Ex-convict on Prison Break mission - Woman who had baby in lock-up wants to transform lives

Nothing is quite intimidating as the mantle of a second chance; a new opportunity to right your wrongs, get back on track and realign with purpose. But when that chance came for Stacy-Ann Garvey, former inmate of the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston, to return to the facility to minister to the incarcerated women, she held on because lives depended on it.

Minister Garvey, who testified to have weathered the storms of abortions, multiple suicide attempts, drug addictions, depression and years in prison, shared that her life was completely redirected by a liberating encounter she had while she was behind bars some 10 years ago.

She told THE STAR that she is now on a mission to provide other imprisoned women with an opportunity that she believes will cause them to be wholly free again, through an initiative she calls Prison Break.

"The first Sunday while I was inside the prison, members from a church by the name of House of God visited, and they brought a preacher with them by the name of Minister Fabion Steele. He is now a bishop.

"He preached a Word titled 'Don't let the Devil end your story.' That Word shifted something in me and echoed purpose.

"He said it didn't matter where I was, I shouldn't let the Devil write my story and it resurrected purpose in me, and it was like dry bones coming alive in the valley," Garvey said.

She told THE STAR that she gave her heart to the Lord and began her transformation journey right there in prison, where she ended up having a baby she had attempted to abort before being locked up.

Sentence cut in half

Garvey, whose 10-year sentence was later cut in half, is now using her story of transformation to let others know that they too can break out of the prison of depression, self-destruction and sin and begin walking in purpose. She plans to head to the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre, where women prisoners are now held, on March 25 and 26 to minister to the inmates.

Under the theme 'The Real Breaking', the conference is geared towards empowering women and assisting them in their rehabilitation back into society.

"As part of the conference, we will be ministering the Word of God, empowering the ladies, offering group counselling sessions and Christian coaching, igniting visions through workshops, and bringing out different skills and talents that many of them possess. We will be helping them to continue writing the story that God gave them, which is life," Garvey said.

Minister Garvey is seeking donations to include in preparing care packages for the women. Items that can be donated include sanitary napkins, tissue, bath soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, panties, bras, shampoo, conditioners, rags, lotions and body sprays. She may be contacted at 876 504 7179 or email: ressurectedgministries@gmail.com.