God, through the scriptures, encourages us to think on things that are noble, upright, noteworthy and true and to worship Him, as author and finisher of our faith, with His example of self giving love and grace as our motivation for service.
My role also allows me the privilege of hearing stories like the one I have shared below regularly. Each one is special, and is a reminder that it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. That I too have a responsibility to be an agent of reconciliation.
Please pray for the people of Lebanon at this time, for peace in the wider region and for Father Marwan and the amazing Prison Fellowship Lebanon team.
Abuna Marwan we honour you and your amazing work.
The question hung heavy in the room, silencing the group of convicted terrorists. For Father Marwan, leading a session of Sycamore Tree Project, this was no rhetorical exercise. It was a pointed challenge to the men who, through their radical ideology, had taken innocent lives eight years prior. Father Marwan has spent years ministering to those in prison in Lebanon, encountering the darkest corners of humanity, but this was his first-ever course held with convicted terrorists.
It wasn’t easy for him to get to this access. Security is incredibly high in the unit where they are held, but he felt God calling him to reach these forgotten men. He began with small acts of kindness: delivering water filters, food baskets and medicine to the unit. Initially, everyone – even the prisoners – were confused – did Father Marwan not know who these men were? Did he not understand the atrocities they had committed in the name of their radical ideology? Of course he did. But he also knew God’s call to remember those in prison (Hebrews 13:3) and terrorists aren’t excluded from that mandate.
Despite being able to make deliveries, Father Marwan still couldn’t interact directly or meaningfully with the prisoners. However, his opportunity soon came in the form of a broken clothes dryer. The guards questioned why he cared about fixing it. After all, some of the men were set to be executed and none of them would likely ever step foot outside of prison again. But Father Marwan insisted. It was during the repair process that he was finally able to converse with the incarcerated men and find out more about them. To his surprise, the leader of the terrorist organization to which the men belonged expressed interest in wanting to rehabilitate and make amends with the communities their crimes had affected.
Father Marwan knew that Sycamore Tree Project fit the bill and quickly started coordinating with the prison officials to begin a course. Sycamore Tree Project is Prison Fellowship International’s restorative program that increases prisoner awareness of how crime harms victims, what is needed to make amends and how to be peacemakers in the future through eight weekly course sessions.
The first session began with the story of Zacchaeus, a man who was also despised by his community. “I know that there is still good in you,” Father Marwan told the group, “but no one wants to see it. No one wants to talk to you.” He drew parallels between Jesus dining with Zacchaeus, despite people urging that the tax collector was not worth His time, and his own efforts to engage with the men.
The second session saw the group participating more freely. In one discussion about the immorality of murder, the group initially disputed, justifying their actions as religiously motivated, how could they be immoral? Father Marwan took a different angle. “Do you believe that there are actions that please both God and other people?” “Of course,” the men agreed. They felt that getting their dryer fixed and Father Marwan’s visits were such actions. “If you had killed me in 2016, who would have visited you?” Silence enveloped the room as they contemplated the question that would become a turning point in their way of thinking.
As the course progressed, there was a change in the men’s rhetoric and hearts. They now recognized the harm they caused and expressed a desire to make amends with those they harmed, even though they knew that they would not enter society again.
But the story does not stop there. Time and time again, small circles of change create a ripple effect of transformation that grows throughout prisons and into communities. Father Marwan is already experiencing the next ring of this ripple.
Locked in solitary confinement are even more notorious Lebanese terrorists. Despite having little to no contact with others, they heard murmurs about the course happening in Unit B and have requested to attend Sycamore Tree Project themselves. Father Marwan is working to make it happen and already praying about the session where he will ask them the life-altering question, “If you had killed me, who would have visited you?”
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:25
God created humans with a desire for community. This innate instinct drives us to create families, make friends, worship together in churches and participate in communal events. The importance of community in spiritual growth and support are emphasized throughout the Bible as Hebrews 10:25 advises us not to forsake assembling together and Matthew 18:20 declares that God is among those who gather around Himself and in His name, underscoring the encouragement and power derived from fellowship. During the pandemic, we saw what a world stripped of in-person connection would look like. The negative effects of this isolation still linger in many ways throughout our society, and even in our organization.
