Hello, I please need some help from anyone who knows anything about volunteers rights! My husband and I were volunteers at the Marshall Formy Unit in Plainview, TX. We feel it is a calling on our lives from God to minister His love to these guys! We had given some of the men our Ministry Box number to which they wrote us letters. We never wrote them back. We were suspended from the unit because of this and can no longer go in as volunteers. All we wanted to do was to help these men and offer them hope for a new life. Can anyone help me? We are brokenhearted and want to try to get reinstated. Thanks!

You were suspended from volunteering because you didn't reply to their letters??? I'm a little confused as to how that has to do with anything. What did you do there as volunteers?

If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you write them back? It seems to be that it would be a continuation of your ministry work...

I am at a loss too, why would they suspend your voluntering just for not writting letters back to these men. And why would you give them your address if you weren't going to return letters with these men? Where they not to write to you guys? I am like mlg78 I am a total loss, because I thought that would be part of your ministry work.

No, we were not suspended for not writing letters back. I am sorry for the confusion. I meant the men knew they could write letters to us, but they knew we were not allowed to write letters back and we didn't. We were supposedly suspended because we have gooten too personally involved with the men. I don't know how you can love people and not get involved in their lives. But, I am with ya'll, I thought all the correspondence would fall under our ministry. Isn't that what we're supposed to do in the ministry. I am so heartbroken and fed-up with our justice system! Now they have stopped all incoming and outgoing mail with our name anywhere on it. Now, we have no way of communicating with our guys that we love so much! One man has no family period and he think of us as his parents. Any suggestions if I can't get mail in or out?

That is so sad. How can you not get involved or close to the inmates that you are ministring to. Where you just volunteering at just one of the prisons? I was going to suggest that maybe you contact the warden and see what he says or can do. Or go to the top person in TDC and see if they can help. Our loved ones really need people like you. good luck... Jeanne

Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions for you but I do hope you're able to find an answer. It seems so counterproductive in that they wanted you to volunteer ...but only halfway. It's like...provide your love...but not all of it.

I know it's hard to move on from this situation but I'd recommend picking up some penpals you ARE able to correspond with. You most likely won't be able to minister to them in the prisons, but the power of letters, I've learned, are more than you'd ever believe...

You were suspended because they felt that you were developing personal relationships with the offenders (and families of offenders) and according to TDCJ that is a security violation. All employees and volunteers are subject to the provision of PD 22. Sorry. I know exactly how you feel.

cj

That is so sad. And they wonder why so many of these inmates can;t make out here. You were there to help them and the system just sets them up to fail!