Unshackled Faith
God brought Trivi and Brandon together when they needed it most.
“I’m locked up, yes, but spiritually I’m free as a dove,” Trivi Viapando says, an easy smile on his face. Clad in the green shirt and pants that make up the uniform of those serving time in the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, Trivi sits beside Brandon Valdez, who nods in agreement.
Each describes the other as a God-given brother. Their story is one of God’s provision and goodness amid struggle. “God brought us together in the middle of a tough time,” Brandon states. He adds, “Our meeting was God bringing the good out of the bad.”
In The Dark
In the spring of 2020, the pandemic affected everyone’s lives. With COVID taking a toll, for many work went remote and life narrowed to the four walls of a house or apartment. Life became even harsher for those in Colorado prisons.
At the time, Trivi and Brandon were inmates at the Bent County Correctional facility. The facility’s population went on 24-hour lockdown, living life in small cells. “People were really angry and hopeless,” Trivi remembers. Violence and drug overdoses became more frequent.
“There’d be times when people would just yell all night,” Brandon laments. The circumstances felt desperate. “That’s why I’m so grateful God brought us together,” Trivi says.
Meeting fellow Christ followers wasn’t easy inside Bent County, but God was at work the day that Trivi and Brandon were moved to the same cell. “I just couldn’t believe that he knew God too,” Brandon recalls, awe still shining on his face.
The two spent long days and nights speaking about God and reading the Bible together. When a riot broke out, they read scripture until the yelling subsided. They also discovered that they both had a passion for the arts. Trivi is a gifted writer, and Brandon is a former tattoo artist.
In a dark circumstance, they knew God brought them together to strengthen one another. “It’s easy to want to give up,” Trivi shares. “So many do in prison. They essentially sit and wait to die.” But they found a deep well of perseverance from God. When one stumbled, the other offered encouragement with scripture and prayer.
When Trivi and Brandon learned they would be transferred to Ark Valley, it didn’t feel like an answer to prayer. Moving brought a lot of unknowns, from how the facility was run to unspoken cultural codes that must be followed to avoid hostility from other inmates. But Brandon and Trivi were in it together, and they knew God would be beside them at every step.
Free Indeed
Shortly after arriving at Ark Valley, it was clear to Trivi and Brandon that change was in the air. COVID restrictions were lifted and Ark Valley had an extensive list of things to do, from CrossFit to math classes. Their endless hours with nothing to do were over. But there was more: They discovered a church community flourishing inside Ark Valley.
As one of Woodmen’s five campuses, Ark Valley offers Community Groups, Woodmen U courses and weekly worship services. “We couldn’t get enough!” Brandon laughs, remembering how the pair signed up for every opportunity. They reveled in the opportunity to regularly connect with other Christ followers and find strength in a vibrant faith community.
The two found time to use their God-given talents, pairing their skills to create an illustrated poetry book called, Liberated While Incarcerated. The collection of Trivi’s lyrical poetry and Brandon’s artful drawings represent all God has done and continues to do through their time in prison.
As the book’s printing marks a culmination of one chapter in their lives, Trivi and Brandon are excited about the stories God continues to write. These words from one of Trivi’s rhymes express their hearts as they anticipate faithfully serving the Lord in the days ahead.
Accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit,
Miraculously exposed,
the Truth permitting the veil to lift.
Where out of my conflict came calling,
To then bring forth a glimmer of hope for the lost and the sick.
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