April 7, 2025 • 44 mins
This is part 3 of a 5 part interview series highlighting the amazing work that is happening in Kewanee, Illinois in regards to prison ministry and re-entry initiatives.
Join Omar Calvillo in this compelling episode of Wrong to Strong Chicago, where he speaks with Greta (Gigi) and Ronnie about the transformative power of prison ministry in Kewanee, Illinois. Discover how volunteers from Hill Church and other local ministries help reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals into society, providing spiritual, emotional, and material support. Listen to the impactful stories of redemption, hope, and perseverance as these individuals share their experiences. Learn how initiatives like Finish Well Ministries are creating opportunities for meaningful employment and stable housing, paving the way for a better future. Tune in to witness the amazing journey of going from darkness to light and from wrong to strong.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ronnie (00:00):
we have all these people that, uh, played roles in, uh,
(00:03):
helping these, these brothers,invest.
They invested into them tochange the course of their mind,
to let their criminal history goto, you know, be useful citizens
as, as the Constitution says, torestore useful citizenship.
So their ministries, each one of'em being ministers in their own
right, they don't say they'reministers, but.
Their ministers, and they callthemselves counselors, but
(00:25):
they're ministering becausethey're using the word to talk
to these guys who are coming tohear the word.
And they're getting the word.
And she says, from the motherview, from the administrative
view, uh, from the personalview, from the friend view, you
know, and, and these guys areattentive.
They've been starving.
They're, a lot of people inprison are emotionally starved.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, families left, them,families die off.
(00:48):
Uh, they burn bridges.
And so you got people that don'tknow'em, reaching out.
That olive branch to them.
So it gives'em that, that, thatglimpse of hope, you know, that
man, somebody's concerned andthen they have, they have that
opportunity to don't blow it.
Yeah.
You know, and then they, they,they, they tune up and they walk
a right line.
So I witnessed this in a lot oftimes and they witness it a lot
(01:09):
of times.
So I'm just proud of whatthey've done.
I, I moved off in my life, justcoming home, so I stepped this
way.
They're continuously buildingand from the little thing we
started of grabbing thatminister's arm mm-hmm.
They got, they got buildings.
They're buying buildings, andthey're buying cars and they're
buying.
So, hey, God bless'em.
Mm-hmm.
Omar (01:44):
From the city of Chicago, a city most recently known for
its crime and violence.
On this podcast, we will besharing stories of redemption
from individuals raised in thetough streets of Chicago and
from around the country.
Some of them were gang members,drug dealers, incarcerated
victims, and perpetrators ofviolence.
(02:05):
Listen to my guests as theyshare their experiences,
struggles, trauma, but also thestrength, Hope, faith and
perseverance.
These have developed in them tokeep pushing and moving forward
in life.
Tune in to hear how their liveshave gone from darkness to light
and from wrong to strong.
(02:25):
Hello everyone, and welcome toanother episode of Wrong to
Strong Chicago.
I'm your host.
My name's Omar Calvillo, andtonight I'm out here in Kewanee,
Illinois, which is about two anda half hours about Southwest
from Chicago.
Uh, I came out here, uh, a bigshout out to to Ronnie Carillo.
You know, he invited me outhere.
Uh, he wanted a highlight, uh,the prison ministry, just the
(02:47):
programming and everythingthat's going out here in
Kewanee.
Uh, so right now I got mysister, her name is Greta, also
known as Gigi.
Uh, and I just want to thank.
You both for being on thepodcast.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, okay.
So, um, I guess we'll start withyou.
Uh, we're out here in Kewanee.
We know there's a prison outhere.
I believe Ronnie said it gotestablished or reopened as a, as
(03:08):
a prison in 2014,
Ronnie (03:09):
right?
Mm-hmm.
Omar (03:09):
Approximately 2014.
So what has been your experienceas far as like ministry?
I guess what, what role do youplay as far as like, as far as
that goes?
GG (03:19):
So, I attend, uh, hill Church and there were a couple
of gentlemen from Hill Churchthat were going.
Out on a Monday night servicefor their, the life skills.
Um, church service was Mondaynights and they had opened it up
then to the whole congregation.
Hey, if anyone's interested ingoing, you know, just let the
(03:40):
chaplain out there know.
Well, the chaplain, he happenedto be.
Attending Hill Church also.
So that's how I got involved.
And um, first I was just avolunteer.
Only went out maybe every otherMonday.
Um, because honestly my husbandwasn't too happy about it, which
I understand.
Uh, but I'm not from Kewanee.
(04:01):
So Kewanee is a very small town,very tight knit, family oriented
fa town.
I am from Peoria.
And, um.
I went to, uh, probably thetoughest school in Peoria, um,
down in the hood.
And so, but it was okay and itwas okay.
I mean, obviously I thrived andI survived and everything, and I
(04:21):
have tons and tons of friends.
And so whoever's listening tothis, shout out to Manuel Rams.
'cause we just won statechampionship again, uh, for
basketball.
Nice.
Um, but so when I went in therethe first few times, I honestly
felt like I was home becausehere are all these guys and I'm
like.
Wow, this is just amazingbecause you're all, you know, I
(04:42):
don't see your color, you know,I just see your heart.
And it was just like, Hey, hi.
How are you?
My name is Greta.
And I was just like, in theirface.
And a couple of them were alittle scared'cause they're
like, here comes this girl, likein my face, literally.
And so then, uh, I just, I washungry and then Jesus was just
like, okay sister, that's whereyou're gonna go.
(05:02):
That's where you're gonna stay.
And then I started going everyMonday.
I really had to talk to myhusband about it and.
Reassure him that I am safe inthere, that no, they are not
gonna harm me.
Ronnie especially.
And then a couple of the othergentlemen that I met through
there, they are very, veryprotective of the women that are
(05:23):
in there.
And if any of the gentlemen thatcame to church just because
there was a woman there, theywere kindly escorted out or
kindly.
Told not to come back becausethat's the only reason they're
there.
And that's not why we women arethere.
We are there to praise God.
We are there to worship withyou, to support you, to listen
to you, to pray, for you to beyour sister in Christ.
(05:46):
That's why I'm there.
Um, so then it just kind ofsnowballed and then what Hill
Church did is that we then.
Started getting, um, things fordonations because then we found
out that some of the guys weregonna stay here in Kewanee and
that was awesome.
Or even go to the reentry centerdown in Peoria, I'm sorry, I
forget what it's called.
(06:07):
Um, a CT or something like that.
I don't know.
And me being from Peoria, I'mable to help them get a job down
there because I can tell them,Hey, here's all the locations
that you can go to, um, that arewilling to hire felons.
So, um, this Adult Transitioncenter?
Yeah.
Okay.
So some of the guys go to thePeoria ATC Center, adult
Transition Center.
So I'm able to help them get ajob down there because I'm from
(06:30):
Peoria, so I know the, um,manufacturers.
Down there and things like that.
So then they're able to contactme when they're there.
As soon as they get a phone, HeyGigi, you know, what about this
place?
What about that place?
And then I can tell them allthe, they can do.
And then here, if they stay inKewanee, um, hill Church and
then a couple other churcheswere donating like household
(06:52):
items.
So then we would talk with, um,a lady that works at Life Skills
Reentry Center that helps thegentleman find apartments.
So we were like in one-on-onewith her.
And, um.
Just, it was a really goodcollaboration.
And then with Matthew 5 42Ministry, that is with, um,
first Christian, they do a lotof the furniture, so we would
(07:13):
help with their furniture or ourfurniture here at Hill Church.
And then also anything that youneeded for your house.
So that's how I really gotstarted in it.
And then obviously I met PaulBucenco and Mike Lee, and then
Ronnie and a whole bunch ofother guys that I'm still super,
super close with.
And then when Paul gets out, orbefore Paul gets out, he.
(07:34):
Wants to do a nonprofit.
Hmm.
Okay.
And then I meet a gentlemannamed Ben Andres, who you will
meet later.
And he has always wanted to do anonprofit for the guys that are
coming outta prison to helprehabilitate them.
And so I met Ben through Pauland he's like, Hey, well what is
your skillset?
What skills do you have to helprun this ministry, which is
(07:56):
called Finish Well Ministry?
And I said, well, I've been in,you know, business
administration for over 25years.
I used.
To run at a constructioncompany.
Um, you know, I'm Jesus Warrior,Jesus freak.
And so we just started very,very slowly coming together and
figuring out what we can reallydo for these men.
(08:16):
And so we're still thenconglomerated with Hill Church
and Matthew 5 42 to make surethat all the needs are met for
any gentlemen that are comingout.
And so now I am the businessmanager of Finish Well
Ministries.
So I still help facilitate allthe gentlemen that are coming
out that are staying in Kewanee,help them with an apartment, um,
(08:38):
if they have a need, a car toget a car if they don't have a
job when they're inside.
So then when they get outside tohelp them get a job or to help
them get their GED or to go toclasses, just to constantly stay
in contact with them so thatthey know that they still have
support.
Because if they don't want to.
Go back to where they used togo, you know, some guys just
don't wanna go home, which istotally fine, and I understand.
(09:01):
And so yeah, we will support youdown here, and that's what we
do.
A lot of them come to ourchurch, or some of them just
church hop, which is fine too.
And just to stay in thecommunity.
Um, I've had several guys overat my house for dinner, and they
are, they're my brothers, youknow, and my husband just
absolutely loves them.
And so we're all like a big, abig happy family.
(09:23):
And it is just, it's absolutelygreat.
So that's still what I do withthe, um, prison.
Um, I still go to the Biblestudies and I still go Monday
nights with them and everythingto worship with them.
But, um, that's where Jesuswants me to be.
Hmm.
And this is my focus and I'mjust so driven, you know, to be
there to help them, you know?
(09:45):
'cause everybody has hard times.
I've had hard times too.
So it's just helping
Omar (09:49):
you, you know what, uh, I know you mentioned a few things
there.
Uh, there's like a lot ofministries.
Seems like there's co, co.
Aberration, we gotta move now.
These lights are gonna go off onus.
It seems like a lot of, youknow, um, ministries partnering
up to accomplish the samemission.
Mm-hmm.
But I know you mentioned growingup in Peoria, you're like, man,
going in there for like, goingback home.
(10:09):
So what, what was your, yourlife like, I guess younger, and
I know you're, you're on firefor the Lord.
When, when did that relationshipwith God, like, uh.
Become real for you.
And,
GG (10:19):
um, so ironically, I just did my testimony with our
church.
So, um, I went to a church campwhen I was a kid, so I was like
13, 14 years old when I wentthere.
And, um.
I had my counselor, her name wasMarilyn Monroe.
Not the Marilyn Monroe, but hername was Marilyn Monroe.
Very cool lady.
(10:40):
And the way that she couldexplain Jesus to us as
teenagers, then you got it, thenyou're like, oh, that's what it
means.
And so then when I got home, um,then I got baptized.
So my dad, uh, military, uh, hewas in the Vietnam War and he
was a Marine, and then he wentinto the um, reservist.
As an army.
(11:01):
So he was in the army, so I canconsider myself an army brat
even though we didn't movearound.
