Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Announcements
2009 Governor's Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Awards
Forgiven Ministry, Inc., Best Family Program
Scottie Barnes created Forgiven Ministry due to her need and calling to meet the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of the children of offenders.
Scottie's motivation comes from her earliest memories of visiting her own father in prison and her life as the child of an offender as her father returned to prison five times during her life. Scottie grew up not knowing the love and support of a father, but knowing shame and fear in her life because of his incarceration. Because of Scottie's devoted praying for her father for 30 years, he was dramatically converted to Christ at the age of 62. The day before his conversion, Scottie had shared with her dad that it was not what he had done, but what Christ had done on the cross of Calvary.
Scottie created One Day with God camps to bring offenders and their children together through events designed to restore relationships; classes to develop parenting and relational skills; and activities that the parent and child would normally experience in the free world (i.e., eating popcorn and watching a movie, playing games). In 2008, Scottie conducted 22 One Day with God camps. She follows-up with each child and offender through an intensive continuing program of Bible study and communication between parent and child. To accomplish her goals, Scottie collaborates with over 30 national ministries.
Because of her untiring efforts to ensure a child and the offender-parent experience love, forgiveness and restoration, Forgiven Ministry, Inc. has been selected as the recipient of the Best Family Program award.