Planting the Seeds & Weeding Out the Garden
"40 years of wilderness!"
The Mustard Seed Ministry describes LeFerna in every way. Coming from a secular background of entertaining in country music, fans loved her and would follow her everywhere she went. The trouble was, unless she was on tour, she never got very far. There was always a restaurant or club that wanted to keep her there to build a crowd. LeFerna played bass and fronted her own band who between "house gigs" lit up stages in some of the most famous clubs in Texas. (Like Gilley's Club and the Long Horn Ballroom.) She loved touring and being on the road and found it exciting to make new friends everywhere she went.
LeFerna's journey brought her to Michigan in 1985 where she met and married her husband Roger. She worked a single act, then decided her marriage and family would come first. After dragging her oldest son around on the road for awhile, and seeing how hard late night entertaining could be on a marriage, she decided that the secular music scene was no place to fit a family. As her two boys grew older, she felt a call to go back into music, but this time to do more than just sing to a crowd. She wanted to make a difference in the world. With Jesus in her heart and the world at her feet, LeFerna's path became clearer once she turned 40.
When LeFerna made the decision to build a music ministry her world as she knew it started to fall apart. If it were not for her faith at times as small as a mustard seed, she would not have gone on to complete this first project. Other projects grew and inspired her to build this amazing family ministry that she has, appropriately named The Mustard Seed Ministry.
Now, when asked about all the hardship she endured in a short amount of time, she says; "It was all preparation for this ministry. God simply helped me get rid of my material possessions and then introduced me to those much poorer than I, that I could give to. Now it is time I pick up my cross and follow His direction for me, whether I am perfect in other people's sight or not, I am perfect in His! He has made it very obvious that He is working in my life,with visions for projects flowing to me as clear as a mountain stream."
"LeFerna is literally singing her heart out!"
LeFerna has always used music as her medicine. A regular on a weekly cable television show at the age of fourteen, her favorite was the old time bluegrass and Gospel music. "This Old House" brings her such memories when she hears it. She loved to listen to Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline starting as far back as she can remember, which could account for her style.
LeFerna wrote "Tell Mother & Daddy I Love Them" for her parents who both died within two days of each other. Her mother of cancer and her father of an aneurysm. She brought back many items from her parent's estate in Seattle and filled her home with antiques, heirlooms and their wonderful memories. Members of her church convinced her she should record her song and after seeing how she could warm a crowd, gave her the confidence she needed to consider going into music ministry.
In June of 1998, after LeFerna registered for a Christian Artist Seminar to seriously prepare for a music ministry, when a chain of events started. They were in the middle of remodeling their home and her family lost most everything they owned when it was destroyed by fire. (We might add here that everything she needed to write her music was spared.) The next thing they knew, there were accusations of "arson," and they were talked into living in their pole barn for a "few months" that soon turned into years once the insurance company denied their claim. Later, as they tried to explain in the first place, it was said to by an arson expert to be an accidental fire that started from hot coals that were left out on their new deck where they had grilled the night before. So the arson part of the battle was won eventually, but not before the stress of the accusations took it's toll on the family.
LeFerna's husband Roger slipped in a motel shower two days after the fire, fracturing his ribs, which put him out of work for several weeks ( Self employed with no insurance. ) and LeFerna slipped and fell down the church steps, severely spraining an ankle that she hobbled on for weeks. Regardless of the accidents, she tried to focus and go on with her life and plan for the ministry. As soon as she returned from a 26 hour bus trip (Which had been downgraded from an airplane flight with car rental after all their accidents) and the Christian Artist Seminar, her next test of strength and lesson from God was more painful than any of the "accidents" had been so far.
Out of the Fire,
Into the Flames of Another Trial
(The opening line from Babbie Mason's song "God has Another Plan")
Accused of having something to do with this so-called "arson crime," her oldest son Travis was emotionally shattered over the intimidating investigation, the slanderous remarks of small town gossips and an unfortunate breakup with the girl he loved. Working long hours and trying to "party" to bury how he felt, he overslept and was late for work one morning, ending up in a near fatal car accident. He was forced off the road at a high speed, wrapping his car around the corner of a brick CHURCH! The car was crushed in so badly, that his head was damaged from being beaten between his driver's side window and the brick of the church building on his right. (Pictures of the crash can be seen on his website at www.angelfire.com/mi/miracleman)
The little faith LeFerna had left after their fire, being "as a mustard seed," she claims, was enough to give her the strength she needed to know her son would not die as doctors expected. He was in a coma, and she was told that he would probably not last 72 hours, as his brain was damaged "beyond hope." She asked the doctors if they believed in miracles. They both said yes, but not to expect one in his situation. She told them to prepare for one anyway, one of the greatest they had ever seen. She knew in her heart after all that had happened, that God had to have a hand in this.
During that crucial 72 hours, she got special permission, and filled the ICU halls with his friends. They all took turns spending time with Travis, doing just as she told them when they went in to see him. "No tears, stay up and happy, and tell him how good he looks." Most of all, she said she felt like she could not thank them enough for their bravery in coming to see him in this condition. It may have been good for them too, but most of all it had to be good for Travis to know he had so much support from his friends. LeFerna recalls never seeing so much unconditional love in her life. The next thing she did, was ask the love of his life at the time, to come see him. LeFerna knew how wrong he felt for driving her away like he did, and maybe forgiveness would help him come back to them.
