Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, December 10, 2003
By JOHN McLAUGHLIN
Tawana. Teresa. Two beautiful names – two sisters in
Christ – two women sentenced to lives of physical impris-
onment.
Tawana’s cell is made of flesh and blood. Teresa’s, the
rock and steel of a prison cage.
Tawana and I have shared a most special and precious
relationship for many years. Teresa is a sister I have only
recently been blessed to meet through reading the letter she
wrote to Life Lines.
The women do not know one another. Tawana lives a
few miles down the road from me. Teresa resides thou-
sands of miles away in Georgia. Both are locked away, and
both are free in the truest definition.
Tawana is wrapped in the chains of quadriplegia; the
result of a terrible accident that, she freely admits, was in
large part brought about by the wild manner in which she
had been living her young life.
One minute she was full of vim and vigor: the next she
was lying in a ditch realizing that things would never again
be the same. My dear sister was 20 years old the afternoon
she lost it. She is now 35.
Teresa, on the other hand, is weighed down by the
chains of a prison system that has been her home for 21
years. Only 19 when she landed on Death Row, Teresa’s
death sentence was commuted to life three years later.
Now 40, she must do at least four more years before the
possibility of her release is even brought up for considera-
tion. No less than Tawana, Teresa – according to the way
the secular world views things – is in a hopeless situation.
According to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, both
sisters have a great deal more than mere hope going for
them. In Him they have the way, the truth and the life that
this crazy world can’t touch. The hope that they and we
have going for us is not of this world. This world is incapa-
ble of lending hope, peace and joy amid true challenge.
Tawana has long been a tremendous inspiration to me.
When I am in her presence, I know a boundless joy and a
mighty respect that is a direct result of the power of the
Holy Spirit at work in the life of a true believer. I do not
pity sister Tawana: I admire and love her, and pray to God
that I might one day attain an abode close to hers in His
place of eternal peace.
I have no pity for Tawana simply because there is
nothing to pity in a believer who, when asked, didn’t hesi-
tate to say her salvation came through the loss of her physi-
cal being – and that she wouldn’t go back in time and trade
in that salvation for anything. God has joined the two in
my heart.
It is the strength of Christ Jesus at work in Tawana and
Teresa that I am most in awe of. At first, I found myself
full of sorrow for the years Teresa has spent behind bars.
After all, 15 years of freedom has not in the least seen me
forget what 25 years of incarcerated deadness is all about.
Teresa has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
that I knew absolutely nothing about when doing that quar-
ter of a century. Teresa has hope.
I didn’t encounter hope until I heard the Lord speak to
my heart 10 minutes after I left prison, while I was on my
way to once again do the wrong thing.
So I was struck by certain similarities in the lives of
our two sisters. When I phoned Tawana to share a bit of
what I found pouring forth from Teresa, and made some
aside concerning the fact that she, Tawana, was imprisoned
for life, not because of a crime but because of an accident,
she told me pointblank that there is absolutely no differ-
ence between what had taken place in their two lives. She
said that Jesus Christ had simply employed different meth-
ods for getting their attention.
Tawana and Teresa have blessed me beyond measure
and continue to do so. It is an honor to know them as my
sisters. They both walk quite tall.
(Editor’s Note: Life Lines is a Cave Junction-
based prison ministry that each month sends hundreds
of newsletters to prisoners nationwide. Life Lines can
be reached at (541) 592-3643.)
Sunday, Dec. 7
8:30 a.m. to noon
ALL YOU
CAN EAT
Adults-$5
Children under 11- $2.50
Waffles,
Pancakes,
Biscuits &
Gravy,
Ham,
Sausage, Eggs,
Juice, Coffee,
Tea or Milk
THE FLEA MARKET IS BACK!!! $5 per table
Phone 592-4478 for tables & reservations
St. Patrick of the Forest
Catholic Church
Next Sunday we will
light the third candle (rose)
on the Advent Wreath,
signifying joy.
The Gospel reading
from Luke will remind us
of how John the Baptist
prepared the way for Jesus
by telling the people, “I am
baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is
coming … He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit
and fire.”
Those words must
have been somewhat con-
fusing for the people. For
us, they are more comfort-
ing because we know the
rest of the story -- that bap-
tism brings us one giant
step closer to oneness with
the God who saves us.
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church
Preparing for the birth
of the Christ child. That is
what our focus should be.
JoCo’s Brock
changes mind
Josephine County
Commissioner Jim Brock
said he will not relocate to
California.
Brock, in Position 3,
announced moving last
month to be closer to fam-
ily, but will serve the re-
mainder of his term and
wants to unseat Harold
Haugen in Position 2 next
year.
Ages 8 & Up
Carly Elmendorf
592-2940
IVHS School Menu -
Sponsored by
SISKIYOU
COMMUNITY
HEALTH
CENTER
319 Caves Hwy.
592-4111
THURSDAY, DEC. 11
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or ham &
cheese sandwich, chef,
Mandarin chicken or
garden salad,
Hawaiian, cheese or
pepperoni pizza, beef
soft tacos
FRIDAY, DEC. 12
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or Italian
sandwich, chef,
Mandarin chicken or
chicken Caesar salad,
vegetarian, supreme or
sausage or pepperoni
pizza,
nachos supreme
MONDAY, DEC. 15
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or ham &
cheese sub, chef,
Mandarin chicken or
fiesta salad, vegetarian,
sausage or pepperoni
pizza, beef & bean
burrito
TUESDAY, DEC. 16
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or roast beef
sub, chef, Mandarin
chicken or garden
salad, cheese, supreme
or pepperoni pizza,
Chicken fajita
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or veggie sub,
chef,
Mandarin chicken or
Antipasto salad,
sausage, supreme or
pepperoni pizza,
Taco salad
It isn’t the gifts, the
tree, the meals, or the fam-
ily get-togethers that
should be the center of our
attention this time of year.
Preparing for Jesus’ birth
means preparing to accept
Him as our Lord and Sav-
ior -- not just now, but for-
ever.
Church activities in-
clude: Wednesday, Dec.
10, 6 p.m., potluck; 6:45
p.m., Bible study; Sunday,
Dec. 14, 9 a.m., Sunday
School Christmas Pro-
gram; 10:15 a.m., Sunday
School.
Lovejoy ...
Page 5
‘WALK TO FREEDOM’ - Author John J. McLaughlin
signed copies of his first book, ‘A Walk to Freedom,’
with friend Melanie Gayle at Treehouse Florist & Gifts
in Cave Junction last week. His book covers his life ‘as
a man of violence,’ who spent years in prison, and who
was saved by the faith of Jesus Christ before disaster.
(Continued from page 1)
to Lovejoy -- which will
go toward extending its
hospice and bereavement
services -- will be ac-
cepted, but are not manda-
tory.
Those who wish to
submit names to be read
during the ceremony can
phone the Lovejoy office
at (888) 758-8569 ahead of
time or submit them before
the ceremony begins that
evening.
A Light Up A Life
ceremony was held on
Dec. 8 in Grants Pass.
“It’s always good to
remember the past,” Shiery
said.
Blood ...
(Continued from page 1)
allowed to donate every 56
days, about six times per
ye a r , a c c o r d i n g t o
Nicholls.
“The average donor
only donates 1.4 times a
year,” she said.
For more information
and to schedule a blood
donation, phone (800) 826-
5920.
Deborah Murphy will be autographing
her book for children at
Child’s Play, 140 S. Redwood Hwy.
during the 2nd Friday Art Walk, Dec. 12,
in Downtown Cave Junction.
For more information phone 592-2866