Last month, for the first time since 2019, our regional staff was able to come together at our Washington Secretariat. There were some near misses – we weren’t sure if all of the visas were going to come through in time – but God provided what was needed. Throughout a busy week, our Global Impact team came together for meaningful discussion, strategic planning, working sessions, best-practice sharing and, of course, good food and lots of fun. On several occasions, the wider headquarters staff participated as well and everyone joined to glean from each other’s expertise and suggestions, and enjoy the time together in person. Having everyone together again, after such a long hiatus, underscored the importance of gatherings such as these. After all, “fellowship” is in the center of our name. This is renewing efforts to facilitate more regional connection through in-person forums in Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa. Additionally, the Europe and Central Asia region is hosting a joint forum with the Middle East and North Africa region in March 2025, which is sure to be an insightful and engaging time.
As a global family, let’s seek opportunities for gathering and fellowship with those who work alongside us to serve the incarcerated, their families and crime victims. Pray together, seek God together, laugh together and help bear one another’s burdens – as we are instructed to do in Galatians 6:2. Paul, in his letters, frequently emphasizes the importance of building each other up, nurturing a sense of belonging and mutual edification. Ultimately, fellowship serves as a reflection of the unity within the body of Jesus Christ. Let us go forward as one community, unified in our mission to share the hope of the Good News of Jesus.
The 2024 Asia Pacific Regional Forum took place from February 27-29, 2024 at Prison Fellowship Singapore’s Community Hub. 62 delegates representing 20 countries participated in the forum. Among these nations, 14 National Ministries and 3 prospective Chartered Affiliates were represented.
Gathering under the overarching theme of Leading for Greater Impact, delegates were reminded of the importance of effective leadership and out-of-the-box solutions in navigating the complexities of our time. The forum objectives were clear:
Delegates both gleaned key learnings from the insightful sessions and found meaning in prayer and fellowship among likeminded peers.
On the first day of the forum, Andy Corley and Timothy Khoo, current and former Prison Fellowship International President and CEO respectively, spoke about Biblical leadership and emphasized the importance of placing trust in God at every juncture. This was followed by a presentation on Prison Fellowship Singapore’s Integrated Ministry Strategy, which brings together In-Care, Aftercare and Family Care in their ministry approach. Voice For Prisoners, a Hong Kong-based non-profit, shared how its advocacy efforts has raised awareness on drug mules in drug hot spots.
Day two focused on developing partnerships to achieve a holistic approach in transforming the lives of prisoners. Participants gained insights from our speakers Eddie Tan (Board Member, Faith Comes By Hearing Asia), Jason Wong (Founder, Yellow Ribbon Project) and Joseph See (CEO, Agape Connecting People), highlighting the value of Kingdom partnerships to expand impact in local contexts. Roundtable discussions around the topics of rehabilitation, reintegration and reconciliation facilitated in-depth discussions on critical themes. These discussions were led by Reverend Tobias Brandner (Professor of Theology at the Divinity School of Chung Chi College, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Dr. Sreenivasa Rao (Inspector General of Prison, Andhra Pradesh India), Siew Lin Poh (Director of Community Development, Malaysian Care) and Samuel Lim (Coordinator of Community Development, Malaysian Care), and Tobias Merckle (Executive Chairman, Prison Fellowship Germany).
On the third and final forum day, delegates visited Singapore Changi Prison and the largest Christian halfway house in Singapore, The Helping Hand. Those who visited the prison learned about Singapore Prison Service’s rehabilitation approach and toured the accommodation facilities and Visual Arts Hub. Others who went to The Helping Hand learned about their reintegration approach and experienced work training facilities for ex-prisoners.
This forum would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship from Far East Organization and like-minded donors, and collaboration with partner organizations including Faith Comes By Hearing and Prison Fellowship Singapore (Host Office), and our faithful volunteers. Overall, forum participants were blessed in both knowledge and relationships through this event. Delegates shared that they, “learned so much over the few days” and found that there was a “good balance of information and collaboration.”
The 2024 Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Forum, held virtually from March 20-21 over Zoom, saw robust participation with 60 to 70 National Ministry leaders attending each day. Representing 80% of the 30 affiliated countries across the region, the forum centered on the theme of “Going for Growth.” Its aim was to equip ministries with management principles rooted in biblical perspectives, guiding them towards embracing greater expansion, reaching more prisons, and impacting more prisoners with the transformative message of Christ. Featuring virtual guest speakers such as Prison Fellowship International (PFI) President and CEO Andy Corley, PFI Board Chair Frances Wilson and PFI Global Field Director Hugh Greathead, daily sessions encompassed bilingual worship experiences, National Ministry-led devotionals, regional updates, prayer sessions and breakout discussions for further fellowship and engagement among participants.
