A Letter from a Volunteer

The following letter was received from an IFI volunteer after participating at an Out4Life Conference in Minneapolis. The letter shows that prisoners are not the only ones who benefit from IFI's programs.

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Dear Prison Fellowship,

Thank you so much for putting on the Out4Life conference in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Corrections.  I am a volunteer at the IFI program at the Lino Lakes facility where I teach a class on Monday nights.  I alternate teaching WorkNet (career guidance and job search
skills) and Holistic Hardware (video based life-principles course).  I felt so privileged to be asked to be part of a panel where I was able to share some of the nuts and bolts of the programs but also how much I have been learning from the great IFI staff that you have at that facility over the last two and half years.

It was a joy to be able to contribute by helping a few people pick up some new ideas and contacts, but by far I was the learner during the conference.  Being able to have so many years of experience in one place at one time was truly a goldmine.  I found myself having questions surface that I needed to research for some time, and then realize that person  has the answer.  So I would meet them and learn even more than I was expecting.  I made contact with new people who are interested in collaborating together in ministry with my own organization which is Here's Life Inner City (Campus Crusade for Christ).  I also discover new tools, websites and books that are going to be a great asset to us.

I would guess the above are all common experiences at conferences of this type and very valuable.  But I think one of the unique aspects of the conference was seeing the Department of Corrections people welcome those of us from the faith community into the process of reentry.

Having panels where DOC representative sat together with experts from Christian organizations really gave a new appreciation of the overwhelming task that has been given to the DOC and sympathize with a lot of areas where their hands are tied.  I also appreciated the attitude of so many of the DOC in their willingness to learn, work for change, welcome us into the process.  Obviously those they send to these conferences don't perfectly reflect everyone one this area of government service.  But it was so refreshing to hear some good news and break down some stereotypes was we met these people in person.

I guess the biggest complement I can give to those of you who made this conference possible is that if you hold one again next year I will be there and make an effort to bring some others along with me that I know would have profited this year.  Thanks again for your service to us and ultimately to those we serve.


Wayne Beich
Here's LIfe Inner City
www.hlictwincities.org