When a prisoner is locked up, the world he leaves behind does not stand still. Nor does his family. During the prisoner’s absence, roles shift, children grow, and emotional and financial hardships are endured. Even when the sentence ends, the prisoner and his family can never go back to the status quo that existed before prison, no matter how much they would like to.
Life can go on for sex offenders, but only with clear guidelines set by themselves and others.
Pat Lewis, program manager of a Prison Fellowship faith-based reentry unit in New Zealand, held this belief dear to his heart: that the prisoners and ex-prisoners he passionately served were no different than he was, and must be treated as individuals worthy of dignity and respect.
This weekend was eye-opening and inspiring for me. But as I talked with Deborah Daniels, Alabama volunteers, and Angel Tree founder Mary Kay Beard, I was especially encouraged to learn that Prison Fellowship’s ministry in Alabama continues all year.
As I leave Alabama, I am grateful to all of you who have taken time out of your Easter weekend to follow along with Chuck and the Prison Fellowship crew on our special trip.
Every time I get the privilege of interacting closely with inmates (which the Gospel of Matthew says is tantamount to drawing close to Jesus), I try to imagine what their daily lives must be like. Airport security procedures–like the ones that led me to lose control over my person and my property for just five minutes today–must give a brief glimpse.
Robert, an inmate at Bibb County Correctional Facility near Brent, Alabama, has spent most of his life behinds bars. A drug-user by age 8 and a junkie by 14, he committed murder when he should have been learning how to drive.
Holy Saturday is a somber day, as Christians continue to reflect on the death of Christ and prepare eagerly for His resurrection. It is fitting that today, Chuck Colson will visit death row as part of an Easter weekend trip to William E.
William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility, separated from the outside world by yards of razor wire and fencing, houses over 1,500 inmates, one third of whom are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. Donaldson is named for a correctional officer who was murdered on the job there two decades ago.
It’s 11 o’clock at night in central Alabama, and Prison Fellowship staff have just returned to the hotel after an invigorating day of interaction with inmates, the PF donors who make our ministry possible, and the PF volunteers who carry it out.
This Easter weekend, Chuck Colson and friends will travel to three Alabama prisons—including Maxwell—to share the Gospel in the place where the ministry of Prison Fellowship originated.
You’re invited to come along with us. As Chuck and Prison Fellowship volunteers lead special Easter services in Alabama prisons, we’ll be reporting live from the road.
Like many survivors of sexual assault, Kelly Putty had a pain inside that wouldn’t go away. But her healing started when she encountered Jesus Christ.
Recently Prison Fellowship® hosted a screening of the new movie, Loving the Bad Man, a story about a young woman who learns to extend the love of Christ to her rapist.
Compassion is a valuable asset in a prison ministry volunteer. But without appropriate boundaries, volunteers can be tempted to assume roles that are ultimately detrimental to the prisoners or ex-prisoners they serve. Prison Fellowship® (PF) field staff members Rocky DeYoung and Jonathan Lowry talked with Frontlines about some of the top things a volunteer is not.
Prison came as a relief to Kathy Davis, a homeless alcoholic and drug addict. "I didn't know how to get out of what I was doing."
When a prisoner is locked up, the world he leaves behind does not stand still. It moves on without him. So when his long-awaited day of release finally arrives, he can’t just transition back into the same job or community that he left.
Though he came from a good family, Jerrid Wolflick got involved in the drug scene and developed a reputation as a troublemaker. After serving several years in prison in Oregon and Texas, he stood on the brink of freedom, frightened of what the future held.