by AIC Timothy Espinoza I’d say it’s a safe bet that if you randomly approach someone on the street and inquired of them, “Are you doing life?”, they’d probably conclude that you meant something akin to, “Are they really living? Are they doing life to its fullest?”. Now, from a […]
By AIC Timothy Espinoza For a long, long time here at SRCI, every Saturday morning breakfast had consisted of a cinnamon roll or coffee cake as the main item. It was one of those quirks of prison, something that did not, and we suppose, could not change. As sure as
By AIC Artist Jeremy Bergert Intro by Dale Russell It is always our privilege to witness the lives of AIC artists. There is much to be appreciated as we observe years of dedication, discovery of purpose and the love and concerns for the children of Otino Waa. Jeremy continues to
The Joys and Struggles of art Read More »
By AIC Timothy Espinoza One of the Otino Waa kids I sponsor is named Jasper. (What a cool name.) I received his picture and bio in April of 2021 and began to write him monthly. Months soon turned into a year without a response. My letters continued, along with prayers
By AIC (name withheld) Intro by Dale Russell – As I am always on the lookout for blog worthy material, especially from our inmate partners. A letter came to us meant to be read to all the Otino Waa kids at the weekly kid’s meeting. The message rings true to
36 Years of Pain and Suffering Until….. Read More »
By AIC Timothy Espinoza As I walked around the prison yard, I saw a strange sight. It was a blistering summer evening. On our yard, there is no shade, at least that’s the conclusion to anyone who takes a cursory glance. Yeah, there it was, 15 to 20 men sitting
By AIC T. Billinghurst (Intro by Dale Russell) How many copies of a “red lettered” Bible do you have around your house? Do you know of, or remember these? Today it might be more difficult to find this version as most of us have gone to digital forms. I remember
by Dale Russell At each presentation there are old friends to greet and new faces. Coming back into the prisons after all the 2+ years COVID nonsense, it was refreshing to see old friends. The encounters were easy. Much like starting where we had left off, because of the strong
7 THINGS WE SEE GOD DO BEHIND BARS Read More »
by Dale Russell Since 2009, art has flowed from behind prison walls. It has been our pleasure to digitize and document over 3000 original pieces. The parade of talent has always been an invitation to see a bit deeper into each creation, maybe even experience what the artist intended, which
Appreciating the Years Read More »
By AIC Timothy Espinoza I don’t know if I was supposed to be a lawyer, but I’m particular about words. So much so that I’ve had great difficulty in referring to the youth at Otino Waa Children’s Village as orphans. When blogging, brevity is a must. So, the term orphan
