The LOCK Ministry: Newsletter Issue 9

The LOCK Ministry: Newsletter Issue 9 (7/18/2023)

The LOCK Ministry

P1 PROJECT Completion

P1 PROJECT began in November 2019. Through God's special blessings, it has continued to grow and currently has nearly 1,000 participants. However, not everyone participates diligently every day. Most inmates participate in various other programs within the prisons. Some individuals dedicate a significant amount of time to taking college courses and earning degrees, while others receive vocational training. There are also those who work in restaurants or machine shops. Therefore, they cannot devote as much time to the P1 PROJECT during the remaining hours. Even so, it is not easy to find time during evenings or early mornings to write the Bible and engage in meditation. Despite the challenges, some individuals have consistently made efforts and have completed all 1,189 chapters of the Bible.

In April, there were three graduates from the P1 PROJECT. They received beautiful completion certificates and a final bonus of $100 each. Two individuals spent approximately two years to complete the P1 PROJECT, while James (Certificate #4) was able to finish it in about a year. The certificates include the names of mentors who assisted, corrected, and guided the participants from start to finish, as well as the names of those who provided financial support.

Those who participated in the P1 PROJECT Fund that began at the end of last year became financial supporters. Pastor Seunghee Ko generously took charge of the financial support for Marco (P1 PROJECT Fund #1), Pastor Eunyoung Lim for James, and Pastor John Oh for Mario. We would like to express our gratitude to them. Mario Solis became the first graduate of the Spanish P1 PROJECT. Elder Pablo Kim, who served as his mentor, expressed joy at Mario's completion while also feeling saddened by the prospect of their reduced interaction. We extend special thanks to Mr. Pablo Kim who has worked tirelessly as a mentor for a number of participants in the Spanish P1 PROJECT.

Inside this issue

P1 PROJECT Completion............................1
LOVE Ministry....................................................2
Jail/Prison Visits & Counseling...............2
LEARN Ministry.................................................2
P1 PROJECT Waiting-List...........................2
P1 PROJECT Mentors....................................2
P1 PROJECT Participants...........................3
P1 PROJECT Fund...........................................4
LIVE Ministry.......................................................4
Potter's Hands Project.................................4
Website Development.................................5
State of Business.............................................5
LOCK Community...........................................6

LOVE Ministry - Love Of Christ’s Kingdom

Jail/Prison Visits/Counseling

Until recently, there have been various restrictions on prison/jail visits due to the pandemic. Especially for jail visits, only one adult was allowed, causing inconvenience. However, in June, those restrictions were lifted, and it seems like we have returned to pre-pandemic conditions.

Recently, most inmates have been provided with tablets, which has made phone calls more accessible. Particularly, with the correctional facility allowing a certain amount of free calls, we have received a lot of phone calls at our office.

Robert, a brother who completed 22 years of prison life, was released but returned to prison two years ago due to a mistake. He will be released again in September this year. Currently in Norco prison, he can have frequent phone conversations and engage in fellowship by sending Bible verses through text messages. In some ways, this has a greater impact than meeting face-to-face in person. In Norco prison, there is a white brother named Duane who excels in the P1 PROJECT. Interestingly, during their conversations in the prison cafeteria, Robert and Duane talked about The LOCK Ministry and became good friends as a result. Duane has had several phone conversations with us using Robert’s tablet. While jail/prison visits are still ongoing, the number of face-to-face meetings with inmates is decreasing. Jail/ prison visits are evolving and changing along with the evolution of our ministry.

LEARN Ministry - Learn On Christ’s Kingdom

P1 Project Waiting-List

In early June, the number of participants in the P1 PROJECT exceeded 950. Last year, our goal was to reach 1,000 participants by the end of 2023, but we reached that number in just six months. Since we have exceeded the capacity we can handle, we have decided to use the waiting list once again. We sincerely apologize to the inmates who apply with anticipation to start the P1 PROJECT but considering the number of mentors we can accommodate and our financial capacity, we have reached a saturation point. Once we have enough mentors and improvements in our finances and operations, we may open the waiting list again. The growth of the P1 PROJECT is a remarkable blessing, but we must make efforts to ensure that the quality does not suffer due to numbers and that we value each soul.

We receive approximately 50 pieces of P1 PROJECT mail per day. The number is higher on Mondays. It requires a significant amount of time and manpower to open and record the contents of the mail, scan them, and send them to the mentors. After reading the P1 PROJECT, mentors write letters and inform the office of the amount of money to be sent to them, and the office sends the money to the participants in the way they prefer (JPay, prepaid package, check, etc.). These tasks are repeated many times a day. We need an increase in the number of mentors and financial support, but it also requires great effort and dedication to ensure that we don't miss a single soul.