Throughout the forum, emphasis was placed on translating insights into action. Each National Ministry was encouraged to develop an actionable plan for the upcoming year, moving beyond theoretical discussions on growth towards tangible steps to implement their newfound learnings. This approach aimed to empower ministries to not just aspire for growth but to actively pursue it, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and meaningful impact across the region.
The 2024 Europe and Central Asia Regional Forum convened with the primary goal of enhancing communication strategies within National Ministries amidst a dynamic global landscape. Emphasizing adaptability, participants were urged to use diverse communication tools as catalysts for transformative progress, regardless of their ministries’ maturity levels. Representatives from Prison Fellowship Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Albania, Scotland, and Northern Ireland shared insights as guest speakers, enriching discussions with varied perspectives.
20 of the region’s 32 NMs (60%) engaged in the forum, with a daily attendance ranging between 25 to 35 participants. Post-forum survey outcomes underscored the event’s efficacy, revealing high satisfaction levels among attendees, with many expressing readiness for operational adjustments – indicating momentum towards innovation and growth within the participating ministries.
The forum was a pivotal platform for fostering collaboration and strategic evolution among NMs, empowering them to navigate contemporary challenges and seize opportunities for advancement. Through engaging presentations, active participation and reflective exchanges, the forum not only imparted valuable insights but also inspired a collective commitment to leveraging communication as a potent driver for positive change and organizational enhancement across the region.
Missed your regional forum or want to dig deeper into what you learned? Email your regional staff for further practical resources to continue enhancing your ministry!
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Watch this inspirational video from Zimbabwean The Prisoner’s Journey graduates singing and dancing with prison officials and Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe staff in Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
Prison Fellowship Costa Rica shared this image of a graduate with his graduation Bible after completing The Prisoner’s Journey.
A graduate of The Prisoner’s Journey shared his testimony during a graduation ceremony facilitated by Prison Fellowship Namibia.
Female participants of The Listener’s Way were recently celebrated at a graduation ceremony hosted by Prison Fellowship Puerto Rico.
In response to a rise in the number of cases of HIV in Rwanda, especially in adolescents, Prison Fellowship Rwanda has proactively partnered with local health organizations to provide education to The Child’s Journey beneficiaries on the causes and prevention of HIV. Caseworkers are also engaging beneficiaries in discussion regarding these topics during their home visits in an effort to ensure the children remain healthy and safe, two of the program’s key result areas.
The Prisoner’s Journey graduations provide excellent opportunity to promote PromisePath. In Burkina Faso, these events bring together prisoners, chaplains, representatives of the various religious denominations (Catholic and Muslim), representatives of the prison administration and other guests – providing a wonderful opportunity to promote PromisePath. Hear from a recent TPJ graduate about his gratitude for the program.
“I am in my fourth year of incarceration and like any parent, I was worried about the schooling of my three daughters. In December 2022, I participated in a TPJ event as a representative of the Muslim community in the large building. At the end of the program, we learned that the Prison Fellowship Burkina Faso has an educational program for children of prisoners. After the event, I met one of the managers to understand more about the program but was pessimistic because I am not a Christian. At the end of our interview, he let me know that Jesus accepts everyone and that my children can benefit from support even if they are Muslim. I am relieved because all my children received school kits and school uniforms and they were also invited to the Christmas party (Angel Tree) where they all received Christmas presents. My wife is also happy because it is the first time in our life that we have received such love from strangers. I still can’t get over it and now I have another image of Jesus.” – Diandé, Prisoner
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Prison Fellowship Argentina recently hosted a graduation ceremony for graduates of The Prisoner’s Journey in Prison Unit 35.
Prison Fellowship Côte d’Ivoire recently held a graduation ceremony for The Prisoner’s Journey.
Prison Fellowship Dominican Republic hosted The Prisoner’s Journey course sessions.
A graduate of The Prisoner’s Journey shared his testimony during a graduation ceremony facilitated by Prison Fellowship Namibia.
This graduate of The Prisoner’s Journey was awarded a certificate of completion from Prison Fellowship Rwanda.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia recently held a graduation ceremony for The Listener’s Way.
