This is a letter written by SF Juvenile Hall Chaplain Rodney Robinson, describing the first Ripple Effect 22/ Block to Block event on August 6th 2016, at Log Cabin Ranch Youth Correctional Facility:
By Rodney Robinson
First of all I would like to thank Marc Humphrey, Tim Diestel, and the staff at Log Cabin Ranch Youth Correctional Facility for giving Stefan Gartrell of Ripple Effect 22, writer/producer Michelle Turner, and myself, the opportunity to screen the movie “Restored Me”. Michelle Turner introduced the film with a powerful testimony of how God restored her life. God gave her and her husband, Joe Turner, the vision to write the movie and they were blessed with an investor to film it in Hollywood.
One very impactful moment during the screening happened halfway into the movie. There was a glitch in the DVD. All 9 of the young men were so eager to finish the movie that they worked together and fixed the problem. At one point while watching the movie, one of the young men turned around and asked one of the counselors to “please be quiet”. Usually it’s the other way around, which showed me that the Holy Spirit was moving in that room.
A scene from the movie that really blessed my heart was when the main character’s daughter was singing to her father in church, and he was going through it with tears in his eyes. All I was hearing were whispers from the young men sitting next to me, showing God and the father respect: “much respect”, “beautiful daughter”, “I feel him”, “don’t give up”, “you can do it”, “God restored his fam”, “he got a real woman”.
We did Q&A at the conclusion of the film. One of the things I gathered from the movie was that not only can God restore your life, He has a perfect plan for you, and He will never leave you or forsake you. It reminded me of Ezekiel 36:26. The actor stated, “I one was in prison. But I’m not an ex-con”. His identity isn’t in his situation; his identity is in Christ. This man did not give in to the enemy, but put his faith in God.
Lastly, but most importantly, we ended in the Lord’s Prayer. 5 of the 9 young men accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We will continue to pray for those that didn’t, and pray that God would continually water the seeds that was planted.
Peace and Blessings,
Chaplain Robinson