Hello, Welcome to the letters that are sent to me and also some of the various pen pal letters throughout the years, there are so many that I wish to put on, but they would fill a book - but these are the ones that touched me the most. I hope you enjoy them.

May 17th, 2007

Rene
I would just like to take a moment to say Thank you for your site, emails and the time
you put into this wonderful service you provide. 
I have been receiving your email for a few years now and have 'met' some lovely people with your help.

Keep up the wonderful work...

Thanks again
Kathryn



May 22nd, 2004
Rene,
 Hi I would just like to thank you for providing this site as I began writing an inmate
 a little more than a year ago. We have written many letters and recently talked on
 the phone. I also went to meet him in person. We have very strong feelings for one 
another, and are hoping to build a lasting, loving relationship that will last. We have
 the foundation for a wonderful future together and you helped us find each other. So
 for that we would like to thank you. I would just like people to know that even though
 inmates may have done wrong, not all are bad inside. Think of it this way-are you
 yourself perfect? Everyone is worth forgiving. Open your ears and your heart and you
 may discover someone wonderful. Once again Rene thank you very much.
 Denise

Feb. 2004
Rene,
   Greetings, thank you for forwarding the e-mail from my Brother. Been looking for him
 for 14 years! It's funny how we found me.
Rene, again thank you very much!
                                                                                                       Fred

Nov 2000 
Let me just say this I am an ex Lt.police officer I met the girl of my dreams on this site.We wrote
 back and forth for a long time then I got on her visitors list.We fell in love and married.She is up for parole
 and I pray that she is allowed to come home to me and her two boys.
If I could say anything to any body.It would be that I have learned that there are alot of people in prison,
men and women who are there only because they are poor and don't have the funds to afford a good attorney.
I only wish the general public knew what was really going on.Only people with money are not guilty.
God help us all.
 
                                                                                                      LT.Don Bandy

May 18th, 1999
I just had to write to you and tell you that I think what you are doing for
inmates is wonderful!  Kudos to you!  I am the wife of an inmate and I 
know what it is like to go through the motions, the heartache, lonliness
and hurt... You are giving people another chance at life. 
If there was a way that I could volunteer to help with your organization
I want you to know that I would in a New York minute.  Thank you
from the bottom of my heart for your deep felt kindness. 

June 2, 1999
I just wanted to say thank you for the time you give doing this for prison 
inmates. I spent almost two years in prison and it is very lonely. It is 
crowded yet each one stands alone. I will write directly to some of the 
inmates you have listed, I remember mail call being the highlight of 
each day and weekends being torture. I think I saw where this site
may be part of the prison Ministry program if so I want to say Thank
you for helping me to change my life. I have been out for five years
now but still remember those who gave them time to come to Forest
Hills in Monticello Florida and helped me so much with the words they 
spoke. I was raised in a Methodist Church but at that time my faith was 
buried underneath hate and anger. I was so touched by the songs that
were sang that day, the caring shown by those in the ministry, 
and the glow on the faces of everyone in the gym. I left there with
a new faith in God and now walk with Him daily. I have often thought
about this group of caring christian people and wanted to thank them
for what they did for me. I am now leading a good productive life,
i still have 5 years of probation to do but I know I will make it.
I am off the drugs that lead me to prison (Praise God) I have been
married two years, have all of my children home with me and
am very happy with my life.
I wish there was a way to give back some of what was given to
me that day. 
Thank you again for giving so much of yourself to this pen pal program for 
the inmates, they need you. I know some of them are into the scams
and such but most are just lonely people looking for a friend. 
God Bless,
XXXXX

Mar. 6th 1999
Rene,

I just had to write you and tell you that I enjoy your site very much! 
I started writing to two inmates on your site last October and they have
both been a real joy!  XXXXX and Dave XXXXX  I am hoping
to travel to see both of them this summer.  One is on death row at San
Quentin and the other is in Colorado.  The one in Colorado is close
enough to visit, but he and I decided to wait until he gets transferred
to another facility this summer that allows contact visits.  

I just wanted you to know that the site really does work and I am so
appreciative of people like you that literally volunteer your time for
others.  I do some volunteer work, but not to the degree that you do! 
My hat goes off to you!