When his girlfriend did finally come, there was an awesome sign from God, that Travis was still there emotionally and mentally. LeFerna says she will never forget the tear drop that puddled up in the corner of his left eyelid, when his girlfriend took his hand and spoke his name. (His right side body functions were impaired from the injury.) This obvious love seen in the ICU has burned into her memory forever. They had gone together for over two years, and were engaged to be married until her family and his love for his friends interfered, and sadly this was the end of that part of their lives. LeFerna says one of Travis' favorite sayings has always been; "If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it will be with you forever. If it does not come back to you, then it was never meant to be."
God tells us over and over that out of hope, faith and love, that love is the most powerful, and this gave LeFerna the idea to use the only thing she knew how to try and bring him back to them. She knew from God's sign, that he could hear and understand, so the best way she knew to communicate this love to him was by singing it to him. It was who she was, and all she had to offer. Much like when he would cry when he was a child and she would sing a lullaby to him and hold him in her arms while he lay quietly listening to every word.
If he really were dying like all the doctors said he was, LeFerna knew that he needed to know God loved him even more than this sweet girl who could bring a tear to his eye. A much greater love than she or his mother could give. She began to sing "God Loves You More" into his ear, and the lyrics flowed into a beautiful message that she sang over and over for what ended up being six weeks, until he started to finally wake up and come back. "God Loves You More" was a mother's lullaby that brought on miracle after miracle. (LeFerna kept a journal and is writing about all his recovery miracles in the book, "On the 40th Day he Walked." a planned inspirational story with pictures for others who have loved ones suffering from brain injuries.)
God was speaking through LeFerna, during all those weeks in this young man's coma, because when she wasn't singing her familiar voice into his ear, she was given the idea to put Christian Hip Hop music in a tape player with head phones on his head and constantly feed him God's word in this way. It was something familiar he could relate to, and a positive message in the style of music that he liked. Travis now calls it "coma music" and that young man doctors said would only be a vegetable if he did live, is now a second year college student at Central Michigan University, and the first to ever attempt such a goal with this severe of a brain injury. Radically saved. His attitude and personality are extremely amazing.
"Somebody's Mom"
Today, LeFerna is a strong supporter of youth concerts, speaking out to support Christian radio and mentors in the younger genres of Christian music. She feels this was the medicine that gave Travis the powerful new attitude and love for God that he woke up with, which has been his positive foundation for coping with a new disability. She travels now and educates other parents to help them open their minds to this young Christian music and explains it in a surprisingly successful way that our teens can't believe "somebody's mom" would be able to do. Which is where she gets this title that she uses when she opens for young people's concerts or speaks at Christian youth events where parents may not be allowing the church to do what it could be spiritually for our important leaders of the future.
"Their Hearing is the Last to Go"
LeFerna's book, "Their Hearing is the Last to Go" talks about what God wanted her to see by getting close to these "friends" of Travis' during his accident recovery. The things our "good" kids will do just to have "fun" can be devastating, and LeFerna was allowed right into the middle of it all. What she tells you may shock you as it did her, but most importantly, she explains the difference in the adult and adolescent brain, and how it perceives things differently than the parental brain. How this will make what sounds great to them, actually drive some parents crazy! Her book with Travis' story is based on this finding.
What she learned from Travis' brain injury and all of his friends who consoled her, had to be a vessel for this book. What it taught her was amazing. LeFerna's pain was even relieved so she could see her way clear to write this book. God gave her the strength to accept her son's new disabilities through amazing insight and inspiration. He allowed her to watch her son, who graduated ninth in his class, work harder than he had ever worked in his life, as he actually came back among the living. He relearned everything from sitting up, talking, and even walking again. His first cheeseburger was more exciting than his 21st birthday, as he was not even given food until they were sure his brain had learned to swallow properly... then chewing had to be watched carefully. The experience was a humbling one to be blessed to watch she says, as she tries to put us in her place, as the parent in her book.
Once Travis' six weeks of rehabilitation had him sitting in a wheel chair where he could speak and carry on conversations, the whole family found great joy in taking him through the halls of the university hospital and visiting all the staff he had in the first couple of months he was supposedly "dying" on the different floors in different parts of the hospital as they moved him around to make room for others "who needed the urgent care more." He especially enjoyed visiting and getting to meet the negative ones who told his mom that he was not going to make it. He knew he's been chosen as proof miracles do exist, and he loves spreading the good news. So their family ministry began.
LeFerna says she will never forget the wonderful black nurse Travis had the first day he was in the hospital ICU. Little did she know that when she told that mother "Their hearing is the last to go," that she would be giving her the title of Travis' "coma music" story which became a wonderful complete guide to a new enthusiastic Bible study for what LeFerna calls "Teen-ads."
After receiving her son back from God, LeFerna felt so blessed that she still had her family, and continued to write songs and sing, regardless of their living conditions and the law suit with the insurance company that was still going on. All the time her family was crowded up in two rooms of a workshop and pole barn awaiting some kind of restitution for their fire, she was writing uplifting songs like the ministry's theme song, "The Mustard Seed Song" and going on with her music ministry plans.
After two and a half years, she had enough songs to put together an entire album. Her husband sold part of his Winchester collection (that was also spared in the fire since it was out in a safe in their pole barn) and was able to give her the money it took to go to Nashville and record what has appropriately been named "Moving Mountains," her first Christian Country music project.
