TJJD News & Announcements

Coggin Church led Vacation Bible School for 50 youth at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex during the last week of July.  This is the 4th year for them to sponsor this particular event.  Eighteen volunteers attended to assist with all the activities. Many were members of Coggin, while some were volunteers from various other churches in the area. Lynn Humeniuk, wife of the former Ron Jackson Superintendent Dan Humeniuk, expressed her excitement. “Not many people volunteer to work with incarcerated youth.  This VBS was a tremendous blessing as it was clear the students were open to hear the gospel message.  They were engaged, inquisitive and it was inspiring to be able to spend time with them at the Ron Jackson facility!” The students arrived at 8 each morning for a time of worship and fun. Ricky Cavitt, Coggin Church’s youth pastor, introduced the volunteers and kicked off the day’s activities with a few games and a word of encouragement in the chapel...

GIDDINGS, Texas – “Fill the Gap” was the theme for Giddings State School’s second Bill Glass Behind the Walls event held on Feb. 9. For the opening act, a two-man dance group named M.A.D.N.E.S.S. entertained the students. The group’s quirky humor and inspiring stories of finding faith drew the youth’s full attention. The group wrapped up with a heartfelt rap about God, faith, and staying strong on their paths. The keynote presenter was Keith Davis, ex-NFL defensive back for the New York Giants who also played with USC in two Rose Bowl championships. Davis, who lives in Dallas, used stories from his own childhood and from playing football to teach youth about faith and finding God. Davis expertly used the reference “fill the gap,” which is frequently used in football for defensive plays, to teach youth that they have to fill their own gap and they should do so by believing and trusting that God will help them find their way. Davis also wowed the audience with feats of strength inc...

FORT WORTH, Texas – For the 65th Annual National Day of Prayer, Willoughby House’s special guest was Reverend Kathy Mack. Reverend Mack met with the youth and discussed how prayer can be essential, especially during the times that we’re living in. She gave a very interactive presentation, providing youth an opportunity to speak openly. Several youth reached out to Reverend Mack regarding areas of their lives that were troubling them and creating barriers, asking for her help to have peace within themselves. Willoughby House Superintendent Diane Eunice said, “It was such a moving presentation. One youth even stated that having National Day of Prayer should take place all year long, rather than just once a year! The youth have been dropping their prayers in the prayer box that was provided for them and Reverend Mack was able to acknowledge their prayers. Although our youth are from various religious backgrounds, they were open to learning about prayer and how it can be individualized...

Chaplain Rachel Ellington from the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Facility in Brownwood created a blog to share her experiences and reflections from her day to day interactions with youth at the facility. The following is an excerpt from her blog regarding the observance of National Day of Prayer, earlier this month. BROWNWOOD, Texas – None of us have the answers we want. We all crave to understand why things happen the way they do, the way we don’t want them to, the way they always have. The National Day of Prayer is a day that was set aside in 1775, before the United States was even a nation. The founding fathers knew that we didn’t have the answers, but prayer was the solution. This year, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department knew this as well. Every state school (the politically correct term for maximum security juvenile detention center) was tasked with proving that prayer still works. On May 4th, all five institutions participated in this incredible event where staff...

EL PASO, Texas – Schaeffer House youth were inspired to work with Seed For His Harvest Ministries and New Harvest Christian Academy for their Youth Global Service Day project. This academy serves as a school for children under a faith-based foundation and also serves as food distribution location held every month. Students, staff, and volunteers prepare bags of various food items and then hand them out to families who are in difficult economic situations. This location was in need of a paint job, so Schaeffer youth jumped straight to work. The youth painted rooms, and brightened up the area with various color schemes and cleaned up the area. They also assisted in the food distribution that day, carrying food items for people and preparing the bags of food. The youth’s work made a difference for the organization, for hundreds of El Paso-area families, and for all the students at the school!