So my lifestyle was verystringent, very strict and
everything, um, moved around alot because my parents were
divorced.
So then in high school I movedin with my dad, but then he
being in Peoria, so then I wentto Manuel, and Manuel is down in
the south end of Peoria.
(11:22):
So yeah, you have to go through,you know, security and
everything else.
Every time you go to school andYep, there's fights.
Yep.
There's stabbings or whatever.
And it was, yeah, it was not agood school.
I mean, I graduated, but itwasn't safe.
Yeah.
For the safest that was in thePeoria area, but still, I'm very
proud of where I went becausethen it helps build my
(11:44):
character.
And in that.
So then that's why I have somuch di diverse friends, um,
ethnicities.
And so then when I went intolife skills, that's why I was
like, Hey, here I am.
You know, I'm so home because Ijust felt so comfortable going
there.
And I do every single time I goin there and when there's new
(12:05):
guys that are coming in, Hey,hi, how are ya?
You know, there was onegentleman, um.
He just got to life skills.
And so we had to give side hugs,you know?
And he's like, I haven't beenhugged by someone in like 20
years.
And that just struck me.
I'm like, oh my goodness.
You know, just the littlethings.
And even I think it was twoweeks ago, I just randomly went
(12:28):
up to this guy, I say hi, try tosay hi to most of them.
'cause some of them kind of keepyour attention.
And I'm like, Hey, what's goingon with you?
How can I pray for you?
And his dad had just passed awayand I was like, oh my gosh.
This is a.
Lord telling me,'cause he evenasked me before when we ended,
he goes, what made you come upto me and say that?
I said, that was just the HolySpirit guiding me to you to ask
(12:49):
you how you are.
You know?
And his dad passed away'cause ofcancer.
My dad passed away'cause ofcancer.
So then that's a connection thatwe have.
And so now every time we seeeach other, it's.
It just helps because then he'slike, okay, I'm not alone.
Yeah.
You know, there are other peopleout there that have the same
problems that I have had, eventhough I'm inside, you know,
Omar (13:09):
and maybe even like to help him.
How know, how, how did you getover it?
How, how did you go through it?
Because that's one thing I'mlearning.
Uh, um, I took this, I took a, acourse, it's a Christian
chaplains and coaching, and oneof the courses was, uh,
Christian grief counseling.
Mm-hmm.
And I've, I've been learning alot about grief and how
everybody goes through itdifferently.
(13:29):
Mm-hmm.
But, but one of the things thatwe're saying, uh, there's
difference between sympathy and,empathy, empathy.
Ronnie (13:35):
Mm-hmm.
Omar (13:35):
And empathy, like sympathy is like, you feel sorry for
somebody.
Like Yeah, I'm sorry.
You know, that happened.
But empathy, uh, one of thedescriptions they said is almost
like, uh, they're carrying aweight and you come alongside
there, and now both of you arelike carrying the same burden.
And it's, and it's, uh, empathyis something that, that I'm
trying to learn, Like my wife,she, she.
Tells me like that's, there's adifference, sympathy and
empathy.
(13:55):
Mm-hmm.
And it's very important.
And especially like to somebodythat just lost a loved one, you
know?
Mm-hmm.
To have somebody there.
Not, not, not to say I knowexactly how you're feeling, but
I'm somewhat familiar to whatyou're going through.
Right.
Like,
GG (14:06):
and to put yourself really in their shoes of how was it,
you know?
And yeah.
He wasn't able to be there withhis dad.
And that part, I feel sorry forhim, but I can empathize with
him because my father, the samething happened to him, you know?
So that's how it is.
And with me how I got over myfather passing away, and it's
(14:27):
been 21 years now.
Um, I knew he was gonna be withJesus, you know, I wasn't mad at
God for my father passing away.
I was a little mad at my dadbecause he wouldn't stop
smoking.
I mean, he know it's my dad'sfault.
It's not, it wasn't God's fault.
You know, God wants you toprotect your body because this
is what he made.
You know, it's your, it's histemple.
(14:47):
And I constantly, dad, you know,you need to stop.
You need to stop.
But of course he didn't and he'shis own.
Person just like everybody elseis.
But I wasn't mad at God becauseof that.
There's, that's not fair to God,I feel, you know?
Omar (15:02):
Yeah.
GG (15:03):
So,
Omar (15:04):
you know, I want to ask you, uh, how, how long ago did
you meet Ronnie and what wasyour initial impression or when
you met him?
You know, let's go back.
I don't know how, how long thatwas.
GG (15:13):
Oh, that's, uh, let's see.
I've been going to life skillsfor almost two years now.
Um, so it was May of 2020.
Three, I think is when I firststarted.
So, and for Ronnie, oh no, justa gentleman.
Just, hi sister, how are you?
Thank you for coming.
Um, I'm so glad to see you, youknow, praise God.
Amen.
(15:34):
Uh, very, he's like, yeah, justsomeone super kind that I can
talk to.
And, uh, like I said, I neverhad any, you know, you get those
spidey senses that something'swrong.
Never had any of that with himat all, you know, um, just very
easygoing, very well mannered.
Uh.
And someone that I could look upto.
Omar (15:55):
Hmm.
GG (15:55):
You know, and appreciate.
Yeah.
Omar (15:57):
Now what, what about you, Ronnie?
I know we were talkingyesterday, even with the family
that we interviewed last nightabout, uh, when you were in
Kewanee, there was no, no, nochurch, church service, I
believe you mentioned, was on TVor popping A DVD if you wanted
to, you know, get a message.
So you, you, I don't think weshared it here, but you wanna
talk about the, the, thestarting up of a church service
there and then how when theycame in, maybe your, your
(16:18):
perspective.
When, when the church startedcoming in.
Ronnie (16:22):
That's the exact story we spoke last night that, um,
when I entered that place, theysaid, I said, where's the
chapel?
We went there, it was thisclassroom.
And they said, well, where's theminister?
Nobody ministers.
He watch a of, of a film.
And then, uh, sometimes the nextday, the church who sent the
film will come in and talk,sometimes not.
(16:42):
So it's basically a, a TVministry.
So they had a baptism come intothe prison and it's before, uh.
Greta and they brought, uh, theguy named Pendergrass, uh, David
Pendergrass, I believe he's theminister here in this church,
right here.
And he came in to, to do thebaptism.
And I found out that he was thechaplain's minister.
So I had went up to him andsaid, uh, you know, when are you
(17:05):
gonna come in and do services?
And he says, you don't like theprograms going on?
I had grabbed his arm, I don'teven know the guy.
He's a big guy.
And I grabbed his arm and said,uh, I want flesh talking to me
to, to worship and fellowshipwith me.
So he put a guy named Jeff.
Hoeppner as a liaison.
The chaplain did, chaplain NewYork, put a guy named Jeff
Hepner to come be a liaisonbetween us and the township.
(17:27):
So they went and found fourdifferent ministries to come in
on Monday nights and share theresponsibility to give live
services.
So that's how I met Michelle.
That's how I met Greta comingin.
So we had picked up a, a bannerof hospitality, you know, of
respecting these people comingin and, uh, so they had water.
(17:47):
And then when Greta.
Uh, came, she basically, she hasa side business you could say
of, uh, baking and all that.
So she would bring, bring bakedgoods in, you know, for us, for
officers, stuff like that.
So, uh, it set that familyatmosphere tone and gave us
favor with the, the differentguards, uh, the administration.
(18:09):
So we constantly did that and atthe same time we had, uh, bible
studies training, uh, thegentleman in there, how to get
up.
And speak and do a, a service,you know, not only the minister
from outside, but when the, whenthe minister would finish doing
his service, you know, a, a guythat was in there would come up
to mc and finish off the, theservice.
(18:32):
So we had to train them how touse that microphone because some
would say some things that wouldmake some guys not wanna come
back no more.
And they, they, uh, told funnystories and different stuff, so
we had to train them that ifyou're gonna speak after a, a
minister comes from the societyin here.
And his theme is about maybebaptism or maybe Holy Spirit.
(18:52):
Then if you have something tosay about the Holy Spirit to co
compliment his ministry.
Yeah, go ahead and say it.
Don't go and get the microphoneand tell a funny story on a joke
because then the people, youerased his s his sermon and you,
you annihilate what he justworked for and what he just
spoke for.
So a lot of people got angeredin that.
There used to be, uh, backbitingand you know, like, these guys
(19:15):
think you run these churches.
No, it's not that.
It's respecting these peoplethat come in here.
It was the hospitality thing.
Back to that, you know.
And, um, it gave us leadway withthe administration to even open
a juvenile program called, uh,credible Messengers Mentorship
Program.
So we were online withjuveniles.
Actually we spoke last night.
They brought like a 9-year-oldboy and 11-year-old boy in
(19:35):
there, remember?
And we sat in there and mentoredthese young boys, which is
unheard of in that system.
You're not allowed to bring kidsin there.
And we're in there with thesekids changing and their lives
change.
And, um, it just gave us thatfavor to the chaplain.
They had a, a day with dad's,uh, day daughters with dad's
day, so the daughters could comedown and be with their father in
(19:55):
the yard and we'd cook for'emand service'em, and all these
different programs, uh, thatallowed us.
But it was through them seeingus, the respect that was birthed
in that Monday night service.
So it elevated to the pointwhere we did a food drive,
remember?
Mm-hmm.
That's when we packed 20 th theywanted 10,000 meals packed.
(20:16):
We packed 20,000 meals.
And so we spent all.
Day, uh, uh, packaging thisstuff up.
We built, uh, golf carts.
Our golf, uh, uh, the where youdo miniature golf.
Okay.
Uh, the golf course, whateveryou call'em.
Yeah.
For the kids and the fathers tocome in and play golf in there
and do these different thingslike that.
(20:36):
We did, um, on Christmas theybrought in, you're not allowed
to have fire in institutionanymore.
That's been outlawed for 25years.
So we're allowed to bringcandles in and we had, uh,
candle vigil Christmas.
Times.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, passing out Christmas cardsso people could send it to their
family.
So all this started, it was notthere.
And through these people that,you know, they're in this church
(20:59):
right here, so they're amongsttheir chaplain and they can, I
won't say the word, but like armtwist on, on a, on another day,
you know, where they have adifferent relationship that we
had.
We were inmates, what they callinmates, and they were civilians
with civilians.
So when they said, well, we wantthis, then they opened them
doors for us.
Us and then for us to watch, uh,guys be released and Ben Andres
(21:25):
and them, uh, buying houses andfacilitate for a person to come
home.
They don't wanna go back to hisenvironment.
They, they house'em, and thenyou find out, oh, they just got
'em a car.
Or they just went and got'emsome beds and they just went and
got'em.
Plates and spoons and furnitureand stuff like that.
You just, uh, sit there andthink that this came from a
baptism, that we confrontedthem, we need services, and then
(21:48):
it developed into that.
And into a brotherhood,sisterhood thing.
And to mention what she saidabout side hugs, we actually,
almost, the church maybe almostclosed down, you know, that, um,
they were coming in and actuallygiving, uh, you know, face to
face hugs, open hugs.