P1 PROJECT Mentors

On June 11th, the P1 PROJECT mentor orientation was held at Orange County Youngnak Church (Pastor Kyungsub Kim) for the English Ministry (Promise Church: Pastor David Park). Many people, including the senior pastor and EM pastors, participated, and we were able to gain seven new mentors. While financial resources and human resources are necessary for the development and expansion of the P1 PROJECT, we believe that the role of mentors, who directly communicate with the participants and meet their spiritual needs, is the most important.

Currently, there are 33 dedicated P1 PROJECT mentors, representing various racial backgrounds and living in diverse locations. They come from cities across California, as well as one from Norway, one from Hawaii, and recently one from Ohio. Thanks to the special efforts of Sydney Joo, who is responsible for communication and support with all mentors from the office, mentors can read the contents of the P1 PROJECT and respond without needing to visit the office. Most mentors support one or two participants due to their individual occupations, but there are also mentors who handle more than 10 participants.

The words of Ephesians 2:10 apply not only to the P1 PROJECT participants but also to the mentors as a blessed reminder: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We earnestly pray for God's amazing grace and blessings upon the mentors, volunteers who serve through prayer, and the many financial supporters who join us in this ministry.

P1 PROJECT Participants

While engaging with many inmates, there are sometimes difficult and disheartening moments. However, the most comforting and encouraging news comes when we hear that lives are being transformed through the Word. Currently, the P1 PROJECT is being carried out in almost all of the 35 California prisons. Additionally, the P1 PROJECT is being implemented in three federal prisons: Dublin, CA; Waseca, WI; and Phoenix, AZ. Notably, all participants in these federal prisons are female inmates.

One P1 PROJECT participant named Vera is originally from the Soviet Union and sought asylum in the United States at the age of 18. She started the P1 PROJECT in April and has completed not only the four Gospels but also the Book of Acts. In a recent letter, Vera sent handmade socks to her mentor, Jennifer, who has been serving faithfully as her mentor. While there have been participants who occasionally send cards as Christmas approaches, this is the first time someone has sent handmade socks. Through the participant's letter and the effort put into crafting and sending the socks over an extended period, we can feel the sincerity. We pray that through the P1 PROJECT, lives will be changed, and beautiful fruits will be borne through the fellowship with dedicated mentors.

We have many P1 PROJECT participants with deeply touching stories. Particularly, there has been an increase in participants who have received LWOP (Life Without Parole) sentences. Having already spent decades in prison, their relationships with family have been severed, and the P1 PROJECT becomes their only connection to the outside world through a single mentor. Many participants endure with the grace and comfort provided by God's Word. Every time we encounter individuals like this, we are reminded of how significant and crucial our role is. We earnestly pray that God's remarkable comfort and peace will be with all participants.

P1 PROJECT Fund

The P1 PROJECT Fund, which started in December of last year, is gradually increasing. The financial needs of the P1 PROJECT have been covered by donations sent by various supporters, but since December, we have established the P1 PROJECT Fund to allocate finances specifically for the P1 PROJECT. In particular, those who complete the full transcription of the Bible have the name of their financial supporter written on their certificate, so that someone can remember the person who provided financial support. Each account corresponds to $1,200. Until the end of June, Fund supporters have taken responsibility for 17 accounts. One individual volunteered to oversee three accounts at once. There is no need to send the full amount at once; you can deposit it according to your circumstances.

By depositing $100 per month, the payment can be completed within a year. Many people use Zelle for money transfers. Our account is thelockminsitry@gmail.com. P1 PROJECT Fund supporters can designate the P1 PROJECT participant they wish to support. If no specific designation is made, the funds will be allocated according to the order of those completing the P1 PROJECT. So far, one person has made a specific designation, and in April, three participants who completed the project received funds in the order they completed it.

At the end of February, we received special funding from the Open Steward Foundation, which provides support to nonprofit organizations in California every year. The Open Bank, which leads this foundation, shows special interest and support for Christian-related nonprofit organizations. All of this funding goes towards supporting the P1 PROJECT.

LIVE Ministry - Live Out Christ’s Kingdom

Potter’s Hands Project

In Jeremiah 18:6, God says, "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand." We are like clay in the hands of God. When we are molded by His hands, we can become beautiful vessels. With the hope that we can be molded by God and used by Him, we named our business "Potter's Hands." Through our embroidery and garment printing business, we pray that individuals in prisons, or those struggling with addictions like drugs, alcohol, and gambling, can break free and be transformed into beautiful workers of God.

