Fletcher Rich
I have not always been the person that stands before you now! I once was a person that didn't care about nothing or nobody. At the age of 12 yrs. I was arrested for burglary of a building and sentenced to two years probation and I spent one year on probation and then we moved to Los Angeles, Cal. where I went totally crazy. My dad tried to buy my love I had a motorcycle, at 13 years old and by the age 16 I had a new motorcycle and new 66 mustang and was not held accountable for nothing. At the age of 17 I was riding with the motorcycles group Hells Angels. I was not allowed to join because I wasn't 18, but they let me ride with them. They taught me about alcohol, drugs and women. At age 18 we moved back to Texas, where I graduated High School and got married at 19. At the age 20 I was out on my own where I learned crime pays more money than any job I had held. At 24 years old I was arrested for forgery sentenced toto years probation. One year later I was arrested for burglary of a habitation sentenced to 5 years in prison. They sent me to Tennessee Colony Prison (Maximum Security) when I was in Dallas County jail waiting to be sent to prison I received an additional charge of inciting a riot in county jail. Which took all my good time served and forced them to send me to a maximum security prison hey we only did $2,500 damage to concrete and steal. When I got to the prison, the warden and two guards called me out and I was told if I had any problems just let them know. The usual was to pester the inmates but when you are a real bad boy they call you out and try to get you not to start anything in the prison...and needless to say I was a bad boy....I hated everybody and everything. I didn't have to look for the devil. I was the devil! In Texas prisons you have to work hoeing cotton, flat weeding, cutting trees down with a duel axes. We ran 3 miles to work each morning, and 3 miles back for lunch, and three miles back to work and then 3 miles back at the end of the day. I went in weighing 235# and when walking out after serving my time I weighed 195#. In the fields the guards to love to watch us fight! I f weren't working we were fighting. I was the best. I look back now and I can't believe how cold hearted I was I didn't care about anybody, I didn't care if they were dead or alive. My nick name with guards was crazy *** ** * *****, I no longer had a number but had earned a title among them. After about 7 mo. of this I decided that I wasn't going to work anymore: I threw down my hoe and told the guard I wasn't working anymore. He called the white jeep to come and get me. The guys that came and got me was one guard and two inmates: they took me in the woods hand cuffed and shackled and tied to a tree the inmates started to beat me to I was almost unconscious. After that they rubbed salt in my wounds, and put me back in the jeep, there they took me to the infirmary, where they poured alcohol in my wounds. Then the warden put me in solitary for 30 days, until my wounds healed. I was in a cell with no light, a hole in the floor to use the bathroom in, a1/4 inch foam pad to sleep on . I had the tee shirt I had on and a pair of boxer shorts to wear. The only thing else I was allowed to have in my possession was a Bible. After about a week of laying in that cell they came and got me for a shower...that was the only time I was allowed out was to shower. Once a week! I only was served two meals a day, this is what the meal consisted of a spoon of beans, one spoon of rice and a cold biscuit, and one cup of water. everyday the same thing. Some diet huh? Today I still hate beans and rice! I started reading the Bible on the eighth day, in solitary as I said earlier there is no light in solitary only darkness and madness; the only light I had to read by was a crack in a slot in the door where they slid my food tray in. Jesus and I found each other and met in solitary. When Jesus came into my heart it turned a cold frozen heart warm. I learned it was O.K. to cry. I learned what it was to have compassion for others, when I got out of solitary I went and found the tow inmates who had almost beat me to death forgave them. I started reading my Bible each chance I got. I started a bible study at night in the day room. I went to church and A. A. every chance I got. While in prison I dreamed I walked with Jesus mad we were talking about my life. When I awoke the next morning I asked Jesus to give me a sign if what I had dreamed was true. I got up and looked out of the bars of my cell through a window and there in the middle of the prison yard was the end of a rainbow. To this day I have never seen the end of a rainbow or had ever seen one before. I knew one of the things Jesus had wanted me to do for Him was a prison ministry. When I got out three years later. I was in prison ministry in Texas... I did it for 12 years. The devil came in and stole my vision for I knew how to fight physically, but I had not learned spiritual warfare which was need to fight the wiles and schemes of satan and unfortuntantly we know the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. Praise God for Romans 8:28. I stand on it. It has been along journey back to where I was ready to be obedient to God and do what He has called me to do for His kingdom. I stand now fired up and wear the full armor of Jesus Christ ready for war if need be, and I am ready to take a step of faith and do what God called me to do all those years ago. I'M ready for Him now....I 'm ready for the devil this time; He can't win for I belong to Jesus! and He has and is making me more than a conqueror thru his love. Praise His name! Fletcher Rich And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimonie, and they loved not their lives to the death...Rev.12:11 BACK HOME |