So that's not allowed in theprison system.
(22:09):
So they would come in and hereyou are hugging.
So I was accused of, you know,uh, uh, open hugging or kissing
the women or, you know, so itwent to that.
To that level that we had tocome to the conclusions, okay,
well, you know, these peoplelove us, as simple as that.
And once you reach that plateauof that kind of love, that, uh,
it's a concerned love.
(22:29):
It's a godly love that youcan't, and it's in the Bible,
it's called, it's called a holykiss.
And it's not where you'rekissing our mouth.
It's you put your face andyou're putting your face and
you're just hugging and, uh,like the French dude.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's like that.
So, so once you reach that, thatplateau that they have these
concerns, it's hard to come in.
And be superficial and justtouch from the side.
(22:52):
So
GG (22:52):
yeah, that was very, very hard to get used to.
Yeah.
You know, and like now though,me, and I don't know who's gonna
see this, I still do hugs.
I don't care.
They,
Ronnie (23:01):
yeah, they, and that was the thing, it was so funny that
even though we were ordered bythe wardens and ordered by the
chaplain list, that's gottastop.
You know, internal affairs,everybody threatened, you know,
you'll stop.
Okay.
Okay.
And as soon as we go to church,the first thing you see each
other is just, you're not eventhinking that.
And there you are hugging andthere's guards just looking
like, you know.
GG (23:18):
Yeah.
Yeah.
'cause even in your normalchurch, you just walk up to your
friends, hi, how are you?
And you know, I don't care whothey're, yeah.
And I remember like after we gotin trouble for the, for the
frontal hugs, and then Iactually didn't know it yet and
so I was still doing it andsomebody went to Chap and like,
do you see what Gigi's doing?
And he's like, are you gonnatell her to stop?
(23:38):
I'm not.
And so I was still, yeah.
Yeah.
Ronnie (23:41):
So it developed to that, to that level, you know, that
that civilians not knowing thesepeople, not really knowing their
characters, just meeting themfor a month at a time or maybe
three months, and then take'eminto their homes in, in society.
Mm-hmm.
And put money up to buy'emthings and use their private
time as civilians to goreintegrate these guys back into
(24:03):
society.
So that's why I, uh, asked youto come to Kewanee to capture
the.
These testimonies and there'sgonna be more testimonies of,
uh, these people need to me, uh,need to be announced that we
could show these in Chicagodifferent places, uh, these
one-on-one reintegrationpractices.
You know what I'm saying?
Omar (24:24):
No, man.
No.
Yeah, that's, that's very big.
That's very, and I, I see God inall of it.
Like, you know, even in the, thestarting with one thing,
grabbing the hold of the guy'sarm.
Man, man, look at what the, likethe, the, what do you call it?
The, the ripple effect that ithad.
Yeah.
You know, I just want, I wannatell you guys.
Man, there's like a, so, so muchyou guys share.
Is there anything that wehaven't talked about that you
(24:44):
guys wanna highlight?
I guess that, what else is goingout here and then Kewanee,
Ronnie (24:49):
well, she can speak more on that, but one thing that when
I.
When I was released, I came backhere to get my property to
Kwani.
So I went and got my propertyand then I came to this church
to meet more people and I seenthey had these t-shirts they
have for sale.
So since I've been home, I go toso many different reentry
centers and I've actuallybought, uh, t-shirts for You
(25:11):
guys don't have t-shirts in thisplace?
No, we don't have that.
I bought'em sweatshirts withlogos and decals that I'm a firm
believer.
I'm representing her.
She's representing me.
I'm representing you.
So when somebody sees me withtheir shirt on.
Hey, what is that?
It gives me a chance to, Hey,there's this guy named Omar that
does wrong or strong, and hiswife does this or that, and they
tell these stories, you know, sowhen I came here, I took their
(25:33):
shirts, their shirts have oneshirt that says, uh, you should
have seen me before.
Hmm mm-hmm.
So, and it's a statement that,wow, you should have seen me
before.
And
GG (25:42):
that's the one that I have, I have, you should have seen.
Yeah, you should have seen mebefore.
Yeah.
Ronnie (25:46):
So those t-shirts, uh, of all these places, I'm, I'm
asking people to make theirshirts and that.
You know, we pass'em out to eachother and wear'em so that, uh,
we are a network of people thatare car so impacted.
We, we have a whole society.
Uh, I was thinking it was, I'vebeen talking to people saying,
Hey, there's like 4 millionpeople that are impacted.
(26:09):
And I went to this, uh, programwhere we had a meeting and one
of the guys with me that's moreprofessional in the statistics
that he does stats and he'slike, let me interrupt real
quick.
And he's like, no, it's not 4million, it's 14 million.
So there's four.
14 million, you know, uh, uh,uh, impacted people in Illinois
and, uh, in the last so manydecades.
(26:31):
And that means 14 million plusfamily, plus cousins, plus aunts
and uncle plus.
So we are a, a big entity, youknow.
So now how do we network thisto, uh, get better help?
Because they, when we come home,uh, they put you on A-A-M-S-R,
they put you on registrations.
Mm-hmm.
And you ne you can give, youcan't get free, you can't get.
(26:52):
Jobs, you can't get, uh, uh,leases for a house.
People do background checks and,oh, you're a fella.
I don't, I don't want you in myhouse.
Or you gotta gimme 2000 extrafor that.
So there are so many, uh,burdens that come on it, but you
know, you, you did your time,you know, so you hear these
people say, the second chancewe're giving you a second
chance.
And I say to those people thatwhen I go home, I did my time.
(27:16):
So why are you telling me you'regiving me a second chance?
What are you lording yourselfover me for?
Why are you bigger?
Than me that you're giving me asecond chance.
So you're not hiring me for mycharacter or for my skills.
You're, you're making yourselfbigger than me.
I don't wanna work for you.
I don't wanna be part ofwhatever you're doing.
So if you're hiring me for myquality, then I'm equal polarity
(27:38):
to you that, that I finished mytime and now, and I pay my debt
to society as it's a spoken of,then that's a blessing that way.
So I'm not in favor of when Ihear the second chance, we're
giving you a second chancebecause scripture.
Says, Jesus said, how many timesdo I forgive the brother?
He says Seven times.
Seven times seven.
It said four 90 times.
But you're telling me societyculture has this slick saying,
(28:01):
we're giving you a secondchance.
I'm not in agreement with that.
It's not, it's not scripturebound.
Omar (28:07):
Amen.
Amen.
You know what, that's one, onetopic that came up when I
interviewed.
I know you, you had me connectwith, uh, a Pena, Harry Pena.
Mm-hmm.
And I didn't understand, uh,when he was talking about, uh,
end permanent punishment.
When he started describing it,like even in my own life, you
know,'cause I got a record frombefore.
Mm-hmm.
But that was back in, I, I gotconvicted in 97, got out in
2000, so that's 25 years ago.
(28:29):
I never thought about it, butit's right.
It still affects you when you golook for a job, they look at it
and a lot of places won't hireyou.
You know, like even where Iwork, I've seen people where I
work in the shop and they comein even though they got the
record and then they got out,they went to school, they got a
certificate.
Let's say to, to run themachines.
And I see it and I, I, I want togive'em a chance, but
(28:50):
unfortunately they, they won't,you know, like things like that.
So there is like this stigma.
Stigma.
It's not, it's not that you paidyour debt.
Yeah.
I like the way he explained it.
You're continually like payingright.
Even though you get out, youknow?
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
But, uh, yeah,
GG (29:05):
and like with, um, the finished well ministry, so what
we're trying to do, and I thinkBen hopefully will talk on this
too, is that his vision is.
So broad, which is absolutely ablessing because he wants to
help the guys that are in lifeskills.
And even so we don't just helpthe life skill guys.
(29:26):
Okay?
We help anybody that comes toKeani that has been in prior
incarceration, that doesn't haveanything that needs help, we
help.
Them.
It doesn't matter where you'reat, you know, or where you came
from.
Um, so with Ben's vision too,for the finished home
ministries, is that he wants toeven get, um, startup companies
(29:47):
mm-hmm.
To help.
So then these companies thenwill hire, or we, because it's
his company, so he's gonna hirethe guys coming from life skills
because you can have day work,you know, you can do your day
job, day labor.
And we do have a couple of, um,companies around here in Kewanee
that allow them to do that.
They can only work like fourhours.
The day.
And so that's what we wouldstart out as.
(30:07):
But then once they're released,if they still want to work for
our company, then they can stillwork for our company, you know?
So he's just wanting to makesure that they have someplace to
go, you know, because it is sucha struggle to go someplace else.
You know, I mean, yeah, I'm inadministration.
Sure, I can probably get a jobanywhere, but I have years of
(30:27):
experience, but I didn't go tocollege.
And so they'd rather take some20-year-old right outta college
because, well, one, she's gonnabe cheaper'cause she doesn't
have the experience, but thenshe's got her certificate.
I'm like, okay, good luck.
You know?
So, but he's just giving theseguys, you know, the opportunity
to get the skillset, you know,so that they can move on, you
know, and everything, which is Ithink is.
(30:49):
Such a, such a blessing, youknow, for him to be able to do
that and to help with thecommunity.
Omar (30:55):
Oh, amen.
You, you know, one thing I alsolike to do when I, when I do
these interviews is highlightthe ministries.
Mm-hmm.
Do you, you wanna talk aboutthis church in particular?
Um,'cause it's obviously, youknow, you guys are doing prison
ministry there, there's a lot ofchurches that, that don't, you
know, admire.
Like, at my church, I'm tryingto start one.
Yeah.
So hopefully in August we'll beable to raise up a team that'll
go into Cook County, a prisonout in Chicago, and then mm-hmm.
(31:16):
And impact.
So maybe ta talk a lot, uh, alittle.
Bit about your church, how itis, and uh, where does that
heart come from?
Like for the, or how, you know,like for prison ministry, you
know?
Yeah.
GG (31:25):
So, um, how Ronnie had said Jeff Hepner was the one who
started it because the chaplainout there, um, he attends Hill
Church or he did attend HillChurch.
So the story that I got from thechaplain is that he did like a
500 mile radius from the lifeskills.
Facility of what churches wouldhelp him, and only one
connected.
And that was the one out in thequad cities somewhere.
(31:47):
And so then they started, wellthen Jeff Hepner started because
Jeff Hepner actually went to theum, maximum security prisons.
And he would preach to guys in amaximum security prison, like
through your little lunch holeand.
He was like, Greta.
It was just incredible.
And so then once he found outthat he was able to go out here
(32:08):
to life skills because ittransitioned from a juvenile
facility to an adult facility,then that's when he started
getting involved and then he hadanother gentleman get involved,
and then those two brought it tothe whole church and said, okay,
hey, who wants to get involved?
This is what you do.
You tell the chaplain.
Here's your information you givehim and then he's able to get
you in.
And then I was hooked.
(32:30):
You know, it was just, okay,this is what God wants me to do.
And that's what I did.
And so the church, our church asa whole, um, we even have like
small groups.
For Bible studies.
