Jesus Inside Prison Ministry

EVANGELIST JUANITA BUMPHUS

 

I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and lived in a foster home for years. Even though I hated being in one, there was nothing I could do. Even though my mother was a good woman, there was nothing she could do at the time. We were in the guardian’s home first for months and then split up in two’s to three different foster homes. It was seven of us. I believe my oldest brother stayed with an aunt and then back with my mother. And I myself was in the home for about eight years. I went to church there and learned some what about Jesus but didn’t have that personal relationship with Him. At the age of nine I had began to smoke cigarettes, had started having sex. Cursing, stealing jewelry and different things from my foster mother.

 

I remember one time I took some ex-lax from her and was running to the bathroom all night, but she just laugh then. Other times she found out I had stolen from her she would try to punish me. One time she thought I had stolen some Easter candy. I forgot what she did, but I’m sure she took action, But then she found out it was some mouse that had taken it. We lived over by twenty second or twenty third and Columbia and then moved to twenty fourth and Hovey Street.  I just kept getting worse. I’d fantasize about male actors and I having a wonderful life together, and living happily forever after. Was watching a little too much television uh? I thought I liked my foster father more than I did his wife.

 

Until recently I found out he had beaten my younger brother after he had gotten a whooping already for what they thought he did and left whips on his back the rest of his life. Sometimes he would come in drunk.  Thank God for Jesus helping us and bringing us through all kind of rough times, and hard times in our lives. Jesus is not willing that any should perish but all come to repentance. By the time I reached twelve I was cursing, fighting, popping pills, drinking, and smoking reefer. By fourteen, I was a drunk, addicted to reefer, loved wine staying out all night without my mother’s consent. Men teaching me to drive and letting me drive for whatever reason and you know it wasn’t the right reasons. But I was driving I had moved with my mother and stepfather at eleven almost twelve years of age. Boy! Was I happy? My oldest brother was out, married and out of prison.

 

My mother and oldest sister would always try to keep drama going with me seem like. My sister and another brother were home with my mother when I got there. The house was a little small so she wasn’t able to get us all yet. But it wasn’t long after I got there we moved into a bigger house over behind Butler university and she got the rest of her kids. Now six of us were home with our mother. We didn’t see our father that much but he was a round. We’d see him every once and a while. We knew where he lived. I use to talk about how no good my father was. Maybe even gave you a picture of him being a low down dirty dog. But I was on my way to a church service at the Marion County lockup in June 2008 and for some reason I was thinking about my father and was praying that he had made it into heaven because he died in the 1980’s and I ask Jesus to let him know I was sorry that I wasn’t there with him when he died. I was sorry to hear that He was all alone when he died.

 

The bible said to honor thy mother and thy father that thy days may be long upon the earth. I do pray he made it in. My half brother and I did go see him one time he was sick and in intensive care. We prayed for him and led him to Jesus. I managed to graduate from grade school and enter high school. Being very rebellious, I cut school most of the time and stay in so much trouble. They felt I was a menace to society so I was put out of Broad Ripple High School at fifteen. The dean of girls told my mother they didn’t care what happened to me from that point. At that time they weren’t suppose to put you out at that age. But they did. The felt it wasn’t any hope for me. And it wasn’t without Jesus.  Then I started going to Harry Wood High School where I nearly overdosed on pills I didn’t know what they really were.

 

By this time everyone had given up on me. I was fighting, cussing, pulling knives and guns on folks and being very disrespectful to my Mother. Oh, I had friends and boyfriends, but they weren’t that lasting. Not the men anyway. I remember one of my boyfriends’s ordered me outside with a gun in his hand. I don’t think I knew it at first. While his brother’s old lady ordered me to stay inside. I was young and naïve and came out anyway. His brothers wrestled the gun away I guess. We are all still here. Thank Jesus! Just a misunderstanding at the time. Someone had given him some wrong information. I didn’t really want to get married although there were different opportunities. On the side I would engage myself with a little prostitution, not really thinking that that’s what I was doing. I’d get a little money for a fish dinner, a ride, beer, drink, reefer, smoke or sometime.

 

Or get what I could out of the person and then renege when it was time for me to pay up most of the time. You see nothing satisfied me. What I really needed was Jesus. What you really need is Jesus. I got pregnant at 16 years old finally.  I was attending church every once in a while. I joined church many times seeking refuge and peace within myself as well as peace of mind. By eighteen I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and didn’t know it. I tried to go to my mother for help, refuge, peace, hope and comfort she could save me. She recommended the Doctor for nerve pills. The pills didn’t help. I had three kids to take care of and the pills would make me drowsy. So you know that wouldn’t do. When I was pregnant with my third child. Her Father didn’t know that I was pregnant when he left Indianapolis and moved back to St Louis, Missouri. I wrote him many letters, cursing him out. I later find out a lady friend of his was getting the letters. I accepted Jesus at the age of 19 in 1974. One month after NaTysha was born.  And I was filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and called to preach for Jesus a few months later.

 

After accepting Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. He delivered me from hatred of my baby daddy, smoking, drinking, any kind of drugs, lying, stealing, fighting, cursing, pulling knives, guns, breaking up other people’s furniture, fighting and cussing my mother. I started respecting her. I was stingy and wouldn’t give her any money, and no food stamps, but staying in her house with my three kids. Now you know that wasn’t right! I was no longer giving away or selling my body. I no longer needed Tom Dick or Harry in my life. I found a new lover and His name is Jesus. There were times after I was saved that I felt lonely I wanted a man in my life. Jesus took care of that too. The wrong ones would come but I think Jesus that He’s always on time and He sent me my husband five years later. I had to wait a little bit but it was all worth the wait, we have been married thirty some years now. That’s sho’ enough Jesus. Hey! What do you know about Jesus, Is He alright? Oh! Yes He is!

 

Ok, He blessed with Pastor Bumphus in which we were married June 9, 1979. Pastor Bumphus is director of Jesus inside Prison Ministry Inc. and Pastor of Faith Center Church International. We have 5 children, grandchildren and some great grandkids. One of our son’s is a minister. Did you know that Jesus died for you on the cross and shed His blood that you might have eternal life?

 

Without the shedding of Jesus’ blood there would be no remission for our sins. Hebrew 9:22

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 

God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but the world through him might be saved. St. John 3:17

 

Jesus said I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. John 6:35

 

And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. John 6:37

For by grace are ye saved through faith: It is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Repent of your all sins and receive Jesus into your heart as personal Lord and Savior right now in Jesus name. Don’t hesitate. Today is the day of salvation. Don’t wait another second. You have already wasted so much precious time. Today is the day of salvation. Not tomorrow, not next Easter, Christmas, the fourth of July, not your birthday, nor mother’s day, but right here right now. Tomorrow could be too late. Time is running out. Jesus is on His way back. Will you be ready to meet Him? Are you going with us in the Rapture? When Jesus comes will you answer when He calls your name? You have to give an account of the things that you have done in this life, rather good or bad. When your name is called you will answer one way or another. You are going to have to exit out of here. You’ll go to heaven if you have received Jesus into your heart as Savior. Hell if you reject the gospel of the kingdom of God that is preached to you from us His witness. He sends us to you for a reason. Jesus is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance. Whosoever will let Him come and take of the water of life freely. Come on to Jesus right here right now! He’s been waiting for you.