Ministry At the Prison (Rayburn Correctional Center)

We have been blessed to minister at the prison in Angie, LA for 6 years. The Lord has allowed several of us to be involved in the Mentoring Program on Monday and Tuesday nights for the Faith Based Programs, working with about 15 inmates each night.

We have brought Motorcycles in twice a year, almost every year, for 6 years, served up to 1,000 hamburgers and had 700 to 800 inmates come to the worship services the last several years. Took motorcycles on the yards for the inmates to look at and give us an opportunity to invite them to the services and talk to them about Jesus.

We were able to have a 3 Day Discipleship Weekend, Friday night, Saturday 8AM to 8PM, and Sunday morning for about 3 years. We had between 75 and 110 men come and hear the word, discuss the Word, have the Lord's Supper, have foot washing and anoint and pray over every person, volunteers included. Had more food for them than they could eat. Each Sunday morning we would pick up hot donuts, cold milk, orange juice and fruit. Some of the men had not had hot donuts in 30 to 50 years!

We appear to be scheduled to have our last Saturday Worship Service June 11. And maybe still have the last 3 Day Weekend July 8,9,10.

We want to thank the Lord first and then the Warden, Chaplain, staff and all the people at Rayburn Correctional that have allowed us to minister in the facility for the past years!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

We all with Three Fold pray for God's blessings on each of you and your family, as we know this is a very trying time for each of you.

We want to thank all the inmate Chaplains that have worked hand in hand with us to accomplish God's purpose in RCC!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

We pray for God's blessings and favor all the Chaplains and all the inmates at Rayburn Correctional!

Ministering in Rajahmundry India w Pastors Abraham and Samuel

The post is far behind schedule!

Steve flew into Rajahmundry India on April 24 and ministered with Pastor Abraham and Pastor Samuel until May 2. Sunday April 24 was Resurrection Sunday and I had the great privilege of preaching 3 times on the Celebration of Jesus Christ Resurrection from the grave!!! Praise the Lord!!

The Pastors and their families were very gracious hosts. They had a room and bathroom that was Westernized: air conditioning, shower, sink and a western toilet. Children running around that I was able to love and spoil. Wives that took care of me with wonderful food, cooked without as much curry as Indians eat.

The only problem about them cooking food that fit my pallet, is that I instead of losing weight, that I so needed to do, I gained weight. But it was fun gaining it!

We ministered with a Pastor's conference that was about 6 hours, conducted 2 Medical Camps that we offered free medical care to Hindus and Christians in several villages. The 2nd camp was held a little differently and I got to pray for almost everyone that got doctored on.

I was allowed to preach up to 6 times a day and for a man who is not a preach, I had a fantastic time. The scripture that Jesus told his disciples to trust in the Holy Spirit and he would give the messages, IS TRUE. The Lord gave me different messages for every service.

God is SO GOOD!

Looking forward to the next trip to minister with Pastor Abraham and Pastor Samuel!!!

Love you Pastors, wives, children and all those we ministered with and to!!

Thanks for your love, care and hospitality!!

We are praying for God to do great things there, many to be saved and all to be discipled.

Victor David and Blessing met us at the train station in Rajahmundry on Monday May 2 and rode the train with them to Anakapolli.


I have 2 CDs of pictures and video from Rajahmundry, but I can't seem to get them into my computer, so the only pictures I have to upload are the ones from Anakapolli.

Harrison Olan’g: an international Church in Tanzania

Harrison Olan’g: an international Church in Tanzania

Meeting Francis and Harrison Olan'g

A chance meeting in a Best Buy store in New Orleans turned into a wonderful 2 days for Steve and I.
As those of you who know Steve know, he likes to talk! (slight under exaggeration lol)
He struck up a conversation with a young man in the store and through this gift of gab found out this man was from Tanzania and knows one of our friends who had been a missionary in Tanzania for many years.
We found out later that Francis' father, Harrison Olan'g, would be in the area ( flying in from Tanzania) soon so Steve asked if they would like to come up and stay with us, come to our Monday night Bible Study and then go see Roger Swann, their missionary friend. They agreed. What we didn't know at the time of the invitation, but God did, was that Roger would be recovering from unexpected bypass surgery.
When Steve took them to Rogers house he said it was so sweet to see the old friends reminisce. The "chance" meeting was for them, Harrison and Francis Olan'g and Roger Swann, we just got a blessing from it as well.
Monday night at Bible Study at Harvest, Harrison spoke on the Samaritan women. He told us that Jesus looked passed the fact that she was an adulteress and saw her heart, the heart of an evangelist. We need to look passed the outward appearance and see the potential that Christ see's. And we need to love others enough to tell them about Jesus.
Because of my husbands willingness to speak to EVERYONE ALL THE TIME we now have new friends. Pray for Harrison as he returns to Tanzania. He is a pastor and is president of the Seminary there. The seminary was Southern Baptist but just recently has become non-denominational. Pray for Francis and his family. He has finished his masters at New Orleans Baptist Seminary and is wanting to get a green card so that they can move to and stay in Texas. He works as a mental health counselor and wishes to be able to send help back to Tanzania and arrange mission trips to this same area.


The link above I hope will give you a little more information about the Olan'gs. It is a bit old but might be helpful. Go to NEWER POSTS to find the link

Its time for a new post!

Do not forget that we still have the worship service the 2nd Saturday evening of each month in the prison in Angie.
They skipped us in Feb. but in March we will be back on schedule.
Also, as many of you know, we sent out letters asking for our volunteers to step up and help with the outreach in May. We are still in need of specific volunteers and help with the funds to pull it off. We are about half way there!
God is good !
Steve will be leaving April 22nd again for India. This time he will be traveling with a man from the Atlanta area, Chris Sanchez. Please keep them both in your prayers.
Over the past couple months we have been making plans and raising money for the people in India. We have now helped them build a chicken coop and purchase chicks to raise in order to have eggs to eat and eventually chickens to eat as well.
The ministry there seems to be growing.
Steve will stay with Williams for one week then will travel a short distance to visit with 2 other pastors.
Harvest ministries is also doing well! God has blessed us more than we could ask or think. We have a Bible study there in the cabin by the lake every Monday night at 6:30pm. We are currently discussing our way through the book of Genesis. We also teach a Bible Study on Sunday mornings at the Microtel Hotel in Columbia. We begin around 9am and end ...whenever :) If you need to leave for church you just get up and go. Some need to leave around 10:30 and others like to stay and continue the discussion of the scriptures until 11 or so.
Remember you can follow us on facebook and now also on twitter @harvestcamp @stevegray and @gigiathome
If you have never been to the prison with us and would like to go you need to fill out an application and then it will take 2 weeks to get your approval, so plan ahead.
We love you all

Cheryl Gray

Matt. 24:14