So even sometimes a small, awhole small group will go out
there.
So you'll have like 20 peoplefrom a small group to go out
there on a Monday night.
There are, I think, only twoother churches in town that
(32:53):
people go there on either aSunday or a Tuesday, because
that's bible studies for them.
'cause we can't, we're notallowed to go every night.
You know, I would go every nightif I could, but we're not
allowed to.
So usually it's Sunday, Monday,Tuesday.
Um, and uh, that's just how weare still staying involved.
And it's great because someonecan go on a Sunday night, tell
me, Hey, so-and-so is having alittle bit of an issue or they
(33:15):
need prayer for, and then when Isee them on Monday, they'll come
up to me, Hey, Gigi, can youpray?
Blah, blah, blah.
And I do.
And then, so we all are, we allstay connected as volunteers
stay connected on who have we.
Talk to who are our guys that wetalk to.
Um, because like Michelle willtell me who she's talked to, you
know, and others tell me whothey talk to.
(33:36):
So then we all know what's goingon with everybody, just to keep
them safe and just to keep themin our prayers.
And if they do need anything,then we're able to give them
what they need, you
Omar (33:45):
know?
So.
So sounds like that's buildinglike a relationship, not only
with the guys in there, but evenamongst your, your, your small
group in the church.
Is that, that you feel like thatbrings you guys closer?
Amen.
GG (33:54):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Because I honestly probablywouldn't have talked to some of
the other people.
People from the other churchesif I weren't going to life
skills because I didn't knowthem beforehand, you know?
And now we are very close and wetalk several times a week.
So it's just a great, um, aspectin, in addition to what is going
(34:15):
on in life skills and how muchJesus is moving in that
building.
Because we even have guards thatcome in and will now sit through
the whole service.
When before they would just comein and check on you or walk by
the windows and check on you.
But some of.
Of them stay, they'll stay andlisten to the whole service
sometimes, especially if there'streats.
I'm just saying.
But, you know, you know, but Imean, it's good and it's, and we
(34:38):
get a good, uh, rapport with theguards too, you know?
Um, because we see them out inthe community as well and
everything.
And they'll even, I even had onelady call me, oh, I saw
so-and-so at Walmart, you know,I just wanted to call you
because, you know, can you prayfor them and how are they doing?
And can you gimme a little bitmore insight?
And even like with.
The parole officers, I talked tothem too.
(34:58):
And because they want to, theparole officers also, we want
you to succeed.
We all want, everybody wants youto succeed.
And that's just in our naturetoo.
And so we, as a church, and thenwe also as Finish Well
Ministries, we want them tosucceed.
We want them to.
Finish well in society, youknow, and everybody to finish
(35:19):
well in society.
'cause even those who aren'tincarcerated sometimes are still
in a prison.
And even to talk to Ronnie ortalk to you about what's gone on
in your life can help us breakour own chains of why we are in
prison too.
You know, just to get yourinsight on things too.
Omar (35:35):
Right.
No, man, that, that's awesome.
I know we're getting close tothe time, time you said Well,
but you know what, I know youmentioned, uh, you mentioned
the, the ministry.
What'd you say?
Um,
GG (35:43):
finish.
Well,
Omar (35:44):
ministries.
Ministries.
Mm-hmm.
Is, is there any way, uh,people, let's say they hear
their story, is there any waythey could contribute?
Is there, you know, like, um, we
GG (35:51):
do have a website, um, finishwellministries.com.
So you can look at, um, ourwebsite and everything and you
can volunteer, you can donate,um, everything obviously goes
through me.
I'm the business manager andthen I do blog on it also.
So like the community eventsthat our guys do, um, they have
like a Saturday morningbreakfast.
Sometimes that not just the guysfrom the ministry are going, but
(36:14):
even gentlemen from church willgo and it's just a men's, it's a
men's group kind of thing.
Okay.
You know, um, and they also do,uh, we have counseling on
service too.
So we have a counselor on hand.
Pastor David is on hand.
All the pastors here actuallyare on hand, um, just to help
because we want to help.
And they have all that anxietyof they're alone.
(36:35):
They don't know what to do, theydon't know how to function.
So we.
To succeed, you know, so we'restill, you know, doing that with
them as well.
Yeah.
Omar (36:43):
And counseling, it's funny you bring it up, like in the
last man so many interviews,counseling has been coming up a
lot.
And that's an area I believewhat God's doing right now.
Mm-hmm.
He's like bringing healing,inner healing, you
GG (36:55):
know?
Amen.
Absolutely.
And I think me one being amother, um, and being a grandma,
so then sometimes these guys,they need that mom talk.
They, it doesn't matter how oldyou are, you still need that mom
talk.
And it's like, listen son, orlisten, you know, and I give
them the mom talk, you know, andthey're like, okay, I get it.
(37:15):
Because sometimes they're notgonna relate to what one of the
other gentlemen are sayingbecause that's not what they
need.
They need the mom talk at thattime, you know?
So that's, uh, and it's not justme that does it.
It's, and it's funny'cause someSunday nights it's all of us
women at a Bible study, no men.
And they're, we walk in, we'relike, okay guys, you get the
moms tonight.
And, and it's just great becausethat's just, they're like, okay.
Omar (37:40):
Yeah, no, I think that's all very important.
Um, any final words before weclose out?
Any final words?
And then usually I ask ourguests if they could close out
on a prayer, so Absolutely.
I'll let you guys have a momentof final words and then we'll
close out in prayer.
Ronnie (37:54):
Well, my final words are I appreciate, uh, Omar coming
down here to, uh, exercise thispodcast.
You know, it took me the lastseven, eight months.
To, uh, finally go on a podcastwith him.
But I've been helping peoplecome to his podcast.
So I kept thinking I had to dothis and I was gonna do my own,
(38:15):
but I'm in so many differentthings.
And I said, let me just keepfeeding him so that he's well,
well equipped and well skilledand to tell your story.
So, storytelling is soimportant.
There's women and people that wedidn't mention.
A lady was, uh, Carrie.
We had a lady named Jennifer,uh, coming in there and we had
the, Wexell's.
Was another family from anothertownship she mentioned on
(38:37):
Tuesday nights.
So that's a whole nother story.
Shelly and Joyce, we have allthese people that, uh, played
roles in, uh, helping these,these brothers, uh, invest.
They invested into them tochange the course of their mind,
to let their criminal history goto, you know, be useful citizens
as, as the Constitution says, torestore useful citizenship.
(39:00):
So their ministries, each one of'em being ministers in their own
right, they don't say they'reministers, but.
Their ministers, and they callthemselves counselors, but
they're ministering becausethey're using the word to talk
to these guys who are coming tohear the word.
And they're getting the word.
And she says, from the motherview, from the administrative
view, uh, from the personalview, from the friend view, you
(39:21):
know, and, and these guys areattentive.
They've been starving.
They're, a lot of people inprison are emotionally starved.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, families left, them,families die off.
Uh, they burn bridges.
And so you got people that don'tknow'em, reaching out.
That olive branch to them.
So it gives'em that, that, thatglimpse of hope, you know, that
man, somebody's concerned andthen they have, they have that
(39:43):
opportunity to don't blow it.
Yeah.
You know, and then they, they,they, they tune up and they walk
a right line.
So I witnessed this in a lot oftimes and they witness it a lot
of times.
So I'm just proud of whatthey've done.
I, I moved off in my life, justcoming home, so I stepped this
way.
They're continuously buildingand from the little thing we
started of grabbing thatminister's arm mm-hmm.
(40:05):
They got, they got buildings.
They're buying buildings, andthey're buying cars and they're
buying.
So, hey, God bless'em.
Mm-hmm.
Omar (40:11):
Amen And I know we just, uh, drove around the town and,
and look at the buildingbuildings.
I think we stopped at fourdifferent places and we, we did
a video walking through a wholehouse.
Okay.
So we'll be able to show itexactly what's going on, because
I was telling'em it is one thingfor them to hear about what
they're doing, but to actuallyget a walkthrough of one of the
houses and to be able to show,it's gonna be amazing.
So, yeah.
Any final words?
(40:32):
And then it closes out and,yeah.
GG (40:33):
So, um, the ministry, the finish.
Ministers, we have actuallythree houses, uh, two buildings
and one of those buildings we'regonna have apartments in.
So hopefully it'll be like fouror five apartments to be able to
house guys and it's transitionalhousing and it's to help them
get on their feet again so thatthey don't have to worry about
their first couple months billsand things like that, you know?
(40:55):
So, um, but yeah, I'm just veryhonored to be with you guys
today'cause it is just great andGod is moving.
Amen.
Omar (41:01):
Woohoo.
Hallelujah.
No praise.
He's good.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Been blessed.
I've been here just for half aday yesterday and right now, and
it's been a blessing.
I definitely see God in themidst of everything out here
GG (41:12):
and all those, um, people that Ronnie was talking about, I
still, we all still talk, we allstill get together.
We had a Friendsgiving, uhmm-hmm.
That was down here and that wasabsolutely amazing.
Um, so all the guys that hadbeen released within the last
couple of years all cametogether and it was just so
incredible.
So absolutely incredible.
I
Ronnie (41:30):
drove down to, yeah, participate and that was about a
hundred of us in a
Omar (41:35):
wow.
Yeah.
And so, yeah.
You guys gotta invite me, man.
We'll bring the camera.
You know what?
Ronnie (41:38):
Amen.
Yes.
Omar (41:39):
People need to see the success stories, you know?
Yes.
I know the brother weinterviewed last night, he was
talking about, they always talkabout the re recidivism rate
recidivism and on the bad side,but there's a good side, you
know?
Mm-hmm.
There's people that, that, youknow, that Yeah.
They change and, you know, they,they walk though, you know, the
straight and arrow movingforward.
Yeah.
But, uh, yeah.
If you don't mind closing downthe prayer Sure.
And then we'll get ready to wrapup.
Sure.
GG (41:59):
Okay.
Um, heavenly Father, I justwanna thank you, first of all,
for the day for allowing us tobe here.
To be together.
Um, thank you for Omar andRonnie and what they are doing
and how they are moving, um, inthis world.
And it's just amazing what youcan do with just a little bitty
mustard seed.
Um, Just thank you for theopportunities that you give us
(42:23):
every single day.
Lord, I just pray that you willopen more people's hearts and
eyes and give them the spiritualglasses that they need to see
what you are doing and what yourwill is and where you are.
Want us to move.
So where do you want us to gonext in this ministry and
helping with all of thesegentlemen, life skills and all
the other, um, prison reentryprograms that there are,
(42:44):
especially in Illinois?
Lord.
Um, we just thank you forproviding the things that we
need, providing the finances,providing the counselors, um,
giving us the, um, the spiritualguidance and the wisdom every
single day to be out here, to bewith our brothers and sisters in
Christ, and to be with those whoneed us the most.
(43:05):
Lord.
And, uh, thank you for allowingus to go into life skills, to
pray with them, to be with them,to be their sisters and brothers
in Christ, in there, um, to getthat relationship building with
them so that they can still havehope.
Uh, thank you Lord for all thatyou do and everything in
especially your son.
