is indeed clean. Peter understood that God is no respecter of persons and was, thankfully, obedient to the call to bring faith to the Gentiles. If I have learned any lesson from prison ministry, it is that very thing. God is no respecter of persons-He works as mightily in a jail cell as He does in the church. We need to be like Peter and heed this call regardless of our own prejudices, and I can tell you mine were great before my own son was "one of those". God bless you for your wonderful service to the least of His children.

Blessings in this upcoming holiday season,
Sue Obaza

Fall Update

2009-08-31T03:58:00.000-07:00

Inmate Gift Bag Assembly 2008

Monday, August 31, 2009

It's time to update the blog for the Fall. I see signs all around me that summer has passed. Moms and kids are out buying new clothes, getting haircuts, making appointments and preparing for the coming school year which for most starts today. For Providing Hope Ministries, we swing into what is the busiest season of the year for us in terms of fundraising. Our volunteer banquet is just around the corner. That event is happening Tuesday, September 15th at the Old Country Buffet in Wilkes-Barre. Please remember to pray for our volunteers. Some have left the ministry, many continue on, but right now we have reached the maximum allowed inside the jail. We praise God that as many come and go as they do, but it is hard work, often discouraging and we can't afford to lose one precious person dedicated to prison ministry.

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Please also as ever and even more, pray for our chaplains and board members. Right now Fran, our faithful and wonderful chaplain to female inmates, is taking a leave of absence to search out God's will for her life at this time. Join with her in prayer please. She has done a fantastic job in the jail and is well-loved by the inmates. Our new female chaplain, Heather Winters, is helping to fill in the void. She also is just going above and beyond the call of duty to cover every detail at the jail and has a difficult learning curve. Chaplain Tom Winiarczyk has needed to cut back his hours and is changing his ministry focus. New male chaplains Andy and Jim are working together to create the most effect schedule and coverage with the male inmate population. It is a daunting task and every single day is challenging.

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Without chaplains and volunteers there would be no Providing Hope.Our two fall banquets remain at the same locations, The Knights of Columbus in Luzerne (Oct. 16th) and Faith Assembly Church in Hazleton (Nov. 6th). Please pray that our banquets are successful. So much work goes into planning and the third ingredient in having a thriving ministry is financial support. We also need new people to serve on our board. As much goes on outside the jail as it does inside. And of course our Christmas Angel program and the inmate gift bag collection are both in the preparation stages. Doesn't seem possible but along with school starting comes the thought of Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation. It will be here before we know it.

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Suffice it to say that we need everyone to pray. We especially need the support of local congregations and people in them to use their gifts and talents to help the ministry. The world doesn't think much of inmates. Our current terrible situation in Luzerne County with so much corruption and wrong-doing only makes public opinion was worse. Jesus has called us to be salt and light. It isn't the taxpayer's job to do God's work. Please consider how you may be His hand and feet in this world, and maybe in this ministry.

Blessings for a prosperous and busy fall season,

Sue Obaza

Summer update

2009-06-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

(Bill Erdman, Carol Fronczek, Meg Weaver, Barb Giordano

and Nita Sarnak are pictured)

The above photo is a shot from our Corrections Appreciation Day. We thank our faithful volunteers and those who assisted, brought food, helped to set up, serve and clean up. It was a successful day. Thanks for your prayers.

Thanks also for prayers regarding new chaplains at LCCF. We now have three very qualified people, Heather Winters for the females, and Jim Wilbur and Andy Iorio for the male inmates. Please continue to pray for these new folks and Fran and Tom. It takes real effort to put together schedules, cover as many shifts in the prison as possible and keep all the programs running with volunteers. Heather has been a long time volunteer. Jim is a pastor and experienced counselor and prison chaplain. Andy ran Celebrate Recovery at Cross Creek Church for 5 years, and had been instrumental in starting a 12 step program in the prison already. Tom needs prayer regarding change in employment and Fran keeps busy all the time. Pray also for our advisory board. Many people wear several different hats. We need new folks there as well.

Our summer 2009 newsletter is coming out shortly, and it contains our first banquet sign up sheet. Pray for many people to sign up, become table sponsors, and get excited about serving in this rewarding but difficult ministry. We've lost some very dedicated people to life changes and retirement. If you're not on our mailing list, please e-mail your address to us.