Take care,
XXXXX



Hi Rene, 

Hope you don't mind me writing and asking you a question.

I just wanted to know exactly how this works...do you get the e-mails, and
then print them up and then take them or mail them to the person it goes
to....or what?

I have written a couple of them as you can see.  I have had a couple
relatives in prison before, and I presently am in a program called Prison
Fellowship Ministries, and so I do this alot....and I love being on the
computer, and frankly it is easier sometimes to type and send a letter this
way rather than snail mail, but as time goes on and I get comfortable with
whoever wants to correspond, I will perhaps write them via snail mail.

I also would like to know how long it takes to get the letter to them, and
how it works on there end, do they write the letter and then give it to you,
and you type it up?

Thanks for this opportunity!  God Bless You, bye for now~  XXXX~


Dear XXXX,
  Hello. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you but I have been so busy.
 Please forgive the delay. Also, please continue to send me your mailings as I find them quite uplifting.
   To answer your question, if you use the e-mail to an inmates I print it and then forward
 all e-mail generally 2-3 times a week. It is mailed snail mail. They in turn reply back,
 send it back to me and I type it and forward it on to you.
   Each prison is different as to length of time that it takes to get there. Generally no more than a week.
 Some instances though I have had a couple of men not get a particular letter for up to a month,
 simply because it contained jokes that the guards enjoyed, so his mail was passed around until they
 were done with it and then given to him.
   Will let you go for now.
Take care and God Bless,
Rene


Dear Rene. 
  
I read your letter regarding the plight of former in-mates. It is true! 
My brother, a very intelligent person, has been in and out of jail for most of his
adult life. He has had a very hard time getting jobs and keeping a job,
 because of his record. Because of this and the problems that come with
 being unemployable, he is currently  back in prison. He could not 
come up with the required fee that he needed to pay his parole officer. 
He could not do this because he could not find steady work. He had to
resort to working as a "stand-on-the-corner-and-wait-for-work" day-laborer,
 which is a person seeking work, who meets at a corner or  particular 
proscribed point of destination with other people who are also 
desperatly seeking work and wait for an employer who is willing
to hire some or all of them, usually for the dirtiest jobs, i.e., asbestos 
removal, etc.  Yes, this does go on still in Amerika.  My brother has
 never killed anyone, at worse he has a terrible problem with substance 
abuse which probably started sometime in his early childhood 
when he was hospitalized at 3 years of age with pneumonia, when my
brother came back home from the hospital, he was not the same 
child that left; and had  problems ever since that time.  People need 
to be more compassionate, locking people up and throwing away
the key is unrealistic or building more jails just for jails sake, is not
going to change a society's ills.
  
Thank you for letting me vent!
"Hurting for my brother in Beeville, TX "




 

I am female, and I would like to be your penpal.  However, I want you to know
that I am happily married and not looking for a romantic relationship.
So, would you still like to correspond?
XXXXXXXX :)

Dear XXXXXXXX,
   Well, hello there, I guess I'll start out by saying I was pleasantly surprised with a letter
 from you this morning as I was beginning to wonder if I'd get a response. It had been over
 a month since I had placed my ad, but as I though because I have moved to another section
 of the prison my mail was put into a desk and another officer ran into it last night
 - so yeah I was very happy to hear from you.
   Now XXXXXXXX, you mentioned you are a happily married woman and would I still like to write?
 Sure I would - let me explain why if that confuses you. See, I'm not your average convict
 a lot of the guys in here are users, like I said in my ad I do not need any financial help as I 
have some $'s set aside plus what I am able to make in here with my cards and stuff I'm doing OK.
 And to be quite honest with you I have someone in my life too though I don't see it lasting much longer.
 Which is for the best because I have 22 years left to do and what kind of relationship can you
 have behind these walls? It's pointless. I personally told the woman I was with before I was actually
 sent to prison that I thought she shouldn't waste her life waiting for me, that we could stay in touch
 as friends but that she should go on with life and try to find someone that'll make her happy,
 but at that time she wanted to wait. And now, well, she's human and time is taking its toll
 and well there's no hard feelings. I'm a realist. 
   So you see I'm actually just seeking female companionship. I know alot of people here but associate
 with only a handful because I'm not into the drug scene as alot of these guys here -
 I mean that's what landed me here. Which you're probably pretty curious about now that you
 know how much time I have right? Let me assure you that I'm not a murderer or anything like that.
 I fell under the 3 strike law which is why I received so much time, they doubled my sentence.
   I just basically wanted to let you know in this letter how I think and that yes I'd like to write
 to you regardless of your maritial status. Should you write back let me know if you would
 like longer letters. Can we correspond directly? And tell me a little about yourself and where
 you're from so I have more to go in my next letter to you OK? Take care and be good...
With respect,
XXXX