Knowledge is a Key to God's Kingdom
LeFerna, knowing God would take care of all those who had sinned against them, prayed about it, and then had an overwhelming desire to go ahead and clear their name in the community, and hopefully save others from having to go through the same kind of nightmare as they had. Perhaps it was because it wasn't so deliberate, but a purely a lack of knowledge of our "aurthorities" that started the whole thing in the first place. She set out on her own, with what she felt was God's approval, to prove their fire was not an "arson" fire. She didn't understand why they had become such victims. LeFerna researched arson cases and bad faith insurance practices, accumulating enough information to write another very interesting book that she was still working on at the time this CD was released. She then felt a need to warn and educate others, even more than clearing her own family's name. Until the book had an ending or her trial was over, she worked on her music and eventually combined the two into her ministry, much to her own surprise.
The research LeFerna did on arson cases, soon weighed heavy on her heart, but helped her to accept her situation as she met those who were much worse off than she ever was. Her learning experience was phenomenal and has become an important part of her testimony.
LeFerna tells us that with burn patterns being hard to read, and fires still being called "arson" because of what experts now call "myths" like "burning hot and fast," many innocent people have been accused of arson. With even the State Fire Marshals and investigators interpreting fires improperly, they are wide open to be used as prey for the insurance company who wants to avoid paying a claim.
Today, forensic science is being used to disprove what "junk scientists" have tried to say is evidence of "arson." There are arson experts who know what the accused is up against, but few lawyers will admit they need an expert's help. These lawyers will usually lose in an "arson" case when up against the ruthless lawyers who know that the policy or "contract" is hard for any normal person or jury to understand. Because of the way traces of flammable liquids can disappear in the fire or be washed away with powerful water hoses used on the flames, experienced insurance lawyers know it is as hard to disprove as it is to prove.
LeFerna has learned that the fight for justice usually becomes some kind of game of wits between lawyers as to who can convince the jury. She says; "The truth is rarely an issue in courts anymore as hundreds of thousands of dollars take over. The insurance company lawyers can confuse juries and win in most cases, so some Insurance companies will deny claims just to take their chances and play the odds. Never paying any mind to the lives they destroy in the process."
LeFerna and her family fell victims to all the politics, the lies and schemes involved in "winning" such cases, and so far it seems like a happy ending to her book was never meant to be. Just before the release of this CD, they were not only left homeless by a confused jury, a vicious insurance company and their lawyer who was outwitted by the other, but the insurance company also ended up owning what was left of their property!
If anyone learns the hard way, it is LeFerna. "Trust ONLY in the Lord" should have been their lifeline and she wouldn't have made the mistake of listening to her lawyer's advice on the mortgage payments. Their lawyer had told them to quit making their mortgage payments that the insurance company refused to pay off, which is something by law that they are suppose to do. They still refused to pay it, as he probably hoped they would, and the mortgage went into foreclosure. The foreclosure was "a point for their side" to prove this insurance company was acting in "bad faith" in a jury trial LeFerna's lawyer planned on winning! Just before trial, the insurance company finally paid off the home, which left the family owing them for the property or losing it to them, with just months to handle it. Worse yet, their lawyer "doesn't have time" to tell them what to do next, and he has not called them since the trial.
One third of any settlement plus any expenses he incurred were all their lawyer told them they would lose. He said no jury would be convinced a family that was underinsured and having no problem meeting their policy limits, would ever make a fraudulent claim, which were the only charges the insurance company had to use after losing the so-called "arson" case. Much to his surprise, he was wrong. The jury was confused, came back hung once, and then ended up with a verdict that made absolutely no sense to him at all. Roger says he will never forget the insurance companies lawyer yelling out "YES!" when he heard the verdict. Then why not? Their lawyer said the insurance company must have paid him at least 140,000.00 so far trying to beat then appeal the arson verdict, and now this. They had grasped at straws hoping to confuse the jury into thinking there was still a fraudulent claim made on this underinsured policy. He won the game. The case was closed. LeFerna and her family got nothing, owed all attorney and court fees and the rest of the property where they were living in their pole barn then would need to be bought back from the insurance company. That is if they didn't try to force them off of it first!
Now her lawyer has the task of convincing the Judge it should be considered a "mistrial" or put in for an appeal, whichever is necessary. LeFerna explains, "This is the 'waiting game. Just the interest they save all this time on the money they rightfully owe, adds up." Paying a lawyer as much if not more than what it would have cost to just settle the case in the first place doesn't make much since, but in research, LeFerna says Insurance companies do it all the time. This time her family was their victim.
The whole ordeal is unbelievable, but has also been a predictable one, LeFerna says, "Once I studied other cases and knew which step came next." Then she goes on to say, " They can put words in innocent people's mouths, bring liars on the stand to testify against you, bring every skeleton out of the closet they can find, then prey on a naive and honest jury who doesn't know the first thing about all the cheating games and politics in a court room."
Most people today know not to trust insurance companies... learning the hard way by being sent to "prostitute doctors" who give the injured a clean bill of health when the money the insurance company pays them is right... but a jury is not being paid, and since they are giving up their time, they want to do it right. They are not allowed to be prejudice or swayed in any way. "Too bad the state police and the local fire chief didn't have the same honest hearts. They are so suspecting of everyone. They ask you about your finances before they even go in the house to inspect a fire!!"
