Matthew 25:35-36
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat;
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
Naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me;
I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Why Help Inmates?
JOE GOT INVOLVED IN DRUGS AND GANG VIOLENCE WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. Now he’s behind bars, but his lifestyle hasn’t changed. He’s still getting into fights and sneaking drugs. Joe wishes he could shake off the anger and sober up, but he doesn’t even know where to begin.
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KATIE WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON THREE MONTHS AGO. While incarcerated, she worked hard to become a better person, and now she’s ready for a fresh start. But everyone she meets disappears as soon as they find out about her past. Katie wonders, “Why won’t anyone give me a chance to prove I’ve changed?”
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SARAH’S DAD IS IN PRISON HOURS AWAY, AND HER MOM IS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. Sarah sits alone at lunch and on the bus so the other kids won’t ask her why they’ve never seen her dad. She feels so lonely and wonders every day if her dad still loves her. She misses him so much.
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These aren’t just stories. Prison Fellowship meets people in these situations every day. Chances are you’ve met them too. The 700,000 men and women that our criminal justice system releases from prison each year return to communities around the country—including yours. The numbers are staggering:
2.2 MILLION
MEN & WOMEN
ARE INCARCERATED
95 %
OF INMATES
ARE RELEASED
THIS YEAR
>600K
WILL RETURN TO
COMMUNITIES
2 OF 3
REARRESTED
2.7 MILLION
CHILDREN
WITH A PARENT
IN PRISON
Without your help, these numbers will continue to grow.
Joe’s violent habits will hurt more people. Katie will lose hope, return to her old ways, and end up back in prison. And Sarah will grow up feeling abandoned and ashamed.
But what if things could be different?
As Christians we believe that Jesus—Himself brought to trial, executed, buried, and brought to life again—offers hope, healing, and a new purpose for each life. Even the most broken people and situations can be made whole again. Through an amazing awakening to new hope and life purpose, those who once broke the law are transformed and mobilized to serve their neighbors, and the cycle of crime is replaced by a cycle of renewal.
What if you could bring a rehabilitative program to Joe’s prison that would send him back to his family and community a new man—a man who knows how to resolve conflict peacefully? What if you could be part of Katie’s support system as she works to become a contributing member of your community again? And what if you could give Sarah a gift and a note from her dad so that she knows he still loves and remembers her?
Through Love For Jail Ministries, you can!