We are grateful to have part of our board back from a missions trip to Nicaragua. You'll have to get the newsletter to get the full scoop, but it was a remarkable journey. We thank God we have our board back together!

Have a blessed summer. Thank you for your prayers, gifts and faithful love.

Sue Obaza

Administrative Assistant

Providing Hope Ministries

Corrections Appreciation Day

2009-05-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hello volunteers and prayer partners-just a reminder! This Wednesday, May 6th, all day, is our Corrections Appreciation Day cook-out at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre. We need your prayers that the day is a nice one, as the event is outside, and we could always use volunteers to help cook and clean up. We get started at around 7:30 am and go all day until around the same time at night serving the COs, staff and employees of LCCF.

Also, please continue to pray for new Providing Hope staff in the jail. Candidates for the chaplain position have been interviewed and considered. Pray for a right fit. Our head chaplain, Tom Winiarczyk, has had to cut back his hours due to a job change, but we are grateful that he is still able to be in the jail and continue to head up the chaplaincy staff. Also this month the Providing Hope board has a policy meeting with Clair Weaver. Pray regarding issues of operation that need to be cleared up are cleared up and that our board will be poised to grow and change in the coming years.

Thank you for your faithfulness!

Sue Obaza

Administrative Assistant

Providing Hope Ministries

Some things lost, some gained

2009-03-14T07:11:00.001-07:00

Changes are happening within the Luzerne County prison system and with the ministry. Luzerne County Correctional Facility hired a new warden, Joseph Piazza, a 33-year veteran of the state prison system. He replaces Gene Fischi, whose troubled watch included the escape of Hugo Selinski. Providing Hope Ministry is also losing some faithful servants-Pastor Steve Lake, and Chaplain Julie Markle, both retiring from the ministry due to health reasons. They will be sorely missed. Another faithful servant, Percy Love, connected with the Gideons, who supply LCCF with free Bible, passed away recently. Please pray for the new warden, that he continues to cooperate with Providing Hope, and takes on a very daunting task as warden of the jail. Pray for health and God's continued leading for Steve and Julie, and comfort for the Love family at this difficult time.

Our next project, the Corrections Appreciation Day, will be a good opportunity to show good will and hopefully put our best foot forward for the new warden and many new CO's in the jail. Please pray for pleasant weather, many volunteers, a clean-up crew, and an abundance of good food. This will take place Wednesday, May 6th, on the prison grounds. If you want to help please write to the e-mail address.

Half of our Advisory Board (Carol Fronczek, Guy and Barb Giordano, Fran Fink) team is soon to be leaving for a missions trip to Nicaragua. Please pray for safe travel, protection as they labor for the Lord and the people of Central America, many opportunities to share the love of Christ and the Good News, and a safe return home. We cannot afford to lose a single precious member of our awesome board and our female chaplain.

Pray for community outreach projects and fund raising efforts. My husband and I had a chance to address the Pittston Rotary Club and share the Providing Hope DVD. The members were very receptive and interested in helping out with ministry projects. There are 11 Rotary Clubs in the Valley. We also hope to put the "fun" in fundraising as we look into a Friendly's Day-a percentage of profits from any individuals or families who have a meal at Friendlys on a scheduled day will go to Providing Hope. And also a voucher day at Barnes and Noble. Pray for good ideas, more givers, more opportunity to share the vision and resources of Providing Hope.

Pray also for our Chaplain Tom, who like the Pony Express riders, never seems stopped by anything when it comes to ministry. Pray for God to bless his family and his ability to take care of all of his many responsibilities.

Thank you so much and may the Lord bless you for your faithfulness,
Sue Obaza
Administrative Assistant
Providing Hope

Springing into action!

2009-02-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

Hello praying friends of Providing Hope,

The year started off with a bang for us, specifically getting more bang out of a buck. We had our budget meeting in January and are set to be better stewards of God's gracious provision. It is a hard time for many people with lay-offs happening every day, the economy sluggish and all of us wondering when will things get better? But we can never stop working and trusting that in good times or lean, God's promises are true. The Luzerne Foundation graced us through the Logos Fund. An individual donor honored a beloved parent and gave part of her inheritance to Providing Hope.

