Update: 8/18/2010

There has been so much happening in Emily’s life since her release from prison this spring, she is now gainfully employed and has nearly completed the Legacy III program,  but before I tell you too much, I want to invite you to our Fall Benefit where Emily will be telling her story in person. Be sure to go to the link on our website and get your free tickets to attend this exciting dinner at Guy’s Party Center where you can not only hear and meet Emily, but have an opportunity to hear and meet Andre Thornton, former MLB slugger for the Cleveland Indians and entrepreneur here in Akron Ohio.

Emily Update: 4/3/2010

Good news! Emily got a job today at Einstein Bagles! She starts Tuesday!

Emily’s Story: 4.1.2010

I first met Emily in 1985 where I lived across the street from her in an inner city neighborhood in Springfield Twp. Life for Emily was tough growing up in a very typical drug infested neighborhood with little adult supervision – you can imagine the results. As a young girl, Emily started  to attend church with her mother and made a profession of faith, trusting Christ as her Savior. Until the age of 15 she was attending church and developing her relationship with Christ. However, the pressures of trying to fit in led her down a path that was not consistent with being a follower of Christ. Knowing this, Emily made a decision to stop going to church and have fun with her friends that were in the world. It didn’t take long before Emily was in full rebellion against her parents, a run away, and in trouble with the juvenile authorities. This pattern continued on for her and she did not graduate high school, but instead got deeply involved in drug trafficking. At the age of 21 she went to prison for the first time for that very offense, and has since been to to prison three additional times for trafficking in crack cocaine, methamphetamine production, and heroin. Emily is now 30, she has an 11 year old son, and another son who was born in September 2009.

I did not see Emily for over 20 years, but when she came to Summit County Jail, I received a call from her mother to visit her and try to intervene in her life before she kept going this direction. I visited her in 2007 and again in 2009 when Emily was 9 months pregnant with her child and ready to deliver at any time – not exactly how you envision yourself giving birth. However, God really used that time to attract her attention and we talked about life after incarceration. Emily told me then that she really wanted to get some help and live a different life so I told her that Broken Chains would help her with this decision. We wrote a few times back and forth while she served 6 months in Trumbull Correctional and I arranged a referral to Legacy III, a women’s transitional housing program we partner with here in Summit County. They were willing to take her application and interview her upon release.

On March 29, she was released and Chaplain John Wiseman and I went to Trumbull Correctional to pick her up. We arranged for her to spend some time with her mother that afternoon to aid in reconciling her back to her family, then picked her up and took her to dinner. After dinner we took her out to get her ready for acceptance into her transitional program – Emily literally had nothing coming out of prison. Broken Chains Ministry, with the aid of its contributors was able to purchase all of her needed hygiene supplies, undergarments, starter clothing, and through some clothing donations, provide her with everything she needed to get started. Emily was so grateful that someone was there to help her pick up the pieces of her broken life.

Emily recently rededicated her life to Christ, has 7 months sobriety,is working with Summit County Children’s services in a case plan for her new born son, will be working a case plan in conjuction with Legacy III to help her find employment and self-sufficiency, then will move on to permanent housing through another program called HM Life.

Obviously, Emily has a lot of barriers to overcome; would you please pray for her:
•    For her walk with Christ
•    For her continued sobriety
•    For her successful completion of the Legacy III program
•    For suitable employment
•    For God’s timing concerning reconciliation with her children
•    For her to honor God with her decisions

Thanks for your continued prayers and financial support of Broken Chains Ministry.

In Christ,

Chaplain Dennis Shawhan