"Jesus gave me this book to read to you today."

Here’s a short story about Ash and how HeartBound’s Little Readers is changing lives.

“Ash” is the mother of two young boys; she is currently pregnant with her first girl. Ash is currently incarcerated at Helms Facility in South Atlanta, the only correctional facility in the state that provides care for incarcerated pregnant women. Ash will give birth soon, shortly after her little girl will be given to a designated caregiver. Ash will then be sent to another state prison to finish out her sentence.

HeartBound regularly hosts Little Readers recordings for the expectant mothers at Helms. Some of the women read to their older children along with the baby they are expecting, while others are reading to their soon-to-be child for the very first time.

Ash was very excited to sit down and record for her children. Oftentimes, participants are nervous, unsure of how to start their videos or how to address their children. Many have never read to their children before. As I demonstrated different ways to start the video, she nodded enthusiastically and as soon as I hit record, her face lit up in a smile. As she began to read, her smile grew even wider. She was radiant.

After saying hello, Ash said “Jesus gave me this book to read to you today! Go grab the book He gave you too so we can read it together!” Her smile never faded as she continued to read. The book she selected was about a small child waiting while his younger sibling is being born, a story that she chose because her sons will closely relate to the character.

Ash finished her recording and her smile didn’t fade. We talked about her kids and how much the recording and book would mean to them. We talked about how hard it is for Ash to be the mother they need while incarcerated. We talked about her gratitude for people like you, who support HeartBound Ministries so that we can offer our Little Readers program to Ash and her family. As we have shared in a previous newsletter, sharing Christ’s love looks different every time we step into a correctional facility. On that day in Helms with Ash, sharing Christ’s love looked like a book that spoke directly to her family’s current situation as they anticipate the arrival of a new baby sister.

Each Little Readers packet costs $15.10, which includes materials, labor, and shipping expenses. If you would like to sponsor a Little Readers packet for a family like Ash’s, you can do so at https://givebutter.com/HBMLittleReaders.

With gratitude,

Grace Hall

Youth Program Coordinator