LeFerna's husband Roger left the courtroom saying, all these things that have happened are just too unbelievable. He says, "There has to be a reason, and God knows what it is." It was all part of their game. From the "standard denial letter," right down to the stall for time in making you wait as long as they can between depositions and trials. He knew how LeFerna researched and learned what was happening to them was not so uncommon at all. She uncovered shock after shock in our judicial system while she studied arson cases. Their case was all about money, so you can imagine what goes on in an arson fire that results in a death. LeFerna says; "They are not just out for money then, they are out for blood!"
While researching more so-called "arson" cases, they learned about Dale Ryan, who was in prison for an "arson" crime experts that new evidence his lawyers say could prove he did not commit. For reasons allowed within the system that are beyond the normal person's understanding, he was not given a retrial and left waiting as long as they possibly could leave him while people are suppose to believe they take this long to "make a decision."
LeFerna exclaims; "Our courts are loaded with so much sue-happy junk anymore, that it takes years to get through the system, but to take years for a decision to give a retrial when the law permits him to have one? This is a terrible injustice. There should be more laws against putting prisoners off in this way."
LeFerna began to write to him and research Dale Ryan's story while he sat waiting for a new trial. Yes, a trial that if granted, would have outraged an entire town and even the state which took over his case, because of the unfortunate loss of two firefighters in the blaze he was accused of setting. Soon after she started writing to him, he was released on a technicality but not until he had lost nine years of his life, and his family had spent more than three million dollars on experts, ongoing investigation and the best lawyers they could hire. The small town still believes he is guilty and are outraged that he was released. He may never be able to exonerate his name. People will believe what they want and the law suits would probably flair up from every corner if a possible TV movie came out with the whole story, as bizarre as it was.
LeFerna also found in her research, that money usually played an important role in convictions of innocent people, like it was in her personal case. They try make you look worse than you are, and her story was a "piece of cake." If her self-employed family would have had better credit and paid their bills in a more timely fashion, statistics show that they would probably not have been suspects in their own fire. They would have noted that the family had just spent 14,000.00 to remodel their home! In Roger and LeFerna's case, the insurance company claims they supposedly burnt their own home down for money they needed to pay off personal debts that totaled less than $50,000.00 including their mortgage! With the large equity in their home, they would have made more by selling. This family lost almost everything they owned! It just doesn't make any since. People have been known to be guilty of burning their homes for the profit before though, and LeFerna does believe many are truly guilty of arson, but stands as proof that many aren't. "Fair retrials are the only chance they might have of getting to the truth, once the tricks of the professional liars and thieves who have made their way into powerful positions have all been played out."
So, LeFerna has found facts and studies that can show the world first hand that a so-called "arson" case can become an evil game of politics, lies, and wit. "Police will even lie and make you think they believe you are innocent, tell you they need to prove your innocence to the insurance company with an easy test, then turn around and set up a bias polygraph test so they can tell you you've failed it just to get you to confess!" She tells us. This is what they did to Roger.
"This betrayal of the police who you want to believe are protecting you, becomes a poor excuse for law enforcement when they are convinced by their own ignorance that you started an arson fire." she goes on to say on this subject. LeFerna's family was terrified at how easily this "set-up" gave them the unjust right to arrest people. When they were trying to intimidate her son Travis and get him to take the polygraph, which he was scheduled for when he got into the accident, they told him that just having anything to do with our fire could get ten years in prison. They threatened to turn her husband over to authorities and tried everything to scare them. LeFerna was in the hospital with one son and Roger was afraid they would come out and arrest him and take the youngest and put him in a foster home when they saw the family's unfortunate living conditions the insurance company left
them in. Roger was never arrested, thank God. LeFerna was scheduled next, and called the fire marshal a liar, and refused to submit to their bias polygraph test set up for their hidden interrogation. The fire marshal never denied her charges. He simply put in the report that she had refused to take a polygraph. This did not surprise LeFerna, as he never wrote any of her explanations for anything in his report, and even failed to follow up on a list of people Roger provided as witness to his whereabouts that day. The first person on the list didn't know him by name, and explained he knows many people by their face and asked for some kind of a picture. The state police never got back to him, and the report reads that Roger was not where he said he was. All this is slowly falling into their past now, as they are forced into selling the family lake property where LeFerna used to go and write her songs. Though they refuse to give up, they are going on with their lives, tired of the fight taking so long, understanding why so many people will quit and let everyone against them win, as the beating has really worn them down. The family is grateful no one was killed while fighting their fire, and may never understand how they could be treated like common criminals through the whole ordeal. LeFerna loves her ministry work and writing books on all she has been given in lessons. She says with an almost admirable tone; "At times I wonder if God chose us to expose this terrible "arson" injustice, because we did have a means to come out okay in the end, no matter what happened. They aren't finished, but I am not afraid of what they will do next."