And then in February, we began to look at the coming year and to plan projects. Our CO Appreciation Day is coming quickly, May 6th. The National Day of Prayer follows right on the heels of that event, May 7th. We feel we as Christians need to make a statement, especially in Luzerne County, that we look to the Lord and honor Him as Lord of our nation, our ministry, our lives. And even before any of this there is a pastor's breakfast and prison tour. We continue to show our DVD to area churches and civic groups. Scripture says that "without knowledge (or vision) a people will perish." Providing Hope exists to bring knowledge to our community about a group of people that few hear about or think about directly, except in the context of yet another drug-related crime, DUI, shooting...we have to know our territory, the real needs and the enemy's workings. That all people may come to the knowledge of the truth on both sides of the razor wire-this is the reason we labor on.

Please pray for favor for us. Public opinion about anyone involved in the judicial process is at an all-time low due to recent scandals. We need financial support like never before. We need the church to rise up and tear down the enemy's strongholds in our communities. Christians are really the only people who understand the true battle and the stakes have never been higher. I would ask specifically for prayer for our front line folks, the staff at Jubilee, our chaplains, volunteers and board members. It's impossible to be involved and not get hit. Job issues, health issues, spiritual attacks, the wear and tear of seeing lives and families ripped apart by substance abuse, crime, sin, the strain of trying to do so much with so little. It's not an easy place to serve.

We do look forward to 2009 with anticipation, however, and know God is able. And give us His ability to work on and fight on.

Blessings to you all,

Sue Obaza

Administrative Assistant, volunteer, prison mom

Providing Hope Ministries

Looking Ahead in 2009

2008-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

Well, we made it. Another year gone by, and Providing Hope is still here. My New Year's resolution is to be regular with this prayer blog, more consistent and constant in my duties with the ministry, and more prayerful. One issue has dogged me, and I was reminded of it in Sunday's sermon and again Sunday night on some program my husband was watching-actually a born-again rabbi. We tend to lose confidence if everything we are and everything we do is not rooted and grounded in Christ. Our pastor gave us seven keys for spiritual success, and that was one of them, being secure in Christ. The rabbi said that if we move from our own insecurities, we quickly fall back to old habits and wrong ways of thinking that make us feel secure in our own strength, which is ultimately a lie. "I can't do my job right", "It's too hard", "This ministry will never be successful", "We can't, we won't, it's impossible..." But with God, nothing is. One of the female inmates in my 12 step admitted honestly all she wants to do is go back to her old habit as soon as she leaves. She loves the substance that makes her feel good, or at least makes her not feel bad. I understand that. We all have those things that make us feel "not bad". But our pastor reminded us-we dream far too small or not at all. We allow ourselves to be limited, not God. We are content with substitutes for the real thing, which is Christ. He never stops being The Way, The Truth, The Life.

Well, a major shout out to all of those volunteers, chaplains and board members who worked so hard at the end of the year to make our banquets and Christmas ministry projects a success. I was told we had the best and fastest crew out to put together inmate gift bags (more than 800). Thanks to Tilly Weaver for making the Christmas Angel program such a success, and Carol and Tilly for working together for our banquets. Thanks to Chaplains Tom, Fran, Julie and Chris for their hard work every day of every week in the jail and all of you who work unseen and unnoticed to help do God's work in this difficult ministry. A huge thanks to the folks at Jubilee, our parent organization, who literally put up with us as a growing child.

Our biggest need this year is to know what God wants for the ministry. We are in need in every direction, too few people doing too much. We need more diverse sources of income. We need more board members and volunteers for projects. We need those who will pray for us, for the ministries in place, for inmates and those going outside and their families. The needs are enormous and unending. The prison population in America is only growing. One special effort we need prayer for is our DVD project. We're looking to get this Providing Hope DVD shown in area churches-it's a wonderful tool explaining the ministry by showing what goes on inside and through the testimony of current and former inmates. The inmates themselves speak more eloquently than we ever could-congregation members, talk to your pastors about having Providing Hope come to your church!

