Back Cover Blurb
FREEDOM ON THE INSIDE
Prison was not on the “Goal Chart” of entrepreneur Trish
Jenkins. A breach of the Corporations Act meant losing her multi-million dollar
portfolio, including her family home.
It also meant Trish served 8 months in prison.
Isolated from her husband and 3 little girls, living among
Queensland’s most dangerous criminals, Trish could have succumbed to despair.
But treasure is found in dark places.
Refusing to give in to self-pity, Trish answered a new
calling to make a difference in the lives around her. In doing so she found a
different kind of freedom and healing.
Real and raw, these pages are better than a memoir; made up
of letters, personal journaling and hindsight.
“I assumed I would be a model prisoner because I was a
Christian. So how did I get into so much trouble, so often, yet with the best
of intentions?”
Like when she was reported escaped…
Or setting the alarm off in the officers’ quarters…
Or having to explain why the woman she prayed for fell to
the floor…
Be
Inspired
You’ll laugh, cry and shake your head at hilarious stories,
tragic circumstances, discouragement, hope and ever present faith.
“You may have no razor wire around you, but you may feel
more like a prisoner than me! Let me share my keys to freedom with you.”
Book Excerpt
PROLOGUE
It
was July, 2009. I lay on my back on the empty prison tennis court gazing up at
the sky. It was the only time in S1 where there was not a cage ceiling above my
head. I still remember how blue the sky was. Our 1 hour of exercise time
outside was almost up.
The
other 5 women from my unit had already gone back into the block for a cigarette
or a cold drink. From a short distance the voices of some Murri (Aboriginal)
girls called out to me from their unit windows facing the court, "Hey,
Sista-girl! You ok? Whaddayadoin?"
I
waved a lazy hand to them and smiled. I felt the blue sky like I felt the
breeze, soaking it in. It had been so long. I reached up swirling my hands in
figure eights. I knew I looked crazy but I didn't care. There was no wire, no
bars between me and the deep blue sky.
I
blinkered my eyes with my fingers to block the wire side fences from my
peripheral view. That's better. I imagined I was free. It felt like for once I
was cheating the system that so thoroughly controlled each area of my life,
covering me in greyness.
I
was six months into an eight month sentence. Each day felt like a week, each
week like a month. This particular stint in S1 was supposed to be a punishment
for an incident that got me kicked out of the minimum security facility known
as Helena Jones Community Centre at Albion in the heart of Brisbane. Instead,
S1 was a relief. The conditions were Spartan but felt more like a spiritual
retreat giving my shattered nerves rest.
The
women I shared a unit with were supposed to be the worst, but I found them very
easy to get along with. How sad to be in a category where you are considered
bad even by prison standards! How much rejection can a person take?
I
liked these women better than the catty ones who acted superior. These ones
didn't have to prove how tough they were. They didn't get caught up in politics
or nasty backstabbing. They called a spade a spade; well actually, they called
a spade a #$%&* spade, but I hardly noticed. I just saw precious women
being their kind of normal.
They
thought I was a bit odd but harmless. I was a "one-eighty-straighty,"
(both morally and socially). I didn't swear, didn't "swing," was
"nice," and one of them "real" Christians; possibly
misguided but well-intentioned. They indulged me. I liked them.
Perhaps
I was seeing them the way God sees them?
****************************
If
someone had told me in January 2009 that less than 2 years later I would be on
a platform speaking to 500 people about my prison experience I would have
blinked in bewilderment.
Yet
that public "outing" was just the beginning.
I'd
been so ashamed I didn't want anyone to know of my failure.
Imagine
the worst thing you've ever done, the thing you are most ashamed of, eternally
available for the public with just one click on Google!
Mine
is.
The
loss of personal freedom and dignity affects people differently. For some, prison
is an escape from the perils of a violent home or even homelessness. For others
it is where they catch up with friends, who lead an equally lawless lifestyle.
For many, it is just plain damaging.
When
asked about what being in prison is like, I sometimes wonder which answer to
give. I spent 8 months incarcerated and had a variety of locations, people and
experiences. I was "managed" by people of questionable competence. It
was awful and yet there were times of sublime joy each time I had a victory over
the evil that pervaded.
It
took time and ministry to heal from the emotional and mental hits I took.
However, I was determined not to be beaten. There were times I despaired; an
insidious voice taunted me, telling me I had ruined my future and was irreparably
damaged, my children would have hang-ups, and I had become preaching material
for pious ministers to use.
Yet
in the back of my mind I always had hope. Sure I would dip into despair, tears
and anger. However, what kept me rising again was my faith in God being able to
make all things work together for good. My experience would not be wasted,
unless I gave up.
Extract 2: New and unusual friends in the Watch-House
When it was my turn, I contemplated the little room.
Metal walls with a filthy little metal shelf moulded in the corner, presumably
for my towel and clothes; and some little bumps in the metal floor to prevent
slipping. No taps, just a shower rose and a button. I pressed it expecting cold
water to spray me or a tiny trickle to dribble down the wall. I was surprised
to have a proper shower, until it stopped automatically after 3 minutes. I
dried off and dressed in the same shorts and T-shirt that served as underwear
and pressed the button to be let out again.
Ill-fitting replacements weren’t issued until Sunday.
It was the only change of clothes we were given in the 6 days we were there.
A small rectangle of polished metal was screwed to
the wall above our basin to serve as a mirror. It was so high we had to stretch
to see a cloudy image of our faces. I don’t remember if we were issued a comb.
We had nothing for our skin.
Six days without moisturiser in air-conditioning
takes its toll. By the time I got to the prison my face was tight and my lips
were so badly chapped that pieces of hard, broken skin were standing up like
razors. Both sides of my mouth were split.