LeFerna has gathered many interesting stories to prove her accusations. A few months after the state police talked them into taking their bias polygraph test, the same polygrapher who would not "pass" Roger, did the same thing to another man and this time was caught in this liar's act of getting a confession. This "victim" of theirs had been accused of stealing money from a Wendy's restaurant. He went to jail, but was found innocent nine months later when they found out the bank deposit he swore he put into the bank's night deposit box really had been there all along. He was telling the truth, so how could that test of theirs not pass him? The money was caught up inside the vault. It took the same thing happening to a prominent business man in the city, for the bank to bring the technicians out to tear open the night deposit vault and look for the missing money. An answer to this poor man's prayers. This man lost his job, his family lost their home and everything. It was terrible... but yet this polygrapher is still practicing his scare tactics for the state police, and why not? Because he can. Other states do this very same thing. They are protected by a legality called "Government Immunity."
The report said that the fire chief was the one who suggested LeFerna's son Travis could be a suspect. This could have been why the fire marshal went into LeFerna's fire with his mind "set to arson" as the expert said he had to have done, since there was absolutely no signs of arson. Their accusations were all purely speculation, but yet they can get away with ruining lives like that, and even indict a lot of people on nothing but air, just because they are suppose to be an authority on the subject. These authorities, thinking they are right most of the time when they sometimes are not, make it clear how statistics can show many arson victims are used as prey by insurance companies. If there would have been a death involved, their speculation and opinion could have indicted Roger or Travis on nothing but air, just because they can! LeFerna had gone up north to their lake property to write songs when the county sheriff there had to come and tell her the bad news. She was the only one who was not treated as if she was guilty of arson, but the state police will say she could have still been involved with having it done. Destroying her late parent's family heirlooms, and even killing a pet parrot they had for seven years in the process. The jury would never have time, in any trial, to hear the whole story though, and what important facts they would hear will get turned around into a mass confusion by a "good" trial lawyer. Juries would have to trust the authorities called in as witnesses on the case. With the local authorities all prejudice in their assumptions, as they were in LeFerna's case, she has learned to educate the public that expert witnesses are a must in any so-called "arson" trial.
LeFerna says; "It is sad that our local "authorities" whom we should be able to trust and depend on, are, and will always be responsible for the missing years, the home, and the scars in my family's lives because of their bias opinions and speculations. This to me, is clearly an abuse of power. They were no more help to us than the gossiping woman in the fire marshal's report whom even though she barely knew us, that told him we had "red flags going up all over the place." Everyone wants to play hero and get in on the act of helping to solve a puzzle. Which is exactly LeFerna's point as to how innocent people can be convicted in small towns. The arson expert had no trouble finding the accident was possible and that is what started the fire, in his professionally trained opinion. Since they are suppose to rule out any chance of an accident before determining a fire is arson, this is all it would take to through the case out, but not until after the damage had all been done to this family.
From what she was learning from all this, LeFerna also discovered that most victims who are in prison claiming they are innocent, were not only of low income families, but have had to take an appointed lawyer from the courts because of it. When you cannot afford a lawyer, one is appointed to you, it is your right. Like anything else, you get what you pay for. LeFerna says you need think about what kind of a lawyer would have the time to be an appointed one by the court. LeFerna's lawyer had never lost a jury case before. He was working for a third of $160,000.00, had already won the arson case, and still lost the game due to some little technicality that actually boiled down to a lack of communication between the adjuster and the public adjusters that LeFerna hired to help her when Roger broke his ribs. Which is something else she says our people need education on. Public Adjusters.
They are not "allowed" to advertise so most have never heard of them. The insurance company refused to work with the public adjusters, when their job is to negotiate with them to see that the client gets a fair settlement. In LeFerna's case, she was warned that they were already trying to cheat her out of a fair claim, holding back additional living expense money by trying to keep from having to pay for a trailer home to be brought in for relief. In this case, since the insurance company makes sure that bad faith is hard to prove anyway, it was a very expensive mistake for LeFerna to hire the public adjusters in her situation, in the first place. This could be why they can't advertise, she has not finished her research on that yet. The insurance commission in Michigan sat back and allowed this to happen to her family because the insurance company wrote them and told them that they were "in fact" dealing with an arson fire. No proof was needed at all, just the misleading letter or "lie" if you will, of the insurance company's letter. The commission simply told her they can not help in a situation that deals with "question of fact." LeFerna tries to explain it to us like this; "The insurance lobby is one of the biggest in the political arena, and very powerful with their billions of dollars behind them. This is probably a controlling factor for public adjusters. The situation is like a "catch twenty-two." Public adjusters help people understand their policy and get a fair claim, making it as easy as possible on those who have suffered a loss of some kind. If the insurance companies who cheat people with these contracts made up by the best lawyers in the county, would have had fair motives in the first place, there would not be the need for the help and such a "job description" would probably have never existed."
The unsuspecting insurance agent calls this a friendly "insurance policy," which by the way has nothing to do with the way an adjuster decides to treat your claims. LeFerna explains; "Our agent is a wonderful man would never cheat us, and did not know what kind of insurance company he was representing." LeFerna's theory on the insurance end of this ridiculous ban, is that advertising would be a very hard thing to "allow," when it the very reason for their existence can make them look like crooks. At one time lawyers were not "allowed" to advertise either.
Until there can be a stop put to some of what she calls "fire case insanity," LeFerna educates people to know their policy and what it "means" and not just what it says. Keep household receipts for everything and take pictures or videos often of their homes, inside and out. Keep all this in a lock box at the bank right with an updated policy at all times. One of the ridiculous things the insurance company got LeFerna on is not producing books, pamphlets, and receipts on items she was claiming. They tried to get her on fraud for using the groceries of a seventeen dollar receipt she turned in for expenses just because the groceries were bought one hour before she knew about the fire. She turned the receipt in because she brought the groceries home, which were all staple items she buys when she first gets up north, to replace the ones lost in the fire. See where she gets the term "insanity?"
