2008 - 06 - June
THE Grapevine NEWSLETTER > June 2008
Matthew 25 Ministries, Inc., A Ministry of Prison After-care
P.O. Box 5690, Lake Worth, FL. 33466
Dick & Maggie Witherow
Contact Us | (561) 432-9072
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VOLUNTEER DAY
Saturday May 10th was designated Volunteer Day Okeechobee. Generally the folks in Okeechobee don’t make it to our Spring Banquet, so we had to bring our program to them. Several people did come from West Palm Beach. We shared our vision. Several of our men sang, and Dick gave his testimony. The highlight came when one of our guests gave his heart to Jesus. Tom is 85 years old, and never wanted anything to do with religion, but God in His mercy has now reserved a place in heaven for him.
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LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE
About a year ago we looked at a property in Pahokee that really had potential. It is a self- contained village with 52 small duplex homes; six stand alone homes, two churches, and its own water & sewer treatment plant. We backed away from it then, because our faith just wasn’t up to the $5.5 Million asking price. But, God keeps bringing us back to this property, while at the same time increasing our faith. We are believing He will give us $1 Million in order to seriously negotiate this purchase. In our staff prayer times lately it is apparent that all of us believe we will obtain that property. If you are one of our prayer warriors it’s time to pray specific prayers. Pray that God will give us a minimum of one million dollars. Pray that He will enable us to find favor with the officials in Pahokee, and that we will get the zoning we need.
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FAITH IN ACTION
Our staff member Jan has been in Okeechobee too long. In one of our prayer sessions recently she told God she wanted a “pick-up truck.” When asked why she replied; “So I can go around to nursery’s and ask for donations to landscape Pelican Lake Village.” It is apparent she is really believing God for that property in Pahokee.
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HISTORY REVISITED
A piece of Dick Witherow’s history is the 10 years he served with the recovery ministry known as “The Regeneration Center.” Having been a co-founder of that ministry he has always been interested in its development. While volunteering to teach a weekly class there he has become close friends of the Director Bill Clark. Never the less it came as a complete surprise when Bill asked him to be the key note speaker for their upcoming banquet on June 27th. This ministry that was founded in 1980, has restored many to a life of sobriety and has raised up many men of God over the years. We encourage your support of this vital ministry.
Regeneration Center Benefit Banquet
June 27th 6:30 PM
First Baptist Church
1101 S. Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach, Florida
Reservations Required 561-723-3054
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TESTIMONY
I didn’t graduate from Williams but along an alcohol-strewn path finally I did receive my college degree from Mexico City College. Matters weren’t helped by an inheritance that, if careful, I could live on the interest from the principal. I lived abroad for a few years and finally settled in Key West. I went through my capital during a prolonged period of drugs and alcohol. However, I got married and on the birth of my first son I gave up drinking, drugs, cigarettes and even became a vegetarian. This lasted for 10 years. I revived a newspaper that had gone under and I enjoyed great success with it. By its 10th anniversary it was a highly respected and very profitable newspaper. Later I added two more publications to my little empire. Then what happened? I was very successful, was remarried and had two fine sons, a beautiful home and the respect of my peers. The truth was, however, I felt empty and I had an awful vacuum in my life despite the outward appearance of great success. We’d just completed a six- part series on crack cocaine in my newspaper and on my return from a trip to the Bahamas with my wife I thought I would try a little crack and then write about it. It never happened! For all my involvement in the life of liquor and drugs, I had always managed to walk away from them. This time, no. I became a hopeless addict. I became a sniffling wreck. I was arrested for drugs and given probation. This went on for about eight years. I was in and out of rehabilitation centers. Then I tried a Christian program and I finally received the freedom from the horrifying bondage to crack cocaine. Later I was ordained as a
pastor and became very involved in Christian life. For about five years I was Director of The Regeneration Center a Christian ministry for men with drug and alcohol addictions. At present I have a ministry to Nursing Homes and I go to prison at Belle Glade, FL to facilitate a recovery group there.
My former house is on the market now, I’ve been told, for 1.6 million, and I’m struggling to make it on Social Security. Although I’m not paid for any of my Christian work, I have a fulfilling life and a sense of peace I’ve never had before. As the gospel song puts it: ”I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now!”
Bill Huckel (who along with Frank Merriam) facilitate our Alcoholics Victorious program at Glades Correctional Institution is our:
Prison Ministry Volunteer of the Year
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UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
June 2nd - Chapel Service Martin C.I.
June 15th - Chapel Service Okeec. C. I.
June 17,18 Florida Re-Entry Summit Tallahassee
June 19-21 Gospel Crusade Ministerial
Association Regional Conference.
June 27th – Regeneration Center Banquet
Monday’s – Alcoholics Victorious Meeting Glades C. I. *
Tuesday’s - Anger Management, Okeechobee Jail.
Wednesday’s Sexual Purity Glades C.I. *
* These programs are conducted by volunteers