Spanish Language Services Expanding in Jerome and Twin Falls County Jails
Spanish-language services are being coordinated by Ruben Trujillo. There are currently weekly services on Saturdays at Jerome provided by Ruben and one other male chaplain. He is also training two new women volunteers for Jerome. In addition, Ruben provides Sunday evening services at Twin Falls. As coordinator, Rueben sees a need for PREA training in Spanish and is actively recruiting for additional chaplains to serve at the other Magic Valley Chaplain facilities. Pictured below is the first person to complete a Bible study course in Spanish at the Twin Falls County jail.
Site Updates
Snake River Fall Juvenile Detention Center – Zach Ivey
The facility has been averaging about 17 beds. Because of short staffing at the facility, some chaplain services have been cancelled, sometimes on very short notice. None-the-less, the children have shown a renewed enthusiasm for the services, are hungry for God, and demonstrate hearts for change. Prayer is needed for more chaplains in this facility, as well as for more detention center staff.
Jerome County Jail – Bruce Venable
Men’s services occur on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, with women’s services happening regularly on Sunday afternoons. Reports are plentiful about the lives being changed through the Gospel message that the chaplains bring to the inmates. Projects currently are centering around training new chaplains, team building and communication. A need that Bruce identifies is for more chaplains to fill in holes in the schedule.
Community Re-entry Center (CRC) – Barry Knoblich
The CRC chaplain services are scheduled for every Wednesday evening at 7:00-8:30PM. Several new chaplains have completed training and are now active in providing services. Because of inmate turnover, attendance has decreased somewhat for the services. Barry has received permission to begin serving food for Bible studies and concerts. The Idaho Department of Corrections has five CRC’s in the state and our local CRC will begin inviting other CRC’s to attend our chaplain services/concerts on occasion. The CRC’s Church Furlough Program remains active. This program allows qualifying residents/inmates to attend church with an approved volunteer, remains active. Pray for increased inmate attendance at chaplain events.
Aftercare – Tim Wood
Lazarus and Serenity Houses are going great. Residents are focused on recovery and engaged in Bible studies. One woman from Serenity House was recently baptized. The project to install security cameras continues and Tim recently installed camera systems at Tom’s house.
Twin Falls County Jail – Kathy Steinmetz and Brent Reinke
Chaplains continue to provide church services to both male and female inmates three times per week (Sundays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays), and make individual visits to inmates upon request. We are blessed to see God working mightily in the lives of the inmates there. One outstanding need in this facility is for a Spanish-language female chaplain.
Brent reported that the jail has plans to expand to 164 new beds. The plan includes housing inmates who are currently “boarding” at other jails, like Jerome, due to overcrowding in the current jail. This will result in adding another jail facility (remodeling the old Snake River Building on Wright Street). In turn, the male inmates will likely have to be jailed in two separate facilities, necessitating the need for additional staff and additional chaplains. Brent anticipates the project to be completed in 2026.
Mini Cassia Jail – Jed Thomas
Our men and women chaplains have continued to offer church services on weekends and one-on-one visits to inmates who request a visit. Mini-Cassia needs more male chaplain. Please pray also the continued ability to bring God’s Word to people who are struggling.
Gooding County Jail – Barry Knoblich
It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the passing of Dutch Zuiderveld, the facility leader at Gooding County jail. For 21 years, he served as Chaplain at the Gooding County Jail, where he established the “By His Stripes Ministry,” bringing comfort and faith to countless lives.
Ralph “Dutch” Zuiderveld
October 19, 1959 — October 29, 2024
New MVC Chaplains
Three new chaplains recently joined the ranks of our ministry. Pictured below are Julie Fields (Snake River Juvenile Detention), Kylee Higley (Snake River Juvenile Detention), and Austin Bowles (Mini Cassia).
EVENTS
Representing Magic Valley Chaplains at the Mini Cassia pastor’s dinner at the Springs Calvary church in Heyburn are MVC President, Barry Knoblich and his wife, Tracy (pictured below).
Above: Zach Ivey, Kathy Steinmetz, Julie Arnold, and Barry Knoblich presenting the Magic Valley Chaplains ministry at Full Life Family Church.
Annual Chaplain Appreciation Banquet: Save the Date!
You (and Plus One) are cordially invited to attend the
4th Annual MVC Chaplain Appreciation Banquet
Come celebrate this night of fellowship, fun, entertainment, raffle prizes, and great food!
December 7th 7:00-9:00 PM
Amazing Grace Fellowship
1061 Eastland Drive N. Twin Falls
At the Banquet we will be having our annual membership business meeting and the election of MVC Board of Directors and other leadership positions for 2025. If you are interested in volunteering for the one position (below in red), please let Barry know as soon as possible.