Most people do not expect disasters to happen. Worse yet, people trust insurance companies like LeFerna did hers. She had them for twelve years. Now she feels it is time she warns others.
It is common for people to just look the other way and say; " ...her situation was different, they would never do that to me." Right. Just like all politicians are honest and judges are just. This is basically the enemy's playground we live in, and we have to quit being so naive. LeFerna learned the hard way, now if she can just help others to keep from making the same mistakes in trusting anyone when the word "arson" may come up, she will have done what she hoped she can buying publicly sharing her story like she is here, and with the book she will be writing while she is on tour.
"How Long Will They Leave You Singing?"
This statement is on one of the web pages of trial information that convinced LeFerna to add this arson problem to her ministry projects. Some honest decision makers in the courts are granting new trials for attorney error and new evidence like they should, where others are not.
The politics involved will most likely come before honest Christian ethics in these cases. The separation of church and state is doing far more damage than people know. It is not just in our schools, but in the roots of the system as well.
LeFerna believes in the irony of one of her visions, and explains it like this; "A powerful leader, once in the position of executioner such as George W. Bush, with his true Christian heart, will soon answer God's call and ultimately be used by Him to end this problem. He can help set innocent prisoners free who have been left pacing in cages like tortured animals waiting to receive their right to a new trial. His movement to send Christians into the prisons, can be how it begins. The Christians will finally start to discover all that really goes on inside those prison walls. Besides the immoral disgusting things the guards allow and get away with themselves, they will find all of God's people who are innocent and should have never been put their in the first place! You will see a cleansing of the prisons and the judicial system like you have never seen. Hopefully then, George W. Bush will admit to himself and the world, that the death penalty may have taken innocent lives and hopefully do away with it for good!
This country is regressing. Like in the Old Testament of our Holy Scriptures, we should let God decide his people's fate. For the true offenders who some may feel deserve the death penalty, you must rest in the fact that God will provide. He will probably show us that the money we save in tax dollars freeing the innocent from the expense of prison, will more than pay the cost of holding the ones the system has 'solid proof' are guilty. LeFerna prays that our fair judges see the light, and agree that we must wait until God's judgment day, not one made up of men who live in this corrupt game-playing greedy world God has warned would be upon us. Please pray that they see, that time is now, and pray that they make wise decisions
The three Women Behind the
"Finding You Finding Me"
Prison Project
LeFerna is one of three women who have differences ranging from the countries they live in, their lifestyles, their nationalities and race, who have been called together like and answer to a prayer. Coming together in full force on the internet, like a dawning of a new Godly woman's movement. Unexplained doors began to open as they let go together and let God take over. There meeting was not a chance one indeed, as they all had the same thing in common, innocent people accused of arson.
As the doors all started to open and their light of hope began to shine on a confusing unjust darkness to show them the way, LeFerna felt strong that she was meant to meet the other two women. God had a plan for her and they were a part of it. She was given an idea and as she put her plan into full play, with contacts and information the other women had, she started to feel like the soul purpose for her own fire in the first place, was to help these women. Her idea, though it did seem strange at the time of conception, was all she knew how do. She knew the courts and their wicked ways, and what these poor victims were up against as they waited for help. These people clearly needed more publicity so her "off the wall" idea was worth a try.
It started when LeFerna met and started writing to Letitia Smallwood, a black woman in a Pennsylvania prison who was accused of an arson crime where deaths were involved. LeFerna says "It is a fact, that when there is a death involved they always convict someone of arson, with or without evidence... guilty or not! It is too easy."
Letitia had been in prison for 27 years, and LeFerna met her through letters. She took away every ounce of self pity that LeFerna was feeling for herself at the time. There was something about this woman, who experts could prove is innocent, if only she would be given a new trial.
LeFerna tacked her picture on the wall by her bed and let God move the woman right into her heart for renewed strength and inspiration. They shared something very strong spiritually, a feeling that would make LeFerna cry every time she thought of her. How terrible LeFerna knew it must have been to spend twenty seven years in prison for a fire that she did not start. One of many women she had been reading case histories about.
In studying Letitia's case, it looked as though she was made a scapegoat so the owner of the building would not be the blame for the faulty fire escapes that could have saved a life, but the building has long been removed. Rebelling from the wrongful conviction, Letitia went from a college student with a strong future, to a drug addict from within the prison confines. She even tried to escape, to only make her return treatment much worse than it was.
"There is nothing more the innocent can do behind those prison walls except go temporarily insane waiting for the 'truth to set them free.' In most of these cases, there is always more the judges end up taking in to consideration when trying to make their decisions to allow them their rights" LeFerna tells us.