Now, with the accumulation of skills and experience from the past year and a half, our Potter's Hands Project team is capable of handling most orders related to embroidery and garment printing. However, due to limited manpower and lack of experience in general marketing and sales, our business heavily relies on the introductions and support of churches and individuals. We earnestly pray that someday, through the understanding and recognition of the general public, many customers will be attracted, and as a result, numerous souls will experience life transformation and become firmly established through the Potter's Hands Project. We hope that by providing good job and business opportunities, we can play a crucial role in reducing the vicious cycle of recidivism, where individuals released from prisons struggle to find their place in society and end up returning to a life of crime.

Website Development

In this era of advanced online business, having a website is essential. A year ago, our volunteer, Brother Seongmin Cho in Michigan, created a website with the name www.pottershandsproject.com. However, we found that the name lacked commercial appeal and seemed unfamiliar to people. Therefore, since the end of last year, we changed the name to www.lockcustomdesign.com and outsourced the development of a new website. We invested a significant amount of time in the development process but had to give up midway because the foreign team (from Pakistan) we entrusted with the project took more time and expenses than expected. However, this time, Abigail, the daughter of Ms. Sonya Yi, graciously offered her assistance in the development process, and now our website has a new face. We have decided to go back to using the previous name, www.pottershandsproject.com, as we believe it effectively conveys the mission of our ministry. Through this new website, we pray that many customers from the general public will appear, and the Potter's Hands Project will thrive and flourish.

State of Business

Currently, the majority of our customers at the Potter's Hands Project are churches and individuals who are aware of our ministry and directly or indirectly support us. In the past six months, the two largest orders came from Berendo Street Baptist Church in Los Angeles and Beautiful Church in Rowland Heights, both for their summer VBS. Berendo Street Baptist Church, in particular, had a large event involving various age groups, from toddlers to youth and teachers, and we were able to print shirts in different sizes for them. Additionally, Beautiful Church placed orders not only for summer Bible school shirts but also for tote bags for children.

Furthermore, we received orders from organizations such as Mubotics, Heung Sa Dan, Helio Film, WeFarm, Navia Robotics, and LEAAP. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the many sponsors who have supported us by giving us business, enabling us to continue our ministry.

LOCK Community

Three essential elements for a project are planning, people, and money. Projects operated by the government receive support in terms of planning, manpower, and finances from the government, while projects operated by companies receive support from the company in terms of the required planning, manpower, and financial resources. On the other hand, God provides the necessary planning, workers, and finances for His projects to ensure their success. The construction of the temple was the largest and most important project in the history of Israel. In 2 Chronicles 28:19-29:10, David reveals that God had prepared the plans, manpower, and finances for Solomon to build the temple. The LOCK Ministry continues to receive the necessary planning, workers, and finances from God. All members of our ministry team gathered in Palm Springs for a one-night, two-day retreat in June, during which we worshipped together and enjoyed a time of fellowship. We express our gratitude in the name of Christ to the many team members who have served as volunteers over the past five years.

While we are preparing Potter's House, we look forward to the possibility of cooperating with Father's Table Church as needed. Additionally, the Hope Prison Ministry Team in InChrist Community Church, led by Pastor Choi Hyuk, is a newly established prison ministry team within InChrist Community Church. With a large number of participating believers and ambitious plans, we anticipate opportunities for collaboration with our ministry. We desire to bring glory to God through beautiful cooperation with other ministry teams.

Just as cooperation between churches is essential in leading God's work, our ministry also places great importance on collaboration with other ministry teams that are actively participating in God's work. Father's Table Church (Pastor Moody Ko) is heavily involved in homeless ministry in L.A., and this time God has provided them with a 10-acre farm in Victorville, which will be a great help to those in need of drug rehabilitation. In June, we visited Father's Table Church in Victorville and had the opportunity to discuss future collaboration.

Prayer Requests

1. May the waiting list for P1 PROJECT be lifted, and may all incarcerated individuals who desire to participate in P1 PROJECT be given the opportunity.

2. May the new website, www.pottershandsproject.com, become active and attract a multitude of customers, enabling us to assist more individuals in their training and rehabilitation.

3. May the number of P1 PROJECT Fund participants increase, and may the number of individuals completing P1 PROJECT also increase.

4. May there be a continued involvement of many P1 PROJECT mentors.