GOGI Campus Students Propose GOGI Prayer
GOGI Campus is a unique reentry project working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for women detained at Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF). Selected participants are then housed in a dedicated “honor dorm” program with other dedicated GOGI Campus students. The participants are called “students” and are involved in a total immersion program of learning leadership skills and tool for a successful reentry. Upon their release, these students are assigned a GOGI Coach who supports their positive decisions during the reentry period.
Felicia “Mimi” J, the class Vice President of the 2008 GOGI Campus, spearheaded a GOGI Prayer Committee. The GOGI Prayer Committee presented the following prayer to the GOGI staff for ratification as the official “GOGI Campus Prayer” for all future GOGI Campus sites.
“Dear God. Grant us the joy of giving and receiving so that our inner freedom may be of maximum service to those and infinite others. Amen.”
Mimi will be leaving the campus next month to fulfill a prison term in a California State facility. There, she will form a GOGI Campus led by and for the inmates at her new location. GOGI Congratulates the stellar success of GOGI students such as Mimi who make powerful decision to dedicate their lives to the rehabilitation and education of incarcerated men and women. Upon the successful completion of her prison term, Mimi will begin her education as a drug treatment counselor.
To all involved with GOGI & especially the prayer:
Thank you, for everything you have & are doing.
Everyone one of you is an answer to my past prayers, that something good, something proactive would happen for my niece Amber Hansen who has not been flying, but has stayed grounded by wrong thinking for a long while.
I like the prayer because it states, in simple terms, an acknowledgement of God, the importance of receiving AND giving (which means one will have a “community with others”), names inner freedom as a state attainable and realistic and prays for opportunities to serve others in finding this freedom.
Indeed, to say that numerous others need assisitance in finding this freedom is a huge understatement. Hopefully, pray-fully my nice Amber will find it. She found you all, in G0GI, so I know there is hope. She is listening.
Even many of the things I read on your web-site spoke to me. These are words of truth and therefore, really apply to all people, incarcerated or not, drug-afflicted or not. For more times than not, people have escaped reality, or denied it, made excuses or placed blame at some times in their lives. Many who “look good” on the outside are NOT good (or okay) on the inside. There are prison bars in many forms.
Bless you in all your work & efforts. I applaud them. And I thank God on my knees for you. Keep flying,
Elaine Evelyn
Comment by Elaine E. Mills — May 11, 2008 @ 3:38 am
Elaine,
Amber is finally “getting” that it is possible to create a powerful and positive life. This knowledge is critical in the process of change. There must first be a belief that change is possible.
We will continue to support Amber’s efforts through support of her learning cognitive tools for change. You may wish to get a copy of the book we use as our “manual” for supporting change. PRISON: GETTING OUT BY GOING IN is used to teach simple tools for positive decision making. You can get the book on our website or on any of the online book sellers. You can help Amber by knowing the tools and supporting her use of the tools.
Thank you for your support and hope for Amber… She is so precious and willing. She has a chance and will need your support for her success.
Coach
Comment by Coach Taylor — May 25, 2008 @ 9:01 pm