Because of being wrongfully accused of arson herself, LeFerna created a new website designed to give all accused arson victims and anyone else researching the problem a place to share information or get help. The site is called the Arson Alliance & Victim Support website or the A.A.V.S. for short. It was through this website that LeFerna met Karen. A woman in Scotland whom LeFerna became close Internet friends with as they researched arson fires and case information together. LeFerna rarely thought of her own loss anymore. Karen kept her spirits high when she felt down, and visa versa. Like Letitia, Karen had a story of her own to tell about another so-called "arson" fire. LeFerna thought she had heard the worst until she met Karen. The justice in this story was so unbelievably denied, that LeFerna's desire to help in every way she could was almost overwhelming to her, but Karen's strength was an amazing example for LeFerna to follow and share with Letitia too, as she brought them together in her heart and mind. LeFerna would spend hours upon hours writing and praying for ways to help.
Karen's case that she was working on was the story of all stories. She had been a campaign manager for a man who was convicted of an "arson" fire that killed a sweet little girl in Ohio. He was on death row! Studying his case and believing in his innocence, she worked on his campaign to get his rights to a new trial heard, for several years. Fighting to help his family and top lawyers who agreed to take his case, she spent all her time trying to prove to the world he was innocent. Kenny and Karen wrote back and forth, and after three years fell in love with each other. Karen married Kenny Richey by common law so that she could visit him in the United States as his "wife" which is suppose to be an allowed visitor on death row. Since she brings press coverage with her when she comes, she is not always allowed the right to see him and has been treated badly by US authorities.
Kenny, has been on Ohio's death row now for fifteen years. They have been married for three. Six long years she has been working to try and bring him home where he belongs. Kenny was another victim of all the things LeFerna had researched to be true. He was in a poor situation, he had past run-ins with the law, and sported a very cocky attitude. As expected, he had an appointed lawyer who not only failed to use certain evidence that could free him, but also allowed himself to be talked out of allowing Kenny to have a jury! The prosecutor who was running for judge at the time, would benefit by looking as though he was tough on crime in this situation, so it doesn't look good at all. The thought of using a life that way horrified LeFerna.
There was also a mother who had been in trouble for neglecting this little girl before. She had left her little girl alone in the apartment that caught fire, where she died of smoke inhalation. "All kinds of games were taking over" LeFerna said. Kenny was offered a "deal" of eleven years if he would confess to starting the fire, but he refused to confess to something he didn't do, like so many would. He got the death penalty then instead. He did make the mistake of threatening the prosecutor. Like Letitia, he acted out of fear and anger to the lies and the twisted story that was fabricated to try and "win" an this indictment.
After being offered a much lighter sentence if he would confess, evidence not taken into consideration and all the attorney error, the entire case looks very prejudice and the UK is outraged over the whole situation. Now a judge has made him wait on a decision to live or die for going on three years! "This sickens me. That woman judge needs our prayers!"
Although, LeFerna gained insight and understanding about these cases. As close as she drew to these women, she could find the reasoning for the other side to prosecute and feel for those who had lost their loved ones. God had shown her how a human can make themselves feel better when the blame can be put on someone other than themselves when their loved one is lost or permanently scarred. She had felt the same way in her own case when Travis indirectly received a brain injury he would have to live with the rest of his life, at the time he was being tormented by investigators and gossips. In most convicted arson cases where someone has lost a loved one, emotions have run high. No one is thinking clearly when they are in so much pain. They have to have and answer as to why it happened, and most of all punish someone for it. In their weakened state, they are desperate to find the blame, and can be easily led to believe someone is guilty when they are not. It is normal human reaction, and lawyers are very aware it exists in the courtroom.
The bond that these three women are forming, can only be one of God's doing. The unexplained accusations and weird things that happened to her family were the only way LeFerna would have ever known about the innocent people being accused of so-called "arson" crimes in this country, and how easy it could happen to anyone! More importantly, she was shown a way that she may be able to help draw attention to the problem of innocent arson victims being in prison.
LeFerna has always been more of a songwriter than the kind of writer a good book needs, so it was still some time after she met Letitia and Kenny's wife Karen, before the pieces came together. A puzzle once completed that showed her how she could help prisoners who have been wrongfully convicted.
She wanted to do more than go into the prisons and sing to them which any music ministry can do. She wanted to do something different that may get them the well earned attention that they deserves after all these years of pain.
LeFerna concludes with; "What is going on in our country that we don't see the injustice in the system? How long did you think God was going to allow it to go on? God told us in the book of Exodus that we should not convict an innocent man as He will not acquit the guilty. Does that not say to let HIM be the judge? We need to pray for the judges in these positions of granting new trials, that they be fair and most of all God-fearing in their long awaited decisions."
Letitia sits in prison waiting for her prayers to be answered as she needs a good lawyer to help her get another trial, while Kenny sits and waits to know if he is going to live or die. Ohio courts have had over two years to decide if he will get a new trial at the time this story was written. An honest trial, clemency, or death? They have new evidence and the appointed lawyer even admits his errors in Kenny's trial. This should be grounds enough for a new trial. But it would also be a new trial that would bring up flared emotions again in this small town of Ohio, and in fact when proven innocent as they know he will be, with all of those people who think the death penalty should not exist, Ohio could have a real problem on their hands. So it can easily look to be a situation in need of even more prayer once it is handled properly by honest and fair people.
"If given clemency and allowed to go back to Scotland, it would be better for Kenny than death, but this would be sweeping this unjust treatment under the rug here in our own home, the USA. This would not be a good example for Ohio to set. It is cowardly and not right." LeFerna says.
