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5JULY 2015BODY OF CHRIST NEWS Reaching Out For Encouragement A Sister Speaks Out On The Ravages of Another Black Man Taken To Prison INTERVIEW On June 3 2011 Ms. Nicole Carters husband was involved in a tragic car accident and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He had never been in any trouble with the courts or police and had worked for King Soopers for 30 years. He had been out with fam- ily members and about one oclock in the morning there was a terrible car accident in which his car rolled and three people were thrown from the car and died. Ms. Carters sister and two other people that her husband was helping all died. Ms. Carter now has the responsi- bility to raise two young girls ages 12 and 15. It is a financial struggle as well as a mental and emotional struggle. It is a constant battle no longer having the family structure that she and her children once had. Having your family shattered in a moment of time and for the rest of our lives we will never forget this tragedy and mentally we dont know what our future holds said Ms. Carter. Two years into this struggle Ms. Carter has found that the mental struggle is mounting with support no longer there mental stress increas- ing as well as the needs of the chil- dren increasing. No one is there but God. But there is another bright spot in this cloudy trial - her Church. Ms. Carter says her Church Bethsaida Temple led by Pastor Earl Holiman has been a tremendous amount of help financially for both her husband and her and the chil- dren. Her Church has also provided them with housing or Ms. Carter and her children would be homeless. I can truly say that talk is cheap but my Pastor definitely stepped up and took the role of being the man of God that he is and all he saw was love whether he agreed with the situation or not. He knew that help was needed and took that role to make sure that we were alright. The stresses and grief of that terri- ble night do not end there. Ms. Carter confided that in addition to losing her husband to prison in June 2011 her sister died in the accident as well and 20 days later her mother died of a massive heart attack. Following this eight months ago she lost her father to cancer and two months before this her husbands father died of cancer also. You dont really realize how much of a load you are actually carrying and I just need a word of encourage- ment from somebody who can relate to me Hey this is my story or this is what I went through someone let- ting me know Ive been through this this is what I can do for you just mainly moral support and knowing everything is going to be okay with my children mainly my children. I thank God for my children and they are resilient and we have been able to go see my husband through the sup- port of the deacons and finances of my Church. Ms. Carter reports that since her husband who was given 20 years was never in trouble with the police before that he can possibly be eligible to be released from the system in six to seven years. We are being opti- mistic about this my husband would be better out here than in there. BOCN asks Why so many years if your husband had never been in trouble with the police I think because he is alive and our family is alive - otherwise they would not have pressed the issue so much explained Ms. Carter. The Courts overlooked what I had to say about this matter and I lost my sisterthey overlooked what I had to say on her behalf simply because my husband was accused of being the driver. My husband does not believe he was the driver. He cannot remember anything that happened but it was his car so he was charged. The blood found in the car on the drivers seat had prescription drugs in it but my husband doesnt take prescription drugs and when I told my lawyer my husband was not on prescription drugs they later found that the blood in the drivers seat was not his. Ms. Carter believes her hus- band was threatened that he would be given 60 years and was thus rail- roaded into taking a plea deal. BOCN What support would you like to see from the community Ms. Carter stated that the support that is actually needed is not to be judged but to be strengthened and encouraged from other women who have gone through things like this. Ms. Carter is reaching out to other ladies in her predicament and she welcomes support and encourage- ment from other women who can contact her at her Church Bethsaida Temple Christian Center and 303 388-2304. Her Church has also provided them with housing or Ms. Carter and her children would be homeless. I can truly say that talk is cheap but my Pastor definitely stepped up and took the role of being the man of God Ms. Nicole Carter