Mentoring is an essential part of both The Child’s Journey and PromisePath. Volunteer mentors are recruited from local churches who support the programs. These Christian mentors not only share the Gospel with children and their families but also speak into their lives. They encourage them to stay in school, excel academically and address problems while encouraging and giving them hope. They also provide connection to the local church which serves as another source of support for families.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia mentors share the Gospel through donated Scripture resources during mentoring session.
Each quarter, The Child’s Journey beneficiaries receive a home visit from their Christian caseworker. Home visits are vital to monitoring children and families who are enrolled in the program. During the home visits, caseworkers assess family needs, deliver services and provide much needed support. Home visits ensure the children and families receive all the love, support and care they need.
Caregiver support groups through Prison Fellowship Rwanda are very active. The groups provide much-needed support to the participants by ensuring that caregivers know they are not alone and have support from their peers who are on a similar journey.
Prison Fellowship Benin staff members were hard at work putting together school kits for enrolled children at their Back-to-School event.
Children enrolled in PromisePath through Prison Fellowship Philippines are given the opportunity to join a mentoring group to engage with their peers and learn from local Christian mentors.
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Prison Fellowship Romania held their first graduation for The Prisoner’s Journey!
Prison Fellowship Uruguay recently held a graduation ceremony for The Prisoner’s Journey.
Prison Fellowship Costa Rica recently held a graduation ceremony for The Prisoner’s Journey.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia recently held a graduation ceremony for The Listener’s Way.
Prison Fellowship Uruguay recently held a graduation ceremony for Sycamore Tree Project.
Prison Fellowship Nigeria has increased their reach and have started ministering in Correctional and Custodial Centers in Lagos. They use local church members, like those pictured here from The Apostolic Faith, to minister to prisoners around the country.
Thanks to their Onesimus After-Care Program, Prison Fellowship Eswatini’s supported a prisoner who has been incarcerated for 32 years by donating 30 bags of cement to his parent’s home.
Listen in to a story about someone who was recently released from prison who had attended a Sycamore Tree course through Prison Fellowship Scotland and how the course significantly changed their life.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia not only supports prisoners during their incarceration, but also during their re-entry and reintegration to society. They recently shared images of individuals who have both have successfully reintegrated into their community after a few years. They both have established small businesses and achieved stable incomes to support their families.
The incarceration of parents has a profound effect on their children, something Prison Fellowship Czech Republic has long known thanks to their many years of work with children of imprisoned parents. Now, this has been confirmed by a three-year research study on parenting behind bars, with partners at Masaryk University. The results, along with training and other materials, were shared with social workers to better communicate with children. Learn more.
Prison Fellowship Uruguay got into the Christmas spirit with their Angel Tree program to support children of prisoners!
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Prison Fellowship Uruguay invited prisoners to The Prisoner’s Journey program.
Prison Fellowship Italy is preparing something special! Through the Other Kitchen Project, they make and distribute Christmas Lunches in prisons with the help of star chefs, celebrities and volunteers who come together to create moments of joy and hope.
Prison Fellowship Suriname had a blessed end of the year with the men in the Inrichting Duisburg Penitentiary as they had a day full of spontaneous worship, encouragement and fellowship with delicious food and drinks.
Prison Fellowship Nigeria recently held a registration for children of prisoners to sign up for PromisePath. PFN is currently serving over 500 children in 16 regions across the country. One of their chapter recently held a Back-to-School event for children where they received school kits containing school supplies they need for the new school year.
Prison Fellowship Philippines PromisePath volunteers conduct mentoring sessions with child beneficiaries as representatives from the prison look on and listen intently.
Prison Fellowship Burkina Faso hosted an Angel Tree event for PromisePath beneficiaries where they each received a gift. PFB Executive Director Jean Eudes Ouedraogo smiles with the precious children who received a gift.
Prison Fellowship Liberia hosted an Angel Tree event where children received gift bags.
Children of prisoners in Romania were gifted Christmas presents this year thanks to Prison Fellowship Romania’s Angel Network. Each year, they serve more and more children with a total of over 15,000 children served this year!
Teams from Prison Fellowship Singapore and Singapore Youth for Christ brought children from PFS’ Care Club to Adventure Cove Waterpark! This partnership includes mentoring and tutoring initiatives that add to a child’s holistic well-being.
Locally known as Yayasan Indonesia Bangkit dan Bersinar (Rise and Shine Ministry), Prison Fellowship Indonesia has just chartered and become the newest national ministry in the family! Currently serving 5,000 of the country’s 270,000 prisoners in 20% of the prisons, this organization has also established pathways for prisoners to participate in theological studies and developed church service for ex-offenders and their families. PF Indonesia was interested in joining the family because they want to increase their organizational reputation with government and church partners while drawing from learnings of other NMs.
