34 men profess faith in Christ
#MTCChangesLives
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Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III baptizes Deseantez Watkins. |
WOODVILLE, Miss. – Wilkinson County Correctional Facility
(WCCF) recently hosted a water baptism ceremony in which 34 incarcerated men participated
as new converts to Christianity.
“I think it was the right thing to do,” said offender William
Strickland. “It makes me feel good. Now I can focus on becoming a better
Christian and a better human being.”
The event, which took place in December 2020, occurred
after a series of facility-wide church services. Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III,
along with fellow employee, Training Lieutenant Dwyane Anthony, performed the
ceremony. Anthony, an ordained minister, is also pastor of King Emanuel Baptist
Church in Woodville.
The men ranged in age from 19 to 50. All of them
professed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. “They made a
life-changing decision to be baptized and to follow Christ,” said Barnes. “This
is the first step in their journey as disciples of the Lord.”
Christopher Myers, a chaplain’s orderly, assisted Anthony
in the baptism while Ricky Keeton, who also works with the chaplain’s
department, assisted Barnes. Willie Riley, another chaplain’s orderly, handed
out towels and dry clothing for the men as they exited the pools.
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Training Lieutenant Dwyane Anthony, right, baptizes
Jermaine Crump, with assistance from Chaplain Orderlies Willie Riley, left, and
Christopher Myers. |
The participants described the event as an important
milestone in their walk with God. Some acknowledged their struggles and asked
staff for forgiveness. Michael Moore, before being submerged, showed remorse. “I
just want to apologize to all of the officers and staff that I’ve ever been
disrespectful towards and any offenders that I’ve had a problem with in the
past,” he said. “I want to make a new start.”
Jermaine Crump said he enjoyed the experience. “I thank
God for saving me and making it possible for me to be baptized,” he said. “Hopefully
I can show the world how much I appreciate my new life in Christ.”
Barnes and Anthony baptized the men inside the facility
gym using two portable baptism pools, one of which was donated by American
Rehabilitation Ministries (ARM).
George Castro, deputy warden of programs, stated, “This
is one of the greatest things that ever happened at this facility.” He added,
“We closed out the year in the best way, with something positive.”
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Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III, left, baptizes Albert Thomas,
with assistance from Rickey Keeton, who works with the chaplain’s department.
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Before the ceremony, Programs Director Tracey Arbuthnot encouraged
the men seeking to be baptized. “I advised the candidates for baptism that they
were making the largest accomplishment in life by dedicating their lives to
Christ,” she said. “I encouraged them to stay in the word and surround
themselves with godly people.”
One of the participants, Patrick Cavett, said he was
happy about the experience, even though it was hard to explain. “I feel like a
new person,” he said. “The water was chilly, to say the least, but I really
think I made the right decision. I’m happy about it.”
The ceremony concluded with a meal provided by the
facility and an almond-flavored sheet cake that was donated by Treppendahl
Super Foods. Each of the men received a Certificate of Baptism.
WCCF, which houses more than 900 male offenders, is operated
by Management and Training Corporation or MTC of Utah.
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#PrivatePrisons #Corrections #MTCChangesLives
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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain,
historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen
books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see
his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect
with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com
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