Learn More About Our Five Newest National Ministries
It might be hard to believe, but there are still places where the Good News isn’t shared, or heard. This is why we are actively working to expand PFI’s organizational family to even more countries across the globe. Together we can bring restoration to those who are often overlooked and forgotten by society.
Our national ministries are bringing crucial services to prisoners, their families and crime victims in culturally relevant ways within their unique country context. Over the past year, we have chartered five new countries, expanding our network to 121 nations! Learn more about each of them below.
Moldova
Members of the Prison Fellowship Moldova team father with PFI staff outside of a prison
While 3 million people call the Eastern European country of Moldova home, roughly 6,500 of them are currently incarcerated. Prison Fellowship Moldova is excited to begin bringing the hope of Jesus to prisoners and their families across the country. Within three months of their charter, they signed a program partnership to begin offering The Listener’s Way in addition to their own local programming.
Pakistan
Members of the newly chartered Prison Fellowship Pakistan outside of Mardan Prison
The Pakistan national ministry was de-chartered and this year, we re-chartered a new organization with a strong prison ministry and family care presence. Prison Fellowship Pakistan has an expansive network with access to more than 88,000 prisoners across the country. Through the service of more than 500 staff and volunteers, they are providing literacy programs, medical supplies, legal aid, Christmas events and child home visits.
South Sudan
Members of Prison Fellowship South Sudan stand with Ashella Ndhlovu Chama, PFI Regional Manager for Africa (center)
Throughout South Sudan’s 12 year history as an independent nation, they have worked to overcome the scars of recent wars and political unrest. Prison Fellowship South Sudan is currently active in three prisons but has plans to expand their work to all 35 within the country, reaching prisoners through evangelization and hygiene kit distributions during weekly visits.
Taiwan
Staff and board members from Prison Fellowship Taiwan gather around Daniel Bey, PFI Regional Director for Asia Pacific (center)
Taiwan’s penal system currently houses more than 55,000 prisoners across the country and Prison Fellowship Taiwan has a presence in every Taiwanese prison. The organization’s vision for restoration includes having a Christian chaplain in each prison, ensuring that released prisoners can find housing and be matched with a job, and providing support to the families of prisoners.
Thailand
Daniel Bey (center), PFI’s Asia-Pacific Regional Director, stands with staff from Prison Fellowship Thailand
With a prisoner population of roughly 340,000 prisoners spread across 143 prisons, Thailand has the sixth largest prison population in the world. The seeds for Prison Fellowship Thailand began in 1972 with Lamp of Thailand, a Prison Fellowship national affiliate. Over the past six years, Lamp of Thailand has reached 62% of prisons nationwide and 30,000 prisoners through their programs. As a chartered ministry, they will be instrumental in increasing access to the Gospel within Thai prisons.
Together, these countries offer the potential to reach half a million prisoners!
We know that to create lasting change in more than 2 million lives every year, we need to keep expanding the Prison Fellowship International global family. That number is currently at 121 countries, but with your help, we believe it can look like an association of more than 150 countries by 2026.