Asia Pacific Regional Director Daniel Bey with members of Prison Fellowship Indonesia at a recent chartering assessment.
Prison Fellowship Nigeria held an end-of-year strategic meeting in order to recap what has happened over the past year and plan for the next.
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The Prisoner’s Journey program participants gather to discuss what they have learned about who Jesus is and what He wants for their lives with Prison Fellowship Argentina facilitators.
Baylor University’s study of The Prisoner’s Journey found evidence that the faith-based courses transform prisoners and leads to culture change in prisons. NMs who are running The Prisoner’s Journey, like Prison Fellowship Australia, are leveraging these materials and findings in fundraising collateral and promotional materials like this video and this video. Run TPJ and interested in doing the same? Contact [email protected] to get study materials.
Collaboration with prison chaplains is essential to national ministry work. Chaplain Aleš Kocián at Světlá nad Sázavou Prison in Czech Republic talks with incarcerated women, not only about spiritual matters, but also about their lives, family or crime. He also leads The Prisoner’s Journey course. Hear his story:
The Prisoner’s Journey graduates proudly display their program graduation certificates, courtesy of Prison Fellowship Malawi.
Prison Fellowship Papua New Guinea celebrated graduates of The Prisoner’s Journey.
The Prisoner’s Journey program graduates in Rwanda pose with their course completion certificates and gifted Bible. The Prison Fellowship Rwanda Program Coordinator said, “A smile on their faces means they are happy about the program and its positive impact on their life.”
The Prisoner’s Journey program graduates in Uganda wait to receive their new Bible in their native language of Swahili.
Prisoners who completed The Listener’s Way course in Cambodia receive their certificates of graduation.
Prisoners in Malawi enrolled in The Listener’s Way watch a Gospel film in their native language of Chichewa.
For the past three months, Prison Fellowship Nigeria has been offering counseling services at a female correctional facility. The celebration for the final day included testimonies of releases and case dismissals with many prisoners rededicating their lives to Christ.
Prison Fellowship Singapore hosted a makeup session for their Women’s Support Group. An experienced makeup artist taught the ladies some basic skills. The women were so excited and joyful for this time of learning!
Prisoners serving life sentences, representatives of the church and prison staff participated in a table tennis tournament. The event was a success as participants demonstrated a high level of training, planned game strategy, and the ability to track balls and calculate shots. A prison administrator took home first place while prisoners won second and third!
Donated Bible and Scripture resources enable children of prisoners to read the Gospel in their own language. Prison Fellowship Cambodia recently shared this video of a child enrolled in The Child’s Journey reading from her newly donated Bible.
When sponsored through The Child’s Journey, children have the opportunity to communicate with their sponsor through letter writing. PF Cambodia shared this sweet video of a child reading a letter from her sponsor.
Through PF Cambodia’s Livelihoods program, families are given the opportunity to share their experiences and best practices in chicken rearing to one another.
Cristian is a child who, for a long time, had poor academic performance. He failed two years in school and his behavior was entirely inappropriate at home and school. His extended family who he lived with no longer wanted him in the house. But, because of his enrollment in TCJ, these issues were discovered and addressed. Prison Fellowship Colombia intervened on Cristian’s behalf and now, he has turned his life around and is doing well. He is very grateful for the program and loves to give back by volunteering, as he knows how much TCJ changed his life.
Part of The Child’s Journey includes two school visits per year for each child. During these visits, caseworkers meet and speak with children about their academic progress, and have the opportunity to speak with teachers and administrators about the program. These connections ensure that school officials will cooperate with NM representatives when they need to gather educational information and help to ensure that school officials will reach out to NMs in the future when children face issues at school. The caseworkers in Malawi below, and across all TCJ program partners, work hard to conduct all school visits.
Prison Fellowship Rwanda has been busy over the past month, from Home Harvest home gardens and child/caregiver trainings to prison visits and mental health awareness events.
This quarter, TCJ NMs worked with strategic partners to provide goods and services to enrolled children. These partners make it possible for NMs to meet some of the families’ very specific needs. Recently, Prison Fellowship Zambia provided families with beds and bedding, which were made possible through a donation from Crossroads Foundation in Hong Kong.
