"CELLBLOCK"

A DOG REDEEMED FOR GOD'S PURPOSES

A Christian Dog? Wait a moment! We're not claiming that he is born again, but God did redeem his life. Let me explain: it was 1992 and Sue Jones * had been paroled from prison in Colorado. Many told her that ex-convicts couldn't do prison ministry because no one would trust them. While incarcerated, however, Sue had read how God had used another ex-offender named Mary Kay Beard to start Angel Tree, and her own life had been transformed by God, so she didn't believe the naysayers.

A lifelong animal lover, Sue had read extensively how dogs and other animals had been used therapeutically with children and elderly people, as well as many others. Her idea was to take dogs from the pound that were slated to be put to sleep, team them up with violent incorrigible inmates and put them through basic obedience training. Don and Mary Kay both admit to being skeptical, but they believe and try to practice being Encouragers, so they told Sue to "go for it, if it's God, He will open the doors and if not, you will have tried."

Ultimately Cornerstone Canines was incorporated, professional dog trainers were secured and a veterinarian helped to select the dogs. If the dogs would eventually be assigned as "care dogs" for children or elderly people, they would need to be less than 40 pounds as adults and gentle-natured.

Cellblock was initially named "Captain Pat" after a Colorado Corrections officer who also encouraged Sue and was used by God to open several doors. Each inmate who volunteered to learn to become a dog handler had to agree to attend Bible study weekly. The inmates were interviewed and selected. The duties outlined for being in the program included taking the dogs for daily walks, feeding them and keeping water in their bowls and meeting each week to go through obedience training.

There was Charlie, Moses and Aaron (from the same litter), Phoebe, the only female dog and Captain Pat.

Charlie was greatly used by God to confirm to Susan that HE was leading her when she discovered quite by "chance" that Charlie had the rare ability to discern brain seizures before they occurred! He was trained to go and get medical help for several patients who were institutionalized due to frequent and severe brain seizures, and Charlie was able to help in preventing additional seizures.

Moses and Aaron were to be sent to a home for abandoned and abused children to comfort and befriend them in their moments of fear and rejection. Phoebe was sent to live with an elderly lady who had become deaf; Phoebe would let her know whenever the telephone, door bell or oven timer sounded.

Mary Kay was invited to speak at the first graduation of Cornerstone Canines and their human handlers, and upon her arrival she learned the sad news that Captain Pat was going to be "washed out" of the program because at six months, he was already 70 pounds and much too big to work with children or elderly people. Sue suggested that perhaps Don and Mary Kay would like to have the dog and they both said an enthusiastic "yes"! Don's immediate answer was followed by the announcement, "We'll name him Cellblock, so people will know where he came from!"

At the graduation ceremony, a local ABC affiliate came to film the occasion and each time Captain Pat, now Cellblock completed one of the required exercises, he would directly look at the cameraman as if to say, "Did you see that?" He became the center of attention on the news that same evening, and has been used by God as an instrument for witnessing as people frequently ask how he got his name.

Redeemed from the pound where he was an orphan, "disciplined" to be a well-trained and well-behaved pet, Cellblock continues to serve the Lord with gladness and with Don and Mary Kay.

*not her real name