Hi 
Well, when I received your email, I knew I had to write back to you... Not
only because I you sound very interesting and intellegent and all that, but
we have the same surname.!!

Im 25, I live in Perth, Western Australia and I work for the University of
Western Australia, in the Student Guild, which deals with all student
issues and committees and things like that..

Im interested in alot of things, like I love watching the sunset and living
afive minute walk from the beach really helps with that... I rollerblade,
and I love sitting in a cafe with a great view, conversation and coffee.. I
just find it so relaxing.... I love reading and spending time on my own,
just thinking and zoning out of the everyday life.... There is so much more
I like doing, but I dont want to bore you in my first email to you!

You say in your email you are alone!!  What about your family and friends???
But dont consider yourself alone now, you have a friend in me OK!

I would like to know more about you, so feel free to be open and tell me
anything you feel comfortable telling me OK!!

Im not sure of what else I can tell you.. So if you have any questions,
please ask me OK!!!

Well, I hope this email finds you well, and I hope to hear from you soon.


Your friend


XXXXXX

PS, I will get a photo in the near future for you and send it OK!!

And how often can you email?



Hello XXXXXX,
   You know I was sitting here thinking about you and it hit me how far from Glory I've fallen, 
how very much of my physical freedom has been taken from me. I realized how few of the pleasures 
of live I've tasted.
   Troubles, difficulties and sorrow have prevaded these 28 years. 28 years without one moments
 mental gratification. Bleive me when I say I am beginning to wearry of the sun. By nature, I'm a
 gentle man, I love the simple things in life, good food, expressive books, good conversation
 and intelligent women. I love walking on the beach and watching the sun set and walking in the rain.
 Sometimes it seems as though all the shy gentle characteristics I once held have been wrung
 unceremoniously from my soul.
   XXXXXX when I read your e-mail it hit me that all the things you spoke of that you like to do, 
it was as though you were reading my mind. I guess that's what caught my attention and I decided
 to write you back. I've already done my homework on your country & your state. From my understanding
 its not like the city where I'm from and that's Miami Florida. I understand its the city of lights, that's the
 name they gave, your home city, in the book I read. Just showing you I did my homework :)
   XXXXXX, let me explain something to you I'll try to make this as short as possible. I do not have access
 to a computer so I'm limited as to what I can do, all the e-mail is sent through a third party and they
 also type the e-mail in back to you. My service ends at the end of October. This is why I hope that
 you can write me directly so that we can get to know one another. If you can send your address in
 your next e-mail or if you can just respond to my address below I would truly appreciate it.
   If you don't I understand, take care of yourself XXXXXX :)
But if you decide to write me here's the address.
Your Friend,
XXXXXXX


Dear XXXXXXX,  I have never really written to anyone like this before
but I guess sometimes you have to take your chances and reach out.  Well
let's see I am 31 (I'll be 32 in October) and just divorced.  I have 2
girls (10 and 11).  I am not pretty to look at (so please don't ask for
a picture)but I have a good heart. I work for a college and I like
meeting new people.  I have never had a pen pal but I always wanted
someone to talk to that didn't judge me because of what I look like.  I
don't judge people that are inside because I have had the experience of
knowing someone on the inside and I know that not all are bad.  My dad
did time in Levenworth for Armed Robbery, assult and kidnapping.  Yes he
was guilty but I feel that people make mistakes and I also believe
people can learn from their mistakes.  Well I guess if I have found a
pen pal in you I will hear from you, if not I wish you well.  Thanks for
writing me back.