Prison Fellowship Canada attended Celebrate Recovery’s Kelowna Rally to represent Angel Tree and shared about the positive impact the program has on families of prisoners.
Prison Fellowship Singapore shared this letter they collected during last year’s Angel Tree Project. For the past 18 years, these letters have brought the hearts of inmates and their families together in the spirit of Christmas!
For the past three Saturdays, Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe has been conducting Angel Tree events for children enrolled in PromisePath which were attended by 533 children, 233 caregivers and 108 mentors. At each event, children received gifts and scripture resources from Biblica, engaged in mentoring sessions, played games, sang songs and worshipped the Lord.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia hosted friends from Alpha Cambodia to discuss the plan for running the Alpha program inside prisons. They also visited a course session of the program that is already being hosted in one of the correctional centers.
Representatives of the Ankarstiftelsen visited Prison Fellowship Colombia to recognize Michael Per-Olof Allerth for his outstanding work and management. His commitment has been fundamental for the success of the PF Colombia programs.
PF Colombia representatives attended the International Congress on Practices and Restorative Justice, an event that featured national and international speakers. PF Colombia’s shared testimonies of several adolescents who experienced the restorative process through their Juvenile Restorative Justice Program, along with handing out program resources.
Representatives from Prison Fellowship Colombia, Prison Fellowship International, Pepperdine University, the Colombian Senate and the Colombian National Penitentiary and Prison Institute shared about the ongoing research collaboration in Colombia. Missed the event? Find a summary here.
Prison Fellowship Czech Republic hosted their annual concert and event, attended by the government officials, families and children of prisoners, prison directors, prison psychologists and other non-profit organizations. Guests from Prison Fellowship Germany and the Netherlands spoke about prison practices and Executive Director Gabriela Kabátová brought a surprise cake to commemorate the Czech Prison Service’s 30th anniversary.
PF Czech Republic volunteers helped collect food donations to distribute to their beneficiaries who are in financial distress. Thanks to generous individuals, 27 banana boxes of food and goods were collected, along with a range of other non-perishable items.
Ron Nikkel, President Emeritus of Prison Fellowship International, spoke at PF Czech Republic’s APAC International Conference via video broadcast. He said that he sees the current prison system as permanently ineffective, as it only deepens the social alienation of former prisoners from the rest of society. He believes that the APAC method is revolutionary, courageous and has had very positive results. Listen to his full message here.
Members of Prison Fellowship Eswatini, the Chosen Generation Evangelistic Christian Movement and other security officers joined in fellowship at the Annual National Prayer Fellowship. It was a wonderful day of networking and connecting with rehabilitation and security stakeholders.
Sheet Street donated new household materials to PF Eswatini. These items will be used as incentives for good behavior during re-integration and to meet household needs.
Prison Fellowship Nigeria held its 2023 Southwest Zone conference in Ekiti with the theme of “Glory to Glory.”
Prison Fellowship Puerto Rico received a visit from Dorastela Medina, Prison Fellowship International’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Director.
Prison Fellowship Spain hosted their third annual National Meeting of Volunteers with the theme of “Bringing legal closer to just.”
Doortje Aarts serves as an intern for Prison Fellowship Suriname. An international social work major, she is already fully involved in ministry activities. She is exploring a new area by working with prisoners and their families, but she has embraced the challenge! Doortje said, “I am looking forward to getting acquainted with this work! I myself am not very familiar with guiding prisoners and have never worked in this sector before, so it is going to be very instructive for me!”
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The Prisoner’s Journey participants complete a course session and a graduate receives his certificate of completion in Unidad 16, thanks to Prison Fellowship Uruguay.
Graduates of The Prisoner’s Journey are celebrated with certificates of completion from Prison Fellowship Albania.
This year, The Prisoner’s Journey launched for Prison Fellowship Ukraine. Two courses have already been held and have graduated prisoners. At Drohobych Correctional Colony, 30 prisoners participated in the program. Last month, 21 successful program graduates were celebrated, receiving certificates of course completion and gifts from their mentors. In Korosten Penitentiary #71, 14 graduates received certificates of completion and gifts. The 200 people present at the graduation also witnessed a concert from Gennady Nikutin, a Christian singer.
Prison Fellowship Rwanda completed the first quarter of its ninth program year for The Prisoner’s Journey. Check out these images from the field!
Check out some recent pictures from graduation ceremonies for The Prisoner’s Journey held by Prison Fellowship Brazil.