LeFerna and her husband Roger are both sickened now that God has shown them how easy it is to be accused of something you did not do and "lose" in court. They wonder how many more have gone to prison because of these so-called "arson" fires who were really innocent all along? LeFerna is not a radical person, and prays she has been shown a gentle way to tell the world. She travels with her family ministry to work with Teenagers and young adults, but has pamphlets available on Letitia, Kenny, and whoever else experts are claiming are innocent prisoners in our country. She briefly explains the project and concentrates on her Bible study for teens. She knows this is God's work, not hers. All she can do is give them a song they can sing while they wait.
"Finding You Finding Me" is a song LeFerna wrote that represents being freed. Freed from everything that has ever troubled you by letting go and letting God find you. Peace for the prisoner who shuts their eyes to pray. The sound of the ocean waves and the sea gulls in this song is something Letitia and Kenny can not experience any other way but in a song or on TV. They can't feel the sand between their toes, or experience how close one feels to God on an ocean beach. With all they have endured, they deserve to feel the strength of standing firm in a strong storm, knowing that God is there to protect them.
Yes, like many prisoners, they know God exists for them even behind prison walls. Their faith is amazing like that of a "mustard seed" and they will be rewarded for their patience in due time of God's teaching..
LeFerna has dedicated this song to them and all prisoners who have been accused and convicted of crimes they did not do. All proceeds from this song will go to help them gain their freedom, and continue to support this project as it releases new songs that will help innocent prisoners get the attention they deserve.
A curious note;...
Our Lord and savior is not even mentioned in LeFerna's song until the very end. After suffering, then understanding why He took so long to free them, they can truly believe He had been there all along, never forsaking them. The thanks that are given for the blessings are in the end, when they are finally freed.
I hope they can think positive and know in their heart that God is using them to free hundreds of others behind them in their journeys. They can rejoice in thanks for many things right now and know this is His plan to help them see the end in sight. God never gives us more than we can handle, and they WILL be receiving many blessings once they are free, as they have been a part of God bigger picture all along.
When you listen to this song, and you are one of the ones who may not need freeing physically, please find it in your heart to close your eyes and pray for our prisoners and our lead decision maker George W. Bush. Try and see LeFerna's vision and see how God placed President Bush where he is at (You have to admit, it was a very strange election.) as he brings attention to ALL prisoners through visiting Christians. Just maybe our country can finally let His people go, AGAIN.
Future Project Plans
With a Mustard Seed of Faith, LeFerna Steps Out
LeFerna has been a singer and songwriter since she was fourteen years old. Battling a weight problem all her life, her first husband left her because she was too heavy. Trying to go on with her life and her dreams, she was invited to Nashville to record and they told her they loved her material but if she wanted to sing the songs she would have to lose weight. Knowing she had never been able to lose weight that she had not let her food addiction allow her to gain back double, she gave up on her dream of success and learned to enjoy using the gifts God gave her in other ways. Now God has called her into music ministry where people are judged less for their appearance. Until her recent trials, she had lost all confidence in her talents never followed through with even His call for the constant fear only being seen and not heard..
Today LeFerna, through her trials and testimony, has a new outlook on life. It is the signs and miracles along the way that excite her. Like the way Fred Ahlborn, the DJ who first gave her songs air play, found them in the first place. He saw Travis' website about his accident and brain injury that has inspired thousands of other head injury victims on the internet. Following a link between pages, he then listened to LeFerna's songs on her mp3 site. His radio station was KLLN, and he had the capabilities of downloading her songs and playing them on the air. He didn't have to do this, but he really liked this voice that he called "a seventies style" and the songs she wrote. He picked "God Loves You More" because he too had a teen who survived a brain injury!
So LeFerna's first air play came about through his own daughter and Travis!
The chance that he picked "Finding You Finding Me" was probably no accident either. God is working in LeFerna's life and everyone she meets has played an important part in helping her projects along. This all being part of God's promise to her.
After several years in hiding, she is taking back what society has taken away from her. She is bursting forth in ministry with a new bravery to face whatever the world has to throw at her as she comes forward to bring attention to the many problems in our world. It wasn't until she wrote the song "This Stone's For You" that she felt the amazing new strength in her attitude about being overweight. Speaking out against fat jokes, that encourage people to laugh who do not know the pain of being overweight. No, as if God is working through her life on this problem too, she is out to show others like herself that it is okay to be you just make sure you are beautiful at it and go with God when it comes to your health. There is a reason for everything. When it is time, God will show her the road to weight loss like He has everything else in her life. She is sure of it. LeFerna has studied and used herbs to stay healthy, at her high weight. Even considered "obese" her Cholesterol levels are normal. It is Diabetes that she fears most, as it does run in her family.
Like any addiction, you have to want to beat it, and once LeFerna is healed emotionally, with God's help, she is sure she will. "People need to learn to be more positive in life, and especially those with low self esteem like I had. Learn to find your gifts and use them to serve God, and it will be easier to live out that dream." she tells everyone now. The theme song she wrote for the ministry sums it up, when you listen to "The Mustard Seed Song."
The final thing LeFerna will tell you is this. "I pray that innocent prison victim's get new trials and their pain and misery be over soon. All I have to offer is a mustard seed of faith, and a song." Then she goes on with the spirit of God shining from within, as she smiles and says; " Knowing there is a reason for everything, I have wondered most of my life how I could use the old saying;
'It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!' ... "
Click the link above to read LeFerna'a Story about this liberating statement!
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