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Omar (43:25):
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Th they thank you guys for, for,for joining me.
And with that, we're gonna getready to wrap up.
Uh, Matthew four 16 reads,"Thepeople who sat in darkness have
seen a great.
Light and upon those who sat inthe region and shadow of death
light has dawned." Alongside myguest, Ronnie and Gigi.
My name's Omar Calvillo, and weare wrong too strong.
we have all these people that, uh, played roles in, uh,
(00:03):
helping these, these brothers,invest.
They invested into them tochange the course of their mind,
to let their criminal history goto, you know, be useful citizens
as, as the Constitution says, torestore useful citizenship.
So their ministries, each one of'em being ministers in their own
right, they don't say they'reministers, but.
Their ministers, and they callthemselves counselors, but
(00:25):
they're ministering becausethey're using the word to talk
to these guys who are coming tohear the word.
And they're getting the word.
And she says, from the motherview, from the administrative
view, uh, from the personalview, from the friend view, you
know, and, and these guys areattentive.
They've been starving.
They're, a lot of people inprison are emotionally starved.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, families left, them,families die off.
(00:48):
Uh, they burn bridges.
And so you got people that don'tknow'em, reaching out.
That olive branch to them.
So it gives'em that, that, thatglimpse of hope, you know, that
man, somebody's concerned andthen they have, they have that
opportunity to don't blow it.
Yeah.
You know, and then they, they,they, they tune up and they walk
a right line.
So I witnessed this in a lot oftimes and they witness it a lot
(01:09):
of times.
So I'm just proud of whatthey've done.
I, I moved off in my life, justcoming home, so I stepped this
way.
They're continuously buildingand from the little thing we
started of grabbing thatminister's arm mm-hmm.
They got, they got buildings.
They're buying buildings, andthey're buying cars and they're
buying.
So, hey, God bless'em.
Mm-hmm.
Omar (01:44):
From the city of Chicago, a city most recently known for
its crime and violence.
On this podcast, we will besharing stories of redemption
from individuals raised in thetough streets of Chicago and
from around the country.
Some of them were gang members,drug dealers, incarcerated
victims, and perpetrators ofviolence.
(02:05):
Listen to my guests as theyshare their experiences,
struggles, trauma, but also thestrength, Hope, faith and
perseverance.
These have developed in them tokeep pushing and moving forward
in life.
Tune in to hear how their liveshave gone from darkness to light
and from wrong to strong.
(02:25):
Hello everyone, and welcome toanother episode of Wrong to
Strong Chicago.
I'm your host.
My name's Omar Calvillo, andtonight I'm out here in Kewanee,
Illinois, which is about two anda half hours about Southwest
from Chicago.
Uh, I came out here, uh, a bigshout out to to Ronnie Carillo.
You know, he invited me outhere.
Uh, he wanted a highlight, uh,the prison ministry, just the
(02:47):
programming and everythingthat's going out here in
Kewanee.
Uh, so right now I got mysister, her name is Greta, also
known as Gigi.
Uh, and I just want to thank.
You both for being on thepodcast.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, okay.
So, um, I guess we'll start withyou.
Uh, we're out here in Kewanee.
We know there's a prison outhere.
I believe Ronnie said it gotestablished or reopened as a, as
(03:08):
a prison in 2014,
Ronnie (03:09):
right?
Mm-hmm.
Omar (03:09):
Approximately 2014.
So what has been your experienceas far as like ministry?
I guess what, what role do youplay as far as like, as far as
that goes?
GG (03:19):
So, I attend, uh, hill Church and there were a couple
of gentlemen from Hill Churchthat were going.
Out on a Monday night servicefor their, the life skills.
Um, church service was Mondaynights and they had opened it up
then to the whole congregation.
Hey, if anyone's interested ingoing, you know, just let the
(03:40):
chaplain out there know.
Well, the chaplain, he happenedto be.
Attending Hill Church also.
So that's how I got involved.
And um, first I was just avolunteer.
Only went out maybe every otherMonday.
Um, because honestly my husbandwasn't too happy about it, which
I understand.
Uh, but I'm not from Kewanee.
(04:01):
So Kewanee is a very small town,very tight knit, family oriented
fa town.
I am from Peoria.
And, um.
I went to, uh, probably thetoughest school in Peoria, um,
down in the hood.
And so, but it was okay and itwas okay.
I mean, obviously I thrived andI survived and everything, and I
(04:21):
have tons and tons of friends.
And so whoever's listening tothis, shout out to Manuel Rams.
'cause we just won statechampionship again, uh, for
basketball.
Nice.
Um, but so when I went in therethe first few times, I honestly
felt like I was home becausehere are all these guys and I'm
like.
Wow, this is just amazingbecause you're all, you know, I
(04:42):
don't see your color, you know,I just see your heart.
And it was just like, Hey, hi.
How are you?
My name is Greta.
And I was just like, in theirface.
And a couple of them were alittle scared'cause they're
like, here comes this girl, likein my face, literally.
And so then, uh, I just, I washungry and then Jesus was just
like, okay sister, that's whereyou're gonna go.
(05:02):
That's where you're gonna stay.
And then I started going everyMonday.
I really had to talk to myhusband about it and.
Reassure him that I am safe inthere, that no, they are not
gonna harm me.
Ronnie especially.
And then a couple of the othergentlemen that I met through
there, they are very, veryprotective of the women that are
(05:23):
in there.
And if any of the gentlemen thatcame to church just because
there was a woman there, theywere kindly escorted out or
kindly.
Told not to come back becausethat's the only reason they're
there.
And that's not why we women arethere.
We are there to praise God.
We are there to worship withyou, to support you, to listen
to you, to pray, for you to beyour sister in Christ.
(05:46):
That's why I'm there.
Um, so then it just kind ofsnowballed and then what Hill
Church did is that we then.
Started getting, um, things fordonations because then we found
out that some of the guys weregonna stay here in Kewanee and
that was awesome.
Or even go to the reentry centerdown in Peoria, I'm sorry, I
forget what it's called.
(06:07):
Um, a CT or something like that.
I don't know.
And me being from Peoria, I'mable to help them get a job down
there because I can tell them,Hey, here's all the locations
that you can go to, um, that arewilling to hire felons.
So, um, this Adult Transitioncenter?
Yeah.
Okay.
So some of the guys go to thePeoria ATC Center, adult
Transition Center.
So I'm able to help them get ajob down there because I'm from
(06:30):
Peoria, so I know the, um,manufacturers.
Down there and things like that.
So then they're able to contactme when they're there.
As soon as they get a phone, HeyGigi, you know, what about this
place?
What about that place?
And then I can tell them allthe, they can do.
And then here, if they stay inKewanee, um, hill Church and
then a couple other churcheswere donating like household
(06:52):
items.
So then we would talk with, um,a lady that works at Life Skills
Reentry Center that helps thegentleman find apartments.
So we were like in one-on-onewith her.
And, um.
Just, it was a really goodcollaboration.
And then with Matthew 5 42Ministry, that is with, um,
first Christian, they do a lotof the furniture, so we would
(07:13):
help with their furniture or ourfurniture here at Hill Church.
And then also anything that youneeded for your house.
So that's how I really gotstarted in it.
And then obviously I met PaulBucenco and Mike Lee, and then
Ronnie and a whole bunch ofother guys that I'm still super,
super close with.
And then when Paul gets out, orbefore Paul gets out, he.
(07:34):
Wants to do a nonprofit.
Hmm.
Okay.
And then I meet a gentlemannamed Ben Andres, who you will
meet later.
And he has always wanted to do anonprofit for the guys that are
coming outta prison to helprehabilitate them.
And so I met Ben through Pauland he's like, Hey, well what is
your skillset?
What skills do you have to helprun this ministry, which is
(07:56):
called Finish Well Ministry?
And I said, well, I've been in,you know, business
administration for over 25years.
I used.
To run at a constructioncompany.
Um, you know, I'm Jesus Warrior,Jesus freak.
And so we just started very,very slowly coming together and
figuring out what we can reallydo for these men.
(08:16):
And so we're still thenconglomerated with Hill Church
and Matthew 5 42 to make surethat all the needs are met for
any gentlemen that are comingout.
And so now I am the businessmanager of Finish Well
Ministries.
So I still help facilitate allthe gentlemen that are coming
out that are staying in Kewanee,help them with an apartment, um,
(08:38):
if they have a need, a car toget a car if they don't have a
job when they're inside.
So then when they get outside tohelp them get a job or to help
them get their GED or to go toclasses, just to constantly stay
in contact with them so thatthey know that they still have
support.
Because if they don't want to.
Go back to where they used togo, you know, some guys just
don't wanna go home, which istotally fine, and I understand.
(09:01):
And so yeah, we will support youdown here, and that's what we
do.
A lot of them come to ourchurch, or some of them just
church hop, which is fine too.
And just to stay in thecommunity.
Um, I've had several guys overat my house for dinner, and they
are, they're my brothers, youknow, and my husband just
absolutely loves them.
And so we're all like a big, abig happy family.
(09:23):
And it is just, it's absolutelygreat.
So that's still what I do withthe, um, prison.
Um, I still go to the Biblestudies and I still go Monday
nights with them and everythingto worship with them.
But, um, that's where Jesuswants me to be.
Hmm.
And this is my focus and I'mjust so driven, you know, to be
there to help them, you know?
(09:45):
'cause everybody has hard times.
I've had hard times too.
So it's just helping
Omar (09:49):
you, you know what, uh, I know you mentioned a few things
there.
Uh, there's like a lot ofministries.
Seems like there's co, co.
Aberration, we gotta move now.
These lights are gonna go off onus.
It seems like a lot of, youknow, um, ministries partnering
up to accomplish the samemission.
Mm-hmm.
But I know you mentioned growingup in Peoria, you're like, man,
going in there for like, goingback home.
(10:09):
So what, what was your, yourlife like, I guess younger, and
I know you're, you're on firefor the Lord.
When, when did that relationshipwith God, like, uh.
Become real for you.
And,
GG (10:19):
um, so ironically, I just did my testimony with our
church.
So, um, I went to a church campwhen I was a kid, so I was like
13, 14 years old when I wentthere.
And, um.
I had my counselor, her name wasMarilyn Monroe.
Not the Marilyn Monroe, but hername was Marilyn Monroe.
Very cool lady.
(10:40):
And the way that she couldexplain Jesus to us as
teenagers, then you got it, thenyou're like, oh, that's what it
means.
And so then when I got home, um,then I got baptized.
So my dad, uh, military, uh, hewas in the Vietnam War and he
was a Marine, and then he wentinto the um, reservist.
As an army.
(11:01):
So he was in the army, so I canconsider myself an army brat
even though we didn't movearound.
So my lifestyle was verystringent, very strict and
everything, um, moved around alot because my parents were
divorced.
So then in high school I movedin with my dad, but then he
being in Peoria, so then I wentto Manuel, and Manuel is down in
the south end of Peoria.
(11:22):
So yeah, you have to go through,you know, security and
everything else.
Every time you go to school andYep, there's fights.
Yep.
