Left, Alex, Sunshine Wilhite and Kiki (a staff member from
Jimmy Hughes Ministries) take a moment to speak to some
youths who were unable to come join the group we spoke
to in the courtyard.

Jimmy Hughes Ministries serves young men in the youth prison.

"It is important to help them change their lives now, before they graduate to the adult prison and a lifetime of crime and eternal, spiritual  destruction," says Jimmy Hughes

During July 2004, an Alabama mission team had the opportunity to visit the prison and speak to almost 200 youths and gang members.

Jimmy and Jessica run this prison for the government. They all affectionately call Jessica "Mama Jessica."

Previously, the prison had been out of control because there was not enough food, youths slept on the floor, the roofs leaked and violence abounded. The staff/guards were afraid to go into the inner part of the prison after four of them were murdered.

The Hugheses brought order from chaos with the Lord's help and now the youths have enough to eat, the roof is being repaired, many have at least mattresses to sleep on and the guards are no longer afraid to enter the facility.

Jessica Hughes, above, spoke to more than 100 youths from the prison's general population as they sat in the courtyard.

She told them that God had given all of them gifts to use and instead of being soldiers for Satan, they could become warriors for the King of Kings.

Without the Lord and the vision he gives them, she said, they would perish.