It was Friday, and a new member was introduced to our
pod.
Bernice was a large, foul mouthed young woman with
long, thick hair, very pale skin and rotten teeth. She sailed in, announced she
was having withdrawals from heroin, went straight to the other cell and lay
down to sleep. My first close contact with what was obviously a “hardened”
criminal!
Amanda and I looked at each other and wondered what
we were in for when she awoke. The reading I had done regarding withdrawals
painted a frightening picture of screaming pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and
flinging oneself about for several days.
Our next guest arrived and we pointed to the cell
where Bernice was sleeping.
She looked frightened, and asked us anxiously, “Will
she attack me?” Not having a clue, we answered, “No, you’ll be safe, she’s OK.”
We did our best to reassure her but we weren’t the ones sharing a cell with
Bernice!
Francis was a young woman with big curls, a baby face
and sad eyes. She had worked in the payroll office of a supermarket. She was
also a gambling addict. Her job provided her the opportunity to misdirect funds
she could then use to gamble with. She is still amazed at how easy it was to
create fictional employees.
Francis came from a blended, yet respectable home.
She didn’t drink much or do drugs. However, she had begun buying scratch-it
cards as a lonely young teenager, quickly becoming addicted. She was to serve
14 months.
In the afternoon, an uproar of catcalls arose from
down the corridor. As we craned our necks, we watched in awe as a young
wild-haired Indigenous woman strode towards us. With blanket and towel in one
hand, the other flipped “the bird” to the male prisoners as she swept past
them.
Sophie entered our pod like it was her lounge room,
dumping her gear, flopping down with a big grin and a string of profanity.
We liked her instantly.
There was something reassuring about her confidence.
I was fascinated. She had got caught with drugs at Southbank, a popular city
play area where families gather and security is greater. Cops can generally
tell when someone is suspect, and she and her boyfriend just looked, well,
suspicious. Giving cheek is a quick way to get more attention from the police,
too, even if you are not doing anything wrong.
Sophie was familiar with a variety of watch-houses.
She claimed to have miscarried in one due to a police beating. I didn’t know if
she was telling the truth, but from what I have heard and observed since, it
wouldn’t surprise me. There are many stories from Indigenous women about police
brutality but they are difficult to prove.
People like me are not normally bothered by police.
As a well-mannered, well-dressed, white woman, I have “respectable” written all
over me. By comparison with many women, I have nothing to complain about. In prison I made a point of being polite
to everyone, especially officers, regardless of how they spoke to me. I
carefully worded my requests, so they would respond favourably. I didn’t feel
like a criminal, I didn’t see myself as a criminal, so I didn’t talk to them
like I was inferior. This didn’t always endear me to some staff, but those
stories will come later...
Amazon
www.trishjenkinsfaith.com
www.trishjenkins.com.au
About Trish:
Living
with murderers, drug dealers, frauds and broken humanity, her prayers for
deliverance were not answered the way she expected. Instead the Lord delivered
her "through the fire..." Prison was not part
of Trish Jenkins’ ministry plans but it happened. Conned by a fraud and a
breach of the Corporations Act meant losing her multi-million dollar portfolio,
including her family home. It also meant this Australian mother served 8 months
in prison, isolated from her husband and 3 little girls.
Instead of succumbing to
despair and self-pity, Trish chose to believe the Word of God and in doing so, she introduced many other prisoners to
Christ. In the darkness, Trish found keys to freedom and courage and a deeper
walk with the Holy Spirit.
From stories of
winning over bullies, to the despair of persecution for her faith, Trish shares
her journey with warmth and candour.
Today Trish shares her hard-won
“Treasures” as an entertaining, insightful speaker and author, inspiring
audiences to be courageous in all circumstances. Ministering effectively to
both Christian and
secular audiences, she is warm, compassionate and funny! Today, as a
well-respected international speaker and author, Trish’s heart-felt and
inspirational story filled with practical advice is re-igniting fire and faith
in the hearts of her audiences.
Trish is an Aussie and has been married to Justin since
1992. They have three daughters including identical twins. They live just north
of Brisbane and only 40 minutes from “The Crocodile Man, Steve Irwin’s
Australia Zoo! The Jenkins’ are active members of Citipointe Church, Australia.
To connect with Trish:
Google +: Trish Jenkins Faith https://plus.google.com/116470844329044003859/posts
Twitter: @Trishjenkins www.twitter.com/Trishjenkins
Trish Jenkins is giving away
a copy of Treasures of Darkness. The giveaway is only
available to U.S.
addresses.
To be
entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment along with your email address. You
may enter the book giveaway twice -- once on each spotlight post. (It's not too
late to go back and leave a comment on yesterday's post.)
Off to read another great book!
Sandra M. Hart
6 comments:
This sounds like a powerful book. So glad you had her on the Barn Door Book Loft! pat at ptbradley dot com
Oh my This was very interesting. Please add my name to the drawing...Trish, I can't imagine surviving in prison, but so glad that GOD guided you through this. I really want to read this book of yours. Thanks Sandra for having Trish. MAXIE mac262(at)me(dot)com
This sounds like a very intriguing book. Thank you for offering a copy. I enjoyed the excerpts and I'm looking forward to reading Treasures of Darkness. I am just finishing Jim Bakker's book about his years in prison, so it will be interesting if their are any similarities in the experiences of the two authors.
may_dayzee@yahoo.com
Count me in. I would love to win, read, and review.
jrs362 at Hotmail com
I cannot imagine what it would be like to spend time in prison! Must be an amazing book. sharon, CA wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com
What an incredible story! Really want to read this book & see how Trish witnesses & serves the Lord in prison!
Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com
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