Prison Fellowship

Remember Those in Prison

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camps
    • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree® Church Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Share on Social
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • 2021 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

The Cost of Saying ‘Yes’

March 3, 2016 by Lindsey A. Frederick

Prison Fellowship International, Prison Fellowship’s ministry counterpart, is the largest, most extensive association of national Christian ministries working within the criminal justice field. To learn more about PFI, visit www.pfi.org.

Ibrahim wears deep lines on his forehead, and bears a scar across his left cheek. At first glance, he looks tough, capable, self-assured. His hard stare seems to convey a warning. But when he smiles, his face tells a different story—one of hope, of quiet change, and new beginnings. It’s a story of spiritual transformation, which is capturing the hearts of thousands of prisoners outside the United States.

DSC09924Ibrahim came to prison devout in his Muslim faith. He completed Koranic studies twice, and became a teacher to new Muslim inmates. He knew about Christ—“Isa” in Islam—but he didn’t understand Him.

“I often mocked Christians whenever they talked about Jesus Christ, because in the Koran He was presented differently,” says Ibrahim. “I saw [Christians] as lost people who needed to be shown the right way to worship Allah.”

Despite his commitment to his faith, Ibrahim did not have peace. He shared about his many sleepless nights where he heard “invisible people crying in his ears,” and how committing crimes against non-Muslims made him feel happy.

“I did not believe in forgiveness when someone hurt me,” he says.

Ibrahim was reluctant when Prison Fellowship Nigeria invited him to learn about The Prisoner’s Journey® Bible study and discipleship program in his prison. But curiosity outweighed his reluctance. The first lesson focused on who Jesus is, why he came to earth, and what this means in the life of a prisoner. The class facilitators noted Ibrahim’s tense resistance and visible inner struggle to the information presented. They knew God was working. In that first lesson, Ibrahim said he “discovered something unique about the person of Jesus Christ, which challenged my initial views about Him. It also pointed to the fact that my understanding could be wrong and I needed urgent help.

As Ibrahim opened his heart and mind to the teachings from the Gospel of Mark, he says he experienced “a quiet, steady change in his heart, mind, and behavior.” The crying in his ears silenced, and he slept soundly again. He accepted and extended forgiveness. And for the first time, he says he felt peace.

“I became enthusiastic to attend discipleship class, other church programs, and [felt] a deep desire to share the message of Jesus Christ with other people.”

Cost of saying yesBut his brave conversion came with a cost. The life of a new Christian is not always easy, but it can be particularly difficult for a prisoner in another country, who claims an entirely new faith. Ibrahim says his Muslim brothers resent his conversion and he experiences severe persecution from his fellow Muslim inmates

“I disappointed them as one of the Koranic teachers,” he says. “My uncle’s reaction about my conversion was rejection. My mother … wept bitterly.”

When Ibrahim is released from prison, he may not be accepted back into his home, but he is determined in and committed to his new faith.

“My plans after serving my jail term are to be courageous in sharing the Gospel. Though this may not be easy … I will not renounce my faith in Christ.”

Pray for Ibrahim, and for brave men and women around the world, who courageously say “yes” to following Jesus.

Prison Fellowship International spreads the Gospel to prisoners and rescues children in 119 countries outside the United States. To learn more, visit pfi.org.

Filed Under: Prison Fellowship International Tagged With: Ibrahim, Nigeria, PFI, Prison Fellowship International

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • Hope Events
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Month
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

Second Chance Hiring: The Benefits of Employing Returning Citizens

April 13, 2022

Fifteen Minutes with Chuck Colson

April 12, 2022

An Unlikely Friendship Behind Bars [Video]

April 7, 2022

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree Program
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • For Wardens & Prison Officials

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2022 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports ClinicTM, Angel Tree Sports CampsTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.