There's stabbings or whatever.
And it was, yeah, it was not agood school.
I mean, I graduated, but itwasn't safe.
Yeah.
For the safest that was in thePeoria area, but still, I'm very
proud of where I went becausethen it helps build my
(11:44):
character.
And in that.
So then that's why I have somuch di diverse friends, um,
ethnicities.
And so then when I went intolife skills, that's why I was
like, Hey, here I am.
You know, I'm so home because Ijust felt so comfortable going
there.
And I do every single time I goin there and when there's new
(12:05):
guys that are coming in, Hey,hi, how are ya?
You know, there was onegentleman, um.
He just got to life skills.
And so we had to give side hugs,you know?
And he's like, I haven't beenhugged by someone in like 20
years.
And that just struck me.
I'm like, oh my goodness.
You know, just the littlethings.
And even I think it was twoweeks ago, I just randomly went
(12:28):
up to this guy, I say hi, try tosay hi to most of them.
'cause some of them kind of keepyour attention.
And I'm like, Hey, what's goingon with you?
How can I pray for you?
And his dad had just passed awayand I was like, oh my gosh.
This is a.
Lord telling me,'cause he evenasked me before when we ended,
he goes, what made you come upto me and say that?
I said, that was just the HolySpirit guiding me to you to ask
(12:49):
you how you are.
You know?
And his dad passed away'cause ofcancer.
My dad passed away'cause ofcancer.
So then that's a connection thatwe have.
And so now every time we seeeach other, it's.
It just helps because then he'slike, okay, I'm not alone.
Yeah.
You know, there are other peopleout there that have the same
problems that I have had, eventhough I'm inside, you know,
Omar (13:09):
and maybe even like to help him.
How know, how, how did you getover it?
How, how did you go through it?
Because that's one thing I'mlearning.
Uh, um, I took this, I took a, acourse, it's a Christian
chaplains and coaching, and oneof the courses was, uh,
Christian grief counseling.
Mm-hmm.
And I've, I've been learning alot about grief and how
everybody goes through itdifferently.
(13:29):
Mm-hmm.
But, but one of the things thatwe're saying, uh, there's
difference between sympathy and,empathy, empathy.
Ronnie (13:35):
Mm-hmm.
Omar (13:35):
And empathy, like sympathy is like, you feel sorry for
somebody.
Like Yeah, I'm sorry.
You know, that happened.
But empathy, uh, one of thedescriptions they said is almost
like, uh, they're carrying aweight and you come alongside
there, and now both of you arelike carrying the same burden.
And it's, and it's, uh, empathyis something that, that I'm
trying to learn, Like my wife,she, she.
Tells me like that's, there's adifference, sympathy and
empathy.
(13:55):
Mm-hmm.
And it's very important.
And especially like to somebodythat just lost a loved one, you
know?
Mm-hmm.
To have somebody there.
Not, not, not to say I knowexactly how you're feeling, but
I'm somewhat familiar to whatyou're going through.
Right.
Like,
GG (14:06):
and to put yourself really in their shoes of how was it,
you know?
And yeah.
He wasn't able to be there withhis dad.
And that part, I feel sorry forhim, but I can empathize with
him because my father, the samething happened to him, you know?
So that's how it is.
And with me how I got over myfather passing away, and it's
(14:27):
been 21 years now.
Um, I knew he was gonna be withJesus, you know, I wasn't mad at
God for my father passing away.
I was a little mad at my dadbecause he wouldn't stop
smoking.
I mean, he know it's my dad'sfault.
It's not, it wasn't God's fault.
You know, God wants you toprotect your body because this
is what he made.
You know, it's your, it's histemple.
(14:47):
And I constantly, dad, you know,you need to stop.
You need to stop.
But of course he didn't and he'shis own.
Person just like everybody elseis.
But I wasn't mad at God becauseof that.
There's, that's not fair to God,I feel, you know?
Omar (15:02):
Yeah.
GG (15:03):
So,
Omar (15:04):
you know, I want to ask you, uh, how, how long ago did
you meet Ronnie and what wasyour initial impression or when
you met him?
You know, let's go back.
I don't know how, how long thatwas.
GG (15:13):
Oh, that's, uh, let's see.
I've been going to life skillsfor almost two years now.
Um, so it was May of 2020.
Three, I think is when I firststarted.
So, and for Ronnie, oh no, justa gentleman.
Just, hi sister, how are you?
Thank you for coming.
Um, I'm so glad to see you, youknow, praise God.
Amen.
(15:34):
Uh, very, he's like, yeah, justsomeone super kind that I can
talk to.
And, uh, like I said, I neverhad any, you know, you get those
spidey senses that something'swrong.
Never had any of that with himat all, you know, um, just very
easygoing, very well mannered.
Uh.
And someone that I could look upto.
Omar (15:55):
Hmm.
GG (15:55):
You know, and appreciate.
Yeah.
Omar (15:57):
Now what, what about you, Ronnie?
I know we were talkingyesterday, even with the family
that we interviewed last nightabout, uh, when you were in
Kewanee, there was no, no, nochurch, church service, I
believe you mentioned, was on TVor popping A DVD if you wanted
to, you know, get a message.
So you, you, I don't think weshared it here, but you wanna
talk about the, the, thestarting up of a church service
there and then how when theycame in, maybe your, your
(16:18):
perspective.
When, when the church startedcoming in.
Ronnie (16:22):
That's the exact story we spoke last night that, um,
when I entered that place, theysaid, I said, where's the
chapel?
We went there, it was thisclassroom.
And they said, well, where's theminister?
Nobody ministers.
He watch a of, of a film.
And then, uh, sometimes the nextday, the church who sent the
film will come in and talk,sometimes not.
(16:42):
So it's basically a, a TVministry.
So they had a baptism come intothe prison and it's before, uh.
Greta and they brought, uh, theguy named Pendergrass, uh, David
Pendergrass, I believe he's theminister here in this church,
right here.
And he came in to, to do thebaptism.
And I found out that he was thechaplain's minister.
So I had went up to him andsaid, uh, you know, when are you
(17:05):
gonna come in and do services?
And he says, you don't like theprograms going on?
I had grabbed his arm, I don'teven know the guy.
He's a big guy.
And I grabbed his arm and said,uh, I want flesh talking to me
to, to worship and fellowshipwith me.
So he put a guy named Jeff.
Hoeppner as a liaison.
The chaplain did, chaplain NewYork, put a guy named Jeff
Hepner to come be a liaisonbetween us and the township.
(17:27):
So they went and found fourdifferent ministries to come in
on Monday nights and share theresponsibility to give live
services.
So that's how I met Michelle.
That's how I met Greta comingin.
So we had picked up a, a bannerof hospitality, you know, of
respecting these people comingin and, uh, so they had water.
(17:47):
And then when Greta.
Uh, came, she basically, she hasa side business you could say
of, uh, baking and all that.
So she would bring, bring bakedgoods in, you know, for us, for
officers, stuff like that.
So, uh, it set that familyatmosphere tone and gave us
favor with the, the differentguards, uh, the administration.
(18:09):
So we constantly did that and atthe same time we had, uh, bible
studies training, uh, thegentleman in there, how to get
up.
And speak and do a, a service,you know, not only the minister
from outside, but when the, whenthe minister would finish doing
his service, you know, a, a guythat was in there would come up
to mc and finish off the, theservice.
(18:32):
So we had to train them how touse that microphone because some
would say some things that wouldmake some guys not wanna come
back no more.
And they, they, uh, told funnystories and different stuff, so
we had to train them that ifyou're gonna speak after a, a
minister comes from the societyin here.
And his theme is about maybebaptism or maybe Holy Spirit.
(18:52):
Then if you have something tosay about the Holy Spirit to co
compliment his ministry.
Yeah, go ahead and say it.
Don't go and get the microphoneand tell a funny story on a joke
because then the people, youerased his s his sermon and you,
you annihilate what he justworked for and what he just
spoke for.
So a lot of people got angeredin that.
There used to be, uh, backbitingand you know, like, these guys
(19:15):
think you run these churches.
No, it's not that.
It's respecting these peoplethat come in here.
It was the hospitality thing.
Back to that, you know.
And, um, it gave us leadway withthe administration to even open
a juvenile program called, uh,credible Messengers Mentorship
Program.
So we were online withjuveniles.
Actually we spoke last night.
They brought like a 9-year-oldboy and 11-year-old boy in
(19:35):
there, remember?
And we sat in there and mentoredthese young boys, which is
unheard of in that system.
You're not allowed to bring kidsin there.
And we're in there with thesekids changing and their lives
change.
And, um, it just gave us thatfavor to the chaplain.
They had a, a day with dad's,uh, day daughters with dad's
day, so the daughters could comedown and be with their father in
(19:55):
the yard and we'd cook for'emand service'em, and all these
different programs, uh, thatallowed us.
But it was through them seeingus, the respect that was birthed
in that Monday night service.
So it elevated to the pointwhere we did a food drive,
remember?
Mm-hmm.
That's when we packed 20 th theywanted 10,000 meals packed.
(20:16):
We packed 20,000 meals.
And so we spent all.
Day, uh, uh, packaging thisstuff up.
We built, uh, golf carts.
Our golf, uh, uh, the where youdo miniature golf.
Okay.
Uh, the golf course, whateveryou call'em.
Yeah.
For the kids and the fathers tocome in and play golf in there
and do these different thingslike that.
(20:36):
We did, um, on Christmas theybrought in, you're not allowed
to have fire in institutionanymore.
That's been outlawed for 25years.
So we're allowed to bringcandles in and we had, uh,
candle vigil Christmas.
Times.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, passing out Christmas cardsso people could send it to their
family.
So all this started, it was notthere.
And through these people that,you know, they're in this church
(20:59):
right here, so they're amongsttheir chaplain and they can, I
won't say the word, but like armtwist on, on a, on another day,
you know, where they have adifferent relationship that we
had.
We were inmates, what they callinmates, and they were civilians
with civilians.
So when they said, well, we wantthis, then they opened them
doors for us.
Us and then for us to watch, uh,guys be released and Ben Andres
(21:25):
and them, uh, buying houses andfacilitate for a person to come
home.
They don't wanna go back to hisenvironment.
They, they house'em, and thenyou find out, oh, they just got
'em a car.
Or they just went and got'emsome beds and they just went and
got'em.
Plates and spoons and furnitureand stuff like that.
You just, uh, sit there andthink that this came from a
baptism, that we confrontedthem, we need services, and then
(21:48):
it developed into that.
And into a brotherhood,sisterhood thing.
And to mention what she saidabout side hugs, we actually,
almost, the church maybe almostclosed down, you know, that, um,
they were coming in and actuallygiving, uh, you know, face to
face hugs, open hugs.
So that's not allowed in theprison system.
(22:09):
So they would come in and hereyou are hugging.
So I was accused of, you know,uh, uh, open hugging or kissing
the women or, you know, so itwent to that.
To that level that we had tocome to the conclusions, okay,
well, you know, these peoplelove us, as simple as that.
And once you reach that plateauof that kind of love, that, uh,
it's a concerned love.
