When Gus (a pseudonym) went to prison, Ronald Reagan was president. New episodes of M.A.S.H. were still airing, and Steve Jobs was getting ready to launch the Macintosh personal computer.
But Gus is getting out soon. Understandably, he’s feeling a mixture of fear and elation sometimes known as “gate fever.” He can’t wait for freedom, but his family members are estranged or dead, and he has no work history. All too often, men and women in his situation go back to prison because they can’t imagine any other life.
But Gus has one huge thing in his favor: He is a member of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI), a Prison Fellowship values-based reentry program based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He has been preparing for release, practically and spiritually, and he has a mentor he can call whenever he runs into a challenge. The staff of IFI has even shown him how to work a cell phone, and they brought him a restaurant menu so he can practice choosing for himself.
Gus has a plan, a place to stay, and friends who care about him. He and many other soon-to-be ex-prisoners have the tools for success because of partners like you, who support Prison Fellowship with your gifts, prayers, and time.