XXXXX


XXXXX,
   If you receive this it will only be for the kindness of the lady that runs this program for Inmates.
 My time has expired on the net. I would love to continue this new found friendship. It's very hard to
 find someone that understands.
   I would have to ask you though to start writing direct. If you can't do that I will understand.
 I do feel that we have a little in common . I too am divorced and have an 11 year old son. And hey,
 one don't judge one from their outside flesh. Real beauty comes from within.
I believe in those words. Let's share some laughter together.
Your Friend,
XXXXXXX


Dear XXXXX XXXXXXX:

  Hello, my name is XXXXXX XXXXXX.  I am a 27 year old Canadian woman who is presently 
living in New Zealand.  I don't really like it here very much, so I spend alot of time 
writing letters to my friends and family back in Canada.  But I figured what the heck, I 
would like to hear from other people and meet new friends.  Your web site was quite 
intruiging.  You seem to have some wonderful qualities.  So I decided to say hello.  I am 
sure that you would prefer direct correspondence but I thought this to be a better option 
for the time being.  If and when we become friends I would consider direct 
correspondence.

  I don't really know what to say.  I've never really done this before.  Written to some 
one that I don't actually know I mean.  So if you wrote me back I would probably be 
better prepared to write again.  I hope you do, it would be really great to hear from 
you.

Talk to you soon.

Tracey

PS:  I thought about putting in what I look like but it seemed sort of tacky to me.  What 
do you think?

Dear XXXXXX,
   First and formost I am very pleased that you wrote me. Also it is my warmest pleasure to
 have this opportunity presented to me to correspond with a woman of your calibur. I'm sure that
 once we get better acquainted by way of pen and paper we will become more open and 
expressive in certain subjects of our conversation. 
   Being that this is hopefully a friendship and correspondence, understand that from the beginning
 I'm a very open minded gentleman and also sincere for all to see.
This is my first time writing to someone from outside the US, but it don't matter because I'm a 
worldy type of guy who's always curious about places I've not been.
   Perhaps maybe you could tell me a liitle something about where you're from and where you currently live.
So my websight was quite intriguing huh? What was it that made you decide to write me
 out of all the people to chose from? See, I told you that I'm a curious fellow. :)
I must admit as well that I do have some wonderful qualities and I thank you for the compliment.
 However prison has put limitations on a great deal of those qualities because of lack of communication
 with the real world. I still have my family and all, but admittedly it gets touch at times without
 that special someone to confide my deepest feelings with. But having faith in the "Supreme Being" 
helps me through it. This is my first time in such a situation. Once we talk awhile maybe I can go into detail of what put me in this unwanted position.
   Hopefully I gave you a little something to feed off of so you'll feel comfortable in writing me back.
 As I end this missive for now you take care and don't hesitate to ask any questions that come to mind.
I wouldn't have thought it to be tacky by describing yourself, in fact, 
if you don't mind you can do that in your next letter. :)
Bye for now,
XXXXX



XXXXXXX,I was really really glad to hear from you, I was begining to
think
that maybe I shouldn't have been so honest about wrongdoing and
punishment.
But, I was very happy to see the letter from you.
I hope that this letter will find you doing well.
I enjoy your letters so much, and think that you are a very nice man
although a little free with the compliments, but I don't get tired of
hearing them. :)
I had computer problems, but they are over now hopefully. After
emptying my
husbands pockets that is. I haven't installed my scanner as yet, I have

been too busy but I will do it tonight so that I can scan more pictures
for
you. That is if you really want more. I will be happy to do it for you.