If you would like to serve, have a prayer request, ideas for the ministry or anything you would like to communicate, Providing Hope now has an official e-mail address, phministries@hotmail.com. If you write I will answer. One of my goals as a Providing Hope administrative assistant is to communicate more effectively with volunteers, supporting churches and our community at large. This is without a doubt a group effort.

Many blessings in the coming year,
Sue Obaza
Administrative Assistant, volunteer and blogger
Providing Hope Ministries

October Update

2008-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am terribly remiss in keeping up this prayer letter blog. I will try to improve as the months go by. October and November are crucial months for Providing Hope Ministry. The Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton Prison Banquets are scheduled in these months. The Wilkes-Barre Banquet was held last Friday the 17th at the Knights of Columbus building in Luzerne. The keynote speaker was John Plucenik of The Ark Ministries, and our promotional DVD, created by Pastor Gideon Gaetano, was premiered for the first time to the banquet audience. Tilly Weaver was the hostess and banquet planner. She had a Christmas tree on display with names of inmate families participating in this year's Christmas Angel program. The tables were decorated with PHM balloons anchored with horseshoes. The dining room was truly beautiful, the food delicious, and after dinner worship was provided by Pastor Gaetano, his wife Robin and Lora Troy and Rick LeSoyne. Our sincere thanks to all banquet table sponsors, givers and attenders! Please pray that the seeds sown at this event with grow into further ministry opportunities in the coming year. The Hazleton Banquet is coming up on November 7th. Please pray for equal success in fundraising and ministry awareness. Pray also for churches to follow up by inviting Providing Hope in to present our DVD and speak about the ministry.

The other yearly dinner Providing Hope puts on is the volunteer banquet. This was held September 16th at the Old Country Buffet, East End Center. It, too, was a huge success, a great time of seeing most of our 40-something volunteers in one place, and celebrating the joy of service. Worship was provided by Jesse Fink, Kathy Van Horn and myself (Sue Obaza). Chaplain Tom Winiarczyk hosted the event, which included testimonies, games, wonderful food as always and recognition of some very special long time volunteers and workers behind the scenes. Providing Hope logo shirts were passed out to everyone who requested a shirt. We have almost outgrown the private dining room at OCB, so hopefully next year it will be time to find a new venue! Please continue to pray for all volunteers and for more to come on board. There are ministry opportunities going unmet because we lack the laborers.

Upcoming events include gift bags to inmates and the Christmas Angel program, so December proves to be equally busy. Once again your prayers are coveted for the success of these programs, which are one of the few ways tangible goods can be directly given to inmates and their children.

Further Requests from Chaplain Tom

2008-08-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

These requests come with a reminder to please be discreet. Chaplain Tom asks for prayer for the salvation of several COs in the prison who have been asking questions about spiritual matters:

C/O Lentz
C/O Beecham
C/O Newton
C/O Bonning

These are the men and women who directly influence the lives of the inmates in their charge. I think of the jailer who took care of Paul and Silas in prison and whose household came to Christ due to the example of two sold out Christians serving God in that dark place.

Also, a praise-Cara, a former inmate and the first resident of the maternity home, His Resting Place, had her baby, a girl named Serenity. Please continue to pray for the welfare and future of both mother and child.

Thank You Card

2008-08-24T02:46:00.000-07:00

This card was sent to Providing Hope from the James Rosencrans family in reply to well wishes from the ministry. Continue to pray for James.

Requests from Chaplain Tom

2008-08-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

Here are more requests for prayer from inmates:

Chris's mom who has asthma
James to go home tomorrow
Ben's friend Marie who has cancer
Philip whose parents are in the hospital and nursing home
Jiaccone's family to grow stronger
Larry prays for men to be real men
Anthony prays for a Godly focus
Greg asks for prayer to keep his family and fiance strong and for God's protection, deliverance,
return home
Riccardo asks prayer for his children, fiance, and fiance's mom who has cancer
Anthony to accept the changes that God wants to make in his life and live with those changes

P.S.