Board of Directors
MVC President-Tim Wood
MVC Vice President – Brent Reinke
MVC Treasurer- Sharon Donalson
MVC Secretary- Kathy Steinmetz
MVC Board Member-Calena Wood
MVC Board Member (Immediate Past President)-Barry Knoblich
Strategy, Planning & Goals- Zach Ivey
Facility Site Leaders -Inmate Ministry
Nick Carroll – Gooding County Jail
Kathy Steinmetz- Twin Falls County jail
Zach Ivey – Twin Falls Snake River Juvenile Detention
Bruce Venable- Jerome County Jail
Corina Christiansen- Mini Cassia
Barry Knoblich- IDOC Reentry Center
Barry Knoblich-Rupert Juvenile Detention
Ministry Coordinators
Barry Knoblich- MVC materials ordering & facility restocking, MVC Website, Funding, Inmate Christmas card project, Jail Staff appreciation project, chaplain recruiting, Inmate book drive project and Chaplain I.D. cards
Ruben Trujillo-Spanish-language Coordinator
Tim Wood- Inmate Aftercare
Chaplain Fellowship Coordinator – Open
Kathy Steinmetz -Quarterly Newsletter
Did You Know?
We supply MVC materials to more than jails and prisons, such as to Bible study groups at local high schools, CSI, and to other facilities like Adult and Teen Challenge (pictured below).
From MVC President Barry Knoblich
Chaplain Check-in: Austin Bowles, a new chaplain at the Mini Cassia jail, had a great story about a resent experience he related to me at the pastor’s dinner at the Springs Calvary Church in Heyburn 10-26-24. I asked if I could share it with all of you because while most of what we do is very serious, sometimes we have a good laugh. This was one of those times.
Austin went into the Mini Cassia jail as he had for several months and told the dispatcher over the intercom, he was there to check in. He said a new officer he had not seen before came out to get him. Till now everything was normal until the Deputy told him he was going to pat him down. Austin thought to himself this is something new. After the pat down he was then told to take off his shoes and the deputy took them and put them in a bag. Austin said when do I get my shoes back and the deputy said after the weekend. Then the deputy asked him what block he was in last weekend. That’s when Austin knew something was wrong. He told the deputy he was a Chaplain checking in to provide Bible study for the inmates. The new deputy then verified Austin was a Chaplain and told him they were expecting an inmate doing weekend time at the jail and assumed he was him. The other deputies had a good laugh that the new officer was trying to lockup the Chaplain. Austin was relieved and could not believe this had happened.
I do not think we have a chaplain in our group that has not joked about getting locked up or stuck in jail. Austin smiled all the time he told me this story and loves serving the Lord at the Mini Cassia jail.
ASK ME Bridge Story
On July 21, 2024, on a Sunday I went to get gas for a trip to Pocatello the next day. It was getting late, and I had not walked the dog so I decided to go to the canyon trail by the Visitor Center for the walk so Dash could enjoy his favorite smells.
I passed a young man on the trail, and we made eye contact and smiled at each other. On my way back to where I had parked, I saw this young man again and he asked me about the Ask Me pin I was wearing. We introduced ourselves and I explained the story about the cross and Ask Me. I asked him if he lived in Twin Falls, and he said he used to but was now living in Homedale. I asked if he was visiting friends or family in Twin Falls, and he got a serious look on his face and said he was not. He explained several of his friends had jumped from the bridge and he moved away because he was having thoughts about the bridge. I asked him if that was why he was here and he said he was not sure. I asked if I could pray for him, and he said yes. My heart was pounding, and my mind was racing. Looking back, I have no idea what I prayed, but I had asked God to supply the words. After I ended the prayer, he was emotional, and I asked him if he was OK. He said he was. I believe that God directs our footsteps if we are willing. I will admit I checked the news the next day.
Ask Me was put on my mind as a witness tool. I wear it every day as a reminder of Who I serve, and it helps me be a better representative of my Savior (even on the days I am not feeling Christ-like). I have many stories about ASK ME. Some are positive and some are not, but I like the interaction it provides either way. All Glory to Jesus.
For more information about ASK ME and other chaplain resources, go to our website: About – Magic Valley Chaplains.
Website Additions
Ask Me Pins: You will see information under projects tab for the Ask Me witnessing project. The pins are free to our chaplain and spouses that are interested in this witnessing project. We currently have over 400 pins that have been distributed to Christians that are willing to witness to others. If you have stories, good or bad, or pictures about this witnessing tool please send them to [email protected].
Bible Teachings and MVC Policies & Procedures: We have added a location on our website with Bible studies from our Chaplain and more helpful policies and procedures for our chaplain. This was requested by new chaplain to help them with teaching. This location on the website is not open to everyone and will require a password to access this information. Chaplain wanting to add teachings to the site can send them to [email protected].