Cecelia Whitfield gave the following story as part of the sermon at North United Methodist Church.
In June of 1988 was one of the happiest days of my life, our son was finally graduating from Chatard High School.
By August 1988 he was facing 40 years of prison time. That joy and happiness had left. I began to detach myself from my pain an turn my needs to deeds. My daughter and I began visiting another young man in prison and people started to ask us for rides
Finally after months of being asked the same questions “can we ride with you?”, I asked the question to them, “does this state offer transportation to the prisons?” The answer was “NO.”
So the LORD spoke to my heart to start a prison shuttle bus service for people like me, the hidden victims or the forgotten victims.
I told my mother about it and also told her I only graduated from High school, and really didn’t know what to do or how to do it. She said to me “Use What You’ve Got.” I have Jesus, Faith, Grace, and Love. I named the ministry UWYGM.
Realizing we are giving families, friends, and the returning-home-citizens hope, showing the love of god and the Grace of God that crosses all barriers of race, culture, education, and gender. It hasn’t been easy fulfilling a vision that God has given you to do. One of the reasons is that not all people understand the needs of people who are hurting. Why do some people turn to drugs, or why do some people keep going to prison? It’s hard for people to know the pain that some of these people have gone through in their young life or as small children. All of us handle problems, fear, and pain differently.
Knowing “But For the Grace of God, there go I.”
I have had to walk by faith for 22 years, not knowing where the money or resources would come from.
Because of Grace and Mercy we can provide transportation for families and friends of inmates to 13 different prisons. We provide family advocacy to families and returning-home-citizens, sharing resources and support to help US when we need it the most.
We have a women’s retreat taking hurt women away for a weekend to help give them vision and hope for their children and loved-ones in prison. We have a Christmas party for the children with incarcerated parents. After 22 years of service, UWYGPM still shows the love of Jesus Christ to the hidden victims, the families of the incarcerated.
God is always doing a new thing. Changes are always happening in our world, our lives, and all of us.
One of the reasons for my passion for UWYGPM is that most of my life has been ups and downs. I am still in need of support because of my own son’s substance abuse problem and many other problems. I was raised in church by a God fearing mother. Another reason is that I believe that people can experience God’s love, grace, and support through understanding people.