2008-08-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder-if you want to post a comment, which you can do by clicking on the word "comment" at the bottom of the letter, you have to be registered with blogger. There is a "sign in" at the top right of the screen and you need to create an account which allows you to post. You can post anonymously, you do not have to have your own blog, but you do need an e-mail address to sign up. If you choose not to do that but still want to comment, write to the e-mail address on the right and I will post your comments. Sue

August 2008 Providing Hope Prayer Letter

2008-08-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all visitors to this blog page and those interested in praying for the needs of Providing Hope Ministry. This is our first official prayer letter post, and once again I would invite anyone connected with Providing Hope who has personal or ministry needs that they would like to share and have prayed over who has not done so, to post this entry or use the e-mail address on the right hand side of the page. There are continual needs so please always remember to pray for:

Chaplains Tom Winiarczyk, Fran Fink, Julie Markle, and the latest staff edition, Chris Pelton.
They are the "frontline" team who make everything else come together in terms of ministry.
Pray for God's blessing in their lives and their families, His wisdom in doing the work they are
called to do, protection and strength to meet the challenges of prison ministry.
Volunteers in the jail and behind the scenes-some specific requests there include healing for
Pastor Steve Lake, Carol Plaskon and Gladys Hadsel's sister Mary Lee and friend, Annette.
We also have new additions to the volunteer team, Linda Harding, Casey McGrory and Carol
Fronczek, who has done a wonderful job organizing events and is now "inside".
Prison staff-the many COs who help to make ministry possible, office workers, case workers,
healthcare staff and administrators who allow Providing Hope to exist. Luzerne County
Correctional Facility has suffered some very bad press for some time. But God continues
to work there changing lives, both inmates and staff alike. Pray for continued opportunities,
favor and protection for everyone involved in the day to day running of the jail.
Jubilee Ministries-our parent organization and the wonderful staff that oversees our inner
workings-Clair Weaver, Heidi Boley, Carol Myers, Fern (my Jubilee twin) and so many
others that staff the many ministries Jubilee runs and funds.
Inmates-the needs are so great. Sometimes it seems like the wisdom of Solomon is not
sufficient to assist this men and women whose lives are in such turmoil. But God is working
and their lives are being changed. Pray for inmates to give their lives to Christ, to be willing
to work at recovery and healing, for aftercare and safety as they return back to society and
peace as they fulfill their obligations inside.
Aftercare Ministries-the many and varied rehabs, safe houses, Christian recovery programs,
shelters, privately run homes and places of refuge for ex-inmates. His Resting Place is a
newly opened maternity homing already housing three pregnant women in need. Ruth's
Place in Wilkes-Barre, the women's shelter, is undergoing changes. Teen Challenge is
great ministry that we'd like to see closer to home. Pray for dedicated workers to continue
and not grow weary in well-doing, for more hands to assist and the community at large to
embrace and not shun these efforts to help ex-offenders return to society healthy.

I know I've forgotten so many people and ministries connected with Providing Hope, but these are the main ones. Some activities that really need to be lifted up in prayer, and assisted with:

1. Our volunteer dinner and PH banquets coming up in September and October.
2. Christmas gift bags for inmates and the Christmas Angel program.
3. Providing Hope church presentations and the making of a DVD to promote the ministry.
4. Our newsletter, which goes out quarterly and is one of the few mass mailings we do.
5. Taking on new volunteers for openings in jail ministry and to help with projects.

Prayers are all important for these efforts to be done at all and properly. Please send the blog address to anyone you know that would be a prayer warrior for Providing Hope. We are trying to pair mentors with inmates-I'd love to see "pray-ers" paired up with them, too.

Thank you and God bless you,
Susan Obaza
Administrative Assistant and volunteer
Providing Hope Ministry

First Run

2008-06-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is a test blog to get things started. There will be at least a monthly posted letter containing the prayer concerns of Providing Hope. Please feel free to read, pray, print out the entries and even post a comment or share your own prayer needs through the e-mail address on the site. If you want to leave a comment, you will need to register with Blogger. This does not mean you have to create a blog, but you do need to register an existing e-mail, password and username. And if you have a blog that relates to prison ministry, mention it and it will be added to the links list. Jubilee Ministries is the parent organization for Providing Hope. Check out their link! God bless.