In the community where I grew up, my father had a friend named Albert. Albert was known throughout town as a drunk, but my father stuck by him, anyway. He saw not who Albert was, but who he could be—a child of God full of love and joy.

For the last 14 years, there have been no yard events at Salinas Valley State Prison in California.  Previous activities at the facility had resulted in violent acts, including a stabbing near the performance stage, and convinced prison officials to forgo any such programming for the safety of both performers and prisoners.

How can a man who spent years behind bars call himself “lucky”? It’s because God used Angel Tree to soften his heart.

The message of our Savior’s power is just as applicable within the prison walls as it is in our communities.

The following post originally appeared on the Justice Fellowship blog.

An August report released by the National Association of Evangelicals showed that 95% of evangelical leaders have been involved in regular ministry to prisoners. “It demonstrates the evangelical conviction that God offers redemption and reconciliation to all, regardless of what they have done,” said Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).

On November 3, Prison Fellowship’s Operation Starting Line (OSL), in cooperation with the Training Center in San Diego, offered prisoners at the Calipatria State Prison in California the chance to enjoy a time of entertainment in the prison yard.  Skateboarding and bicycle exhibitions, musical performances, and arm wrestling competitions set the stage for the most important part of the afternoon—a presentation of the Gospel and testimonies from former inmates displaying the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.