(22:29):
It's a godly love that youcan't, and it's in the Bible,
it's called, it's called a holykiss.
And it's not where you'rekissing our mouth.
It's you put your face andyou're putting your face and
you're just hugging and, uh,like the French dude.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's like that.
So, so once you reach that, thatplateau that they have these
concerns, it's hard to come in.
And be superficial and justtouch from the side.
(22:52):
So
GG (22:52):
yeah, that was very, very hard to get used to.
Yeah.
You know, and like now though,me, and I don't know who's gonna
see this, I still do hugs.
I don't care.
They,
Ronnie (23:01):
yeah, they, and that was the thing, it was so funny that
even though we were ordered bythe wardens and ordered by the
chaplain list, that's gottastop.
You know, internal affairs,everybody threatened, you know,
you'll stop.
Okay.
Okay.
And as soon as we go to church,the first thing you see each
other is just, you're not eventhinking that.
And there you are hugging andthere's guards just looking
like, you know.
GG (23:18):
Yeah.
Yeah.
'cause even in your normalchurch, you just walk up to your
friends, hi, how are you?
And you know, I don't care whothey're, yeah.
And I remember like after we gotin trouble for the, for the
frontal hugs, and then Iactually didn't know it yet and
so I was still doing it andsomebody went to Chap and like,
do you see what Gigi's doing?
And he's like, are you gonnatell her to stop?
(23:38):
I'm not.
And so I was still, yeah.
Yeah.
Ronnie (23:41):
So it developed to that, to that level, you know, that
that civilians not knowing thesepeople, not really knowing their
characters, just meeting themfor a month at a time or maybe
three months, and then take'eminto their homes in, in society.
Mm-hmm.
And put money up to buy'emthings and use their private
time as civilians to goreintegrate these guys back into
(24:03):
society.
So that's why I, uh, asked youto come to Kewanee to capture
the.
These testimonies and there'sgonna be more testimonies of,
uh, these people need to me, uh,need to be announced that we
could show these in Chicagodifferent places, uh, these
one-on-one reintegrationpractices.
You know what I'm saying?
Omar (24:24):
No, man.
No.
Yeah, that's, that's very big.
That's very, and I, I see God inall of it.
Like, you know, even in the, thestarting with one thing,
grabbing the hold of the guy'sarm.
Man, man, look at what the, likethe, the, what do you call it?
The, the ripple effect that ithad.
Yeah.
You know, I just want, I wannatell you guys.
Man, there's like a, so, so muchyou guys share.
Is there anything that wehaven't talked about that you
(24:44):
guys wanna highlight?
I guess that, what else is goingout here and then Kewanee,
Ronnie (24:49):
well, she can speak more on that, but one thing that when
I.
When I was released, I came backhere to get my property to
Kwani.
So I went and got my propertyand then I came to this church
to meet more people and I seenthey had these t-shirts they
have for sale.
So since I've been home, I go toso many different reentry
centers and I've actuallybought, uh, t-shirts for You
(25:11):
guys don't have t-shirts in thisplace?
No, we don't have that.
I bought'em sweatshirts withlogos and decals that I'm a firm
believer.
I'm representing her.
She's representing me.
I'm representing you.
So when somebody sees me withtheir shirt on.
Hey, what is that?
It gives me a chance to, Hey,there's this guy named Omar that
does wrong or strong, and hiswife does this or that, and they
tell these stories, you know, sowhen I came here, I took their
(25:33):
shirts, their shirts have oneshirt that says, uh, you should
have seen me before.
Hmm mm-hmm.
So, and it's a statement that,wow, you should have seen me
before.
And
GG (25:42):
that's the one that I have, I have, you should have seen.
Yeah, you should have seen mebefore.
Yeah.
Ronnie (25:46):
So those t-shirts, uh, of all these places, I'm, I'm
asking people to make theirshirts and that.
You know, we pass'em out to eachother and wear'em so that, uh,
we are a network of people thatare car so impacted.
We, we have a whole society.
Uh, I was thinking it was, I'vebeen talking to people saying,
Hey, there's like 4 millionpeople that are impacted.
(26:09):
And I went to this, uh, programwhere we had a meeting and one
of the guys with me that's moreprofessional in the statistics
that he does stats and he'slike, let me interrupt real
quick.
And he's like, no, it's not 4million, it's 14 million.
So there's four.
14 million, you know, uh, uh,uh, impacted people in Illinois
and, uh, in the last so manydecades.
(26:31):
And that means 14 million plusfamily, plus cousins, plus aunts
and uncle plus.
So we are a, a big entity, youknow.
So now how do we network thisto, uh, get better help?
Because they, when we come home,uh, they put you on A-A-M-S-R,
they put you on registrations.
Mm-hmm.
And you ne you can give, youcan't get free, you can't get.
(26:52):
Jobs, you can't get, uh, uh,leases for a house.
People do background checks and,oh, you're a fella.
I don't, I don't want you in myhouse.
Or you gotta gimme 2000 extrafor that.
So there are so many, uh,burdens that come on it, but you
know, you, you did your time,you know, so you hear these
people say, the second chancewe're giving you a second
chance.
And I say to those people thatwhen I go home, I did my time.
(27:16):
So why are you telling me you'regiving me a second chance?
What are you lording yourselfover me for?
Why are you bigger?
Than me that you're giving me asecond chance.
So you're not hiring me for mycharacter or for my skills.
You're, you're making yourselfbigger than me.
I don't wanna work for you.
I don't wanna be part ofwhatever you're doing.
So if you're hiring me for myquality, then I'm equal polarity
(27:38):
to you that, that I finished mytime and now, and I pay my debt
to society as it's a spoken of,then that's a blessing that way.
So I'm not in favor of when Ihear the second chance, we're
giving you a second chancebecause scripture.
Says, Jesus said, how many timesdo I forgive the brother?
He says Seven times.
Seven times seven.
It said four 90 times.
But you're telling me societyculture has this slick saying,
(28:01):
we're giving you a secondchance.
I'm not in agreement with that.
It's not, it's not scripturebound.
Omar (28:07):
Amen.
Amen.
You know what, that's one, onetopic that came up when I
interviewed.
I know you, you had me connectwith, uh, a Pena, Harry Pena.
Mm-hmm.
And I didn't understand, uh,when he was talking about, uh,
end permanent punishment.
When he started describing it,like even in my own life, you
know,'cause I got a record frombefore.
Mm-hmm.
But that was back in, I, I gotconvicted in 97, got out in
2000, so that's 25 years ago.
(28:29):
I never thought about it, butit's right.
It still affects you when you golook for a job, they look at it
and a lot of places won't hireyou.
You know, like even where Iwork, I've seen people where I
work in the shop and they comein even though they got the
record and then they got out,they went to school, they got a
certificate.
Let's say to, to run themachines.
And I see it and I, I, I want togive'em a chance, but
(28:50):
unfortunately they, they won't,you know, like things like that.
So there is like this stigma.
Stigma.
It's not, it's not that you paidyour debt.
Yeah.
I like the way he explained it.
You're continually like payingright.
Even though you get out, youknow?
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
But, uh, yeah,
GG (29:05):
and like with, um, the finished well ministry, so what
we're trying to do, and I thinkBen hopefully will talk on this
too, is that his vision is.
So broad, which is absolutely ablessing because he wants to
help the guys that are in lifeskills.
And even so we don't just helpthe life skill guys.
(29:26):
Okay?
We help anybody that comes toKeani that has been in prior
incarceration, that doesn't haveanything that needs help, we
help.
Them.
It doesn't matter where you'reat, you know, or where you came
from.
Um, so with Ben's vision too,for the finished home
ministries, is that he wants toeven get, um, startup companies
(29:47):
mm-hmm.
To help.
So then these companies thenwill hire, or we, because it's
his company, so he's gonna hirethe guys coming from life skills
because you can have day work,you know, you can do your day
job, day labor.
And we do have a couple of, um,companies around here in Kewanee
that allow them to do that.
They can only work like fourhours.
The day.
And so that's what we wouldstart out as.
(30:07):
But then once they're released,if they still want to work for
our company, then they can stillwork for our company, you know?
So he's just wanting to makesure that they have someplace to
go, you know, because it is sucha struggle to go someplace else.
You know, I mean, yeah, I'm inadministration.
Sure, I can probably get a jobanywhere, but I have years of
(30:27):
experience, but I didn't go tocollege.
And so they'd rather take some20-year-old right outta college
because, well, one, she's gonnabe cheaper'cause she doesn't
have the experience, but thenshe's got her certificate.
I'm like, okay, good luck.
You know?
So, but he's just giving theseguys, you know, the opportunity
to get the skillset, you know,so that they can move on, you
know, and everything, which is Ithink is.
(30:49):
Such a, such a blessing, youknow, for him to be able to do
that and to help with thecommunity.
Omar (30:55):
Oh, amen.
You, you know, one thing I alsolike to do when I, when I do
these interviews is highlightthe ministries.
Mm-hmm.
Do you, you wanna talk aboutthis church in particular?
Um,'cause it's obviously, youknow, you guys are doing prison
ministry there, there's a lot ofchurches that, that don't, you
know, admire.
Like, at my church, I'm tryingto start one.
Yeah.
So hopefully in August we'll beable to raise up a team that'll
go into Cook County, a prisonout in Chicago, and then mm-hmm.
(31:16):
And impact.
So maybe ta talk a lot, uh, alittle.
Bit about your church, how itis, and uh, where does that
heart come from?
Like for the, or how, you know,like for prison ministry, you
know?
Yeah.
GG (31:25):
So, um, how Ronnie had said Jeff Hepner was the one who
started it because the chaplainout there, um, he attends Hill
Church or he did attend HillChurch.
So the story that I got from thechaplain is that he did like a
500 mile radius from the lifeskills.
Facility of what churches wouldhelp him, and only one
connected.
And that was the one out in thequad cities somewhere.
(31:47):
And so then they started, wellthen Jeff Hepner started because
Jeff Hepner actually went to theum, maximum security prisons.
And he would preach to guys in amaximum security prison, like
through your little lunch holeand.
He was like, Greta.
It was just incredible.
And so then once he found outthat he was able to go out here
(32:08):
to life skills because ittransitioned from a juvenile
facility to an adult facility,then that's when he started
getting involved and then he hadanother gentleman get involved,
and then those two brought it tothe whole church and said, okay,
hey, who wants to get involved?
This is what you do.
You tell the chaplain.
Here's your information you givehim and then he's able to get
you in.
And then I was hooked.
(32:30):
You know, it was just, okay,this is what God wants me to do.
And that's what I did.
And so the church, our church asa whole, um, we even have like
small groups.
For Bible studies.
So even sometimes a small, awhole small group will go out
there.
So you'll have like 20 peoplefrom a small group to go out
there on a Monday night.
There are, I think, only twoother churches in town that
(32:53):
people go there on either aSunday or a Tuesday, because
that's bible studies for them.
'cause we can't, we're notallowed to go every night.
You know, I would go every nightif I could, but we're not
allowed to.
So usually it's Sunday, Monday,Tuesday.