These letters take so long, like I said before, I was getting worried.
I truly hope for you, that the parole board will agree upon releasing you
in December, but that would mean the letters would stop. I know that
being released would please you and I think that maybe you have learned from
your mistakes for you own sake. You need not go into details about what you have
done, that is your buisness and none of mine. I just wanted to make sure
that you hadn't killed a child or something...............that sounds bad
doesn't it, although anything that gets you in there is bad just some
things are worse. I better stop trying to explain I feel that I am making it worse.
I think that I want to know that being there isn't as bad as it shows on TV
such as the knifings, the rapes, so on...... also what is it that you
do, I know you can't go anywhere so how do you spend you days. Just sitting
and reading ....what? Are you married, kids, a girlfriend. Just curious as I have reread the
letters so far and there is no mention of anyone. I really liked the "Green Mile"
As for the true version of "The Shining" yes I saw it and it was good.....had to leave the light on :)
I will try "Pillars of the Earth" and we'll see.
Have you ever heard of "Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry, it is a
western but an excellent book I think that maybe it is my favorite. I saw the mini-
series they had on TV years ago and I taped it. It really made me cry, I
think it was because I was in love with Augustus one of the main
characters. I take it out every now and then and watch it over and over
again........that man is something else. He is played by Robert Duvall.
and this has turned into a book itself so I will end for now. I will send
more pictures but you need to keep in mind that I don't always look
like that. I usually wear my hair in a pony tail and wear jeans and a tee
shirt ...........I don't want for you to disappointed when you see the real
me. So just be prepared.okay
I will write again, take care of yourself and have a good day :)
Terri
Your letters need to be longer, don't worry about boring me, I like to
hear more of
what you have to say.
XXXXX
P.S. This is one of the letters that I wrote to you I do not know if
this is one of the ones that you didn't recieve. I will write another
including a picture also in the next one.
XXXXX


XXXXX Dear,
   I just can't express fully how much I have missed you so...for some special beautiful reason
 you are very dear to me, and not only has your one of a kind friendship brought back my belief in dreams, 
but you Girl, are even more precious and wonderful than my dreams.
   I have finally received all of your e-mail. Two brief ones from last month and the one in which
 last week I quickly responded to. The reason for the Delay?
The administration here has been cracking down on guys hustling in the mail, via pen pal organizations,
 flim flamming innocent people. These guys are causing a real problem for the ones who have no
 intentions of hustling anyone. So, some of my e-mail from you was returned to the service which
 plays middle man for you and I and for some unknow reason they've allowed it to come through to me now,
but I'm worried on just how long before they return it again.
   I so enjoy corresponding with you Princess, your friendship is very special to me. You know that. :)
 I wish you would allow me to write somewhere via postal service. Not only because of the administration
 here, but it would be so much more convienent for me. I could write more often and much longer letters.
 I just don't want to lose contact with you. If you were to get a PO Box I'm sure we'd use it for a year
 to come because my case manager and I both don't see the parole board allowing me to go
 until Christmas '98. I maybe could send you photos of me too. :)
   I had no idea you had children! That's great! You mentioned girls, plural, so how many and how old?
 What does Eddie do? My, he sure is blessed to be surrounded in life by Goddesses. :) Lucky Man!
   As far as prison life goes, yes, a life I'll fill you in with all....but first let me see if you will allow me
 direct mail so I can write in lengthy detail. Maybe then you can send me piles and piles of photographs
of your ravishing self for me to worship and adore. :)
Miss you,
XXXXXXX



hi just a quick note to say i think death row is unjustice. There are
many other ways to treat people who do bad things....but not DEATH.
What did you do that put you there in the first place michael? When is
your death sentence to be carried out? I will pray for you and hope that
your appeal goes through okay.
                    a friend worried,
                       XXXX


Hi,
   Not really sure what all to say. First letters are a little harder for me. I do appreciate you
 taking time to write me though so I'll make a good effort.
   You've posed a very difficult question. So I'll try an answer best I can. What put me here
 was a lifetime of drug abuse and bad choices combined with the fact I turned my back of God.
 As a result I placed someone I cared about a great deal in a dangerous situation and they
 lost their life, due to my physical and mental condition.
   I can't even be sure if I was personally responsible for the actual death. There was some DNA
 evidence along with other physical evidence, or lack of that should've cleared my name. 
But because I was a noted drug addict and no social standing combined with a very 
uninterested public attorney. I was tried, sentenced and convicted in 3 1/2 days.
   One of my appeals has already been shot down. As things stand now,
 I've got 2 more appeal avenues and probably less then 5 years before 
my death warrant will be signed. But live or die, my life has finally found peace 
and the love loves! So whatever the future holds I will die a saved soul.
 Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours Truly,
XXXXXX






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