When Andria arrived in prison in March 2023, she was angry, struggling with the consequences of addiction, and unsure where God fit into her story.
“I felt like He had given up on me,” Andria says.
Then another woman living at her facility introduced her to Crossroads.
Her bunkmate had received a card about Crossroads and invited Andria to sign up for Bible study. Andria decided to give it a try.
As she began studying the Bible alongside her mentors, she found hope, purpose, and connection.
“The ladies that write me back . . . are really genuine,” Andria says. “They really care.”
For Andria, the letters she receives from her Crossroads mentors are a reminder that she has not been forgotten.
“I feel like sometimes I’m forgotten here in prison,” she says. “And so, it’s really good to know that somebody out there [is] thinking about us and wants us closer to God.”
Andria imagines her mentor sitting at a table with a cup of coffee, carefully reading her answers, and responding personally to what she has written.
Her mentors don’t simply correct her answers or send the next lesson. They encourage her, celebrate her growth, and remind her that someone believes in what God is doing in her life.
Through studying Scripture and reflecting on her past, Andria began to see her story differently.
“I’ve done a 360 since I’ve been here,” she says.
Before coming to prison, Andria had earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. After seven years of sobriety, she returned to school because she believed God had called her to help women and children struggling with addiction.
But she eventually returned to addiction herself.
“I just couldn’t stay sober,” she says. “I had my demons. I had things I was going through.”
Today, Andria sees her time in prison differently.
“It saved my life,” she says. “This has really saved my life.”
While she waits for the day she can return home, Andria is determined to keep growing through Crossroads and share the hope she has found with others.
“I’m going to keep doing Crossroads,” she says. “I’m going to keep sharing my experience, strength, and hope with others.”
And she has a message for her mentors who have supported her along the way:
“Thank you for being so sincere. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for . . . giving me the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
“It just amazes me that people are out there rooting for us and really, truly love us and want us to go to heaven,” Andria says.
Explore ways you can get involved in sharing hope and encouragement with men and women like Andria.