Um, and uh, that's just how weare still staying involved.
And it's great because someonecan go on a Sunday night, tell
me, Hey, so-and-so is having alittle bit of an issue or they
(33:15):
need prayer for, and then when Isee them on Monday, they'll come
up to me, Hey, Gigi, can youpray?
Blah, blah, blah.
And I do.
And then, so we all are, we allstay connected as volunteers
stay connected on who have we.
Talk to who are our guys that wetalk to.
Um, because like Michelle willtell me who she's talked to, you
know, and others tell me whothey talk to.
(33:36):
So then we all know what's goingon with everybody, just to keep
them safe and just to keep themin our prayers.
And if they do need anything,then we're able to give them
what they need, you
Omar (33:45):
know?
So.
So sounds like that's buildinglike a relationship, not only
with the guys in there, but evenamongst your, your, your small
group in the church.
Is that, that you feel like thatbrings you guys closer?
Amen.
GG (33:54):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Because I honestly probablywouldn't have talked to some of
the other people.
People from the other churchesif I weren't going to life
skills because I didn't knowthem beforehand, you know?
And now we are very close and wetalk several times a week.
So it's just a great, um, aspectin, in addition to what is going
(34:15):
on in life skills and how muchJesus is moving in that
building.
Because we even have guards thatcome in and will now sit through
the whole service.
When before they would just comein and check on you or walk by
the windows and check on you.
But some of.
Of them stay, they'll stay andlisten to the whole service
sometimes, especially if there'streats.
I'm just saying.
But, you know, you know, but Imean, it's good and it's, and we
(34:38):
get a good, uh, rapport with theguards too, you know?
Um, because we see them out inthe community as well and
everything.
And they'll even, I even had onelady call me, oh, I saw
so-and-so at Walmart, you know,I just wanted to call you
because, you know, can you prayfor them and how are they doing?
And can you gimme a little bitmore insight?
And even like with.
The parole officers, I talked tothem too.
(34:58):
And because they want to, theparole officers also, we want
you to succeed.
We all want, everybody wants youto succeed.
And that's just in our naturetoo.
And so we, as a church, and thenwe also as Finish Well
Ministries, we want them tosucceed.
We want them to.
Finish well in society, youknow, and everybody to finish
(35:19):
well in society.
'cause even those who aren'tincarcerated sometimes are still
in a prison.
And even to talk to Ronnie ortalk to you about what's gone on
in your life can help us breakour own chains of why we are in
prison too.
You know, just to get yourinsight on things too.
Omar (35:35):
Right.
No, man, that, that's awesome.
I know we're getting close tothe time, time you said Well,
but you know what, I know youmentioned, uh, you mentioned
the, the ministry.
What'd you say?
Um,
GG (35:43):
finish.
Well,
Omar (35:44):
ministries.
Ministries.
Mm-hmm.
Is, is there any way, uh,people, let's say they hear
their story, is there any waythey could contribute?
Is there, you know, like, um, we
GG (35:51):
do have a website, um, finishwellministries.com.
So you can look at, um, ourwebsite and everything and you
can volunteer, you can donate,um, everything obviously goes
through me.
I'm the business manager andthen I do blog on it also.
So like the community eventsthat our guys do, um, they have
like a Saturday morningbreakfast.
Sometimes that not just the guysfrom the ministry are going, but
(36:14):
even gentlemen from church willgo and it's just a men's, it's a
men's group kind of thing.
Okay.
You know, um, and they also do,uh, we have counseling on
service too.
So we have a counselor on hand.
Pastor David is on hand.
All the pastors here actuallyare on hand, um, just to help
because we want to help.
And they have all that anxietyof they're alone.
(36:35):
They don't know what to do, theydon't know how to function.
So we.
To succeed, you know, so we'restill, you know, doing that with
them as well.
Yeah.
Omar (36:43):
And counseling, it's funny you bring it up, like in the
last man so many interviews,counseling has been coming up a
lot.
And that's an area I believewhat God's doing right now.
Mm-hmm.
He's like bringing healing,inner healing, you
GG (36:55):
know?
Amen.
Absolutely.
And I think me one being amother, um, and being a grandma,
so then sometimes these guys,they need that mom talk.
They, it doesn't matter how oldyou are, you still need that mom
talk.
And it's like, listen son, orlisten, you know, and I give
them the mom talk, you know, andthey're like, okay, I get it.
(37:15):
Because sometimes they're notgonna relate to what one of the
other gentlemen are sayingbecause that's not what they
need.
They need the mom talk at thattime, you know?
So that's, uh, and it's not justme that does it.
It's, and it's funny'cause someSunday nights it's all of us
women at a Bible study, no men.
And they're, we walk in, we'relike, okay guys, you get the
moms tonight.
And, and it's just great becausethat's just, they're like, okay.
Omar (37:40):
Yeah, no, I think that's all very important.
Um, any final words before weclose out?
Any final words?
And then usually I ask ourguests if they could close out
on a prayer, so Absolutely.
I'll let you guys have a momentof final words and then we'll
close out in prayer.
Ronnie (37:54):
Well, my final words are I appreciate, uh, Omar coming
down here to, uh, exercise thispodcast.
You know, it took me the lastseven, eight months.
To, uh, finally go on a podcastwith him.
But I've been helping peoplecome to his podcast.
So I kept thinking I had to dothis and I was gonna do my own,
(38:15):
but I'm in so many differentthings.
And I said, let me just keepfeeding him so that he's well,
well equipped and well skilledand to tell your story.
So, storytelling is soimportant.
There's women and people that wedidn't mention.
A lady was, uh, Carrie.
We had a lady named Jennifer,uh, coming in there and we had
the, Wexell's.
Was another family from anothertownship she mentioned on
(38:37):
Tuesday nights.
So that's a whole nother story.
Shelly and Joyce, we have allthese people that, uh, played
roles in, uh, helping these,these brothers, uh, invest.
They invested into them tochange the course of their mind,
to let their criminal history goto, you know, be useful citizens
as, as the Constitution says, torestore useful citizenship.
(39:00):
So their ministries, each one of'em being ministers in their own
right, they don't say they'reministers, but.
Their ministers, and they callthemselves counselors, but
they're ministering becausethey're using the word to talk
to these guys who are coming tohear the word.
And they're getting the word.
And she says, from the motherview, from the administrative
view, uh, from the personalview, from the friend view, you
(39:21):
know, and, and these guys areattentive.
They've been starving.
They're, a lot of people inprison are emotionally starved.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, families left, them,families die off.
Uh, they burn bridges.
And so you got people that don'tknow'em, reaching out.
That olive branch to them.
So it gives'em that, that, thatglimpse of hope, you know, that
man, somebody's concerned andthen they have, they have that
(39:43):
opportunity to don't blow it.
Yeah.
You know, and then they, they,they, they tune up and they walk
a right line.
So I witnessed this in a lot oftimes and they witness it a lot
of times.
So I'm just proud of whatthey've done.
I, I moved off in my life, justcoming home, so I stepped this
way.
They're continuously buildingand from the little thing we
started of grabbing thatminister's arm mm-hmm.
(40:05):
They got, they got buildings.
They're buying buildings, andthey're buying cars and they're
buying.
So, hey, God bless'em.
Mm-hmm.
Omar (40:11):
Amen And I know we just, uh, drove around the town and,
and look at the buildingbuildings.
I think we stopped at fourdifferent places and we, we did
a video walking through a wholehouse.
Okay.
So we'll be able to show itexactly what's going on, because
I was telling'em it is one thingfor them to hear about what
they're doing, but to actuallyget a walkthrough of one of the
houses and to be able to show,it's gonna be amazing.
So, yeah.
Any final words?
(40:32):
And then it closes out and,yeah.
GG (40:33):
So, um, the ministry, the finish.
Ministers, we have actuallythree houses, uh, two buildings
and one of those buildings we'regonna have apartments in.
So hopefully it'll be like fouror five apartments to be able to
house guys and it's transitionalhousing and it's to help them
get on their feet again so thatthey don't have to worry about
their first couple months billsand things like that, you know?
(40:55):
So, um, but yeah, I'm just veryhonored to be with you guys
today'cause it is just great andGod is moving.
Amen.
Omar (41:01):
Woohoo.
Hallelujah.
No praise.
He's good.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Been blessed.
I've been here just for half aday yesterday and right now, and
it's been a blessing.
I definitely see God in themidst of everything out here
GG (41:12):
and all those, um, people that Ronnie was talking about, I
still, we all still talk, we allstill get together.
We had a Friendsgiving, uhmm-hmm.
That was down here and that wasabsolutely amazing.
Um, so all the guys that hadbeen released within the last
couple of years all cametogether and it was just so
incredible.
So absolutely incredible.
I
Ronnie (41:30):
drove down to, yeah, participate and that was about a
hundred of us in a
Omar (41:35):
wow.
Yeah.
And so, yeah.
You guys gotta invite me, man.
We'll bring the camera.
You know what?
Ronnie (41:38):
Amen.
Yes.
Omar (41:39):
People need to see the success stories, you know?
Yes.
I know the brother weinterviewed last night, he was
talking about, they always talkabout the re recidivism rate
recidivism and on the bad side,but there's a good side, you
know?
Mm-hmm.
There's people that, that, youknow, that Yeah.
They change and, you know, they,they walk though, you know, the
straight and arrow movingforward.
Yeah.
But, uh, yeah.
If you don't mind closing downthe prayer Sure.
And then we'll get ready to wrapup.
Sure.
GG (41:59):
Okay.
Um, heavenly Father, I justwanna thank you, first of all,
for the day for allowing us tobe here.
To be together.
Um, thank you for Omar andRonnie and what they are doing
and how they are moving, um, inthis world.
And it's just amazing what youcan do with just a little bitty
mustard seed.
Um, Just thank you for theopportunities that you give us
(42:23):
every single day.
Lord, I just pray that you willopen more people's hearts and
eyes and give them the spiritualglasses that they need to see
what you are doing and what yourwill is and where you are.
Want us to move.
So where do you want us to gonext in this ministry and
helping with all of thesegentlemen, life skills and all
the other, um, prison reentryprograms that there are,
(42:44):
especially in Illinois?
Lord.
Um, we just thank you forproviding the things that we
need, providing the finances,providing the counselors, um,
giving us the, um, the spiritualguidance and the wisdom every
single day to be out here, to bewith our brothers and sisters in
Christ, and to be with those whoneed us the most.
(43:05):
Lord.
And, uh, thank you for allowingus to go into life skills, to
pray with them, to be with them,to be their sisters and brothers
in Christ, in there, um, to getthat relationship building with
them so that they can still havehope.
Uh, thank you Lord for all thatyou do and everything in
especially your son.
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Omar (43:25):
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Th they thank you guys for, for,for joining me.
And with that, we're gonna getready to wrap up.
Uh, Matthew four 16 reads,"Thepeople who sat in darkness have
seen a great.
Light and upon those who sat inthe region and shadow of death
light has dawned." Alongside myguest, Ronnie and Gigi.
My name's Omar Calvillo, and weare wrong too strong.
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