At Windhoek Correctional Facility, some graduates of The Prisoner’s Journey have formed a band and started writing songs about the course and the gospel of Mark. Click here or the image below to hear their songs.
Prison Fellowship Romania volunteers from The Prisoner’s Journey participated in a training offered by Romeo Popan, the TPJ project coordinator.
Sycamore Tree Project facilitators from Prison Fellowship Uruguay recently held course sessions in Unidad 4 and 5.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia has begun offering vocational training, specifically in tailoring, for female prisoners at Correctional Centre 2.
Partnering with Giving University, PF Cambodia visited prisoners in CC2 and provided them with food and basic needs packs.
Ahead of the International Day of Peace, Prison Fellowship Italy organized a soccer tournament that brought together artists, athletes, prisoners and prison workers at the women’s section of the Roman prison. The event aimed to symbolize global peace through sports and solidarity, involving various sports associations and clubs, with awards for the winning teams and a celebration after the matches.
After release, many former prisoners find it hard to go certain places, like restaurants. They may not have the finances, suitable clothes or confidence to do so. Prison Fellowship Czech Republic’s 2 Fish Club, a program to encourage the well-being and reintegration into society of released offenders, celebrated the end of summer with a well-enjoyed restaurant visit.
Prison Fellowship Ministries (USA) donated Life Recovery Bibles to Mbabane, Big Bend, Matsapha and Mankayane Correctional Facilities in Eswatini for inmates undergoing rehabilitation process. Prison Fellowship Eswatini had the opportunity to share the Word of God in different cell blocks across the prisons.
Recently, National Ministries distributed age-appropriate scripture resources to children and caregivers who participate in The Child’s Journey.
Developed as a new initiative within The Child’s Journey, Home Harvest is a livelihood effort for families of prisoners to establishing gardens that increase access to nutritious food for years to come. Prison Fellowship Zambia planted sack gardens during their recent training. Less than 90 days later, the gardens are flourishing with spinach, kale, garlic, and onions (see image below on right)! Prison Fellowship Rwanda and PF Zambia are currently in the process of selecting and training The Child’s Journey families who will be participating. 150 out of 250 planned families have been enrolled and trained, with 20 already establishing gardens. The remaining families will be trained over the next weeks.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia provides food distribution services to children and families of prisoners in The Child’s Journey!
At Prison Fellowship Burkina Faso’s PromisePath Back-to-School event, children received a backpack filled with school supplies and age-appropriate scripture resources provided by Prison Fellowship International’s strategic partner, Biblica.
Prison Fellowship Singapore prepared Sheng Shiong vouchers, a local supermarket, for families served through Angel Tree.
Introducing the newest member of the Prison Fellowship Czech Republic team, Chuck! Named for Prison Fellowship International’s founder, Charles “Chuck” Colson, this fluffy friend will now be present at their children’s events. With huge wings, Chuck hug and share the love with several children at once! ️
At a recent A Day with a Child event, PF Czech Republic brought together incarcerated fathers with their children for a day of games, music, laughter and joy. One father shared that it was the best day in his six-year sentence, while another was able to see his children again after two years. These events serve as motivation and hope for the families and the convicts for the days to come. Learn more.
The most recent guest at PF Czech Republic’s Dream Academy was video game designer Michal Jirásek. He shared with the girls about how he used to escape into computer games and as his love for them has stayed, he now works as their creator.
Prison Fellowship Burkina Faso launched a new program called The Food Program. Aimed to support women with incarcerated husbands, the program provides small credit for income-generating activities.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia’s Livelihoods program provides families of prisoners with the opportunity to start chicken rearing. Check out this recent picture of a family’s flock of chickens.
Prison Fellowship Trinidad and Tobago has launched Angel Tree for the 19th year. 200 children will be reunited with their parents in prisons across the country during December.
Prison Fellowship Côte d’Ivoire handed out 500 school kits across two cities. These kits will help the children of destitute families in conflict with the law, as well as the children of prisoners, to return to school.
Prison Fellowship Cambodia’s Executive Director, Sabun Ou, served as a visiting expert and conducted a lecture titled “Fostering Collaboration: Private Sector’s Role in Promoting Rehabilitation and Reintegration in Cambodia’s Criminal Justice System” at the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Tokyo, Japan.
Prison Fellowship Scotland’s Annual Gathering was a time to gather in fellowship and share the work they have done over the past year. The event was filled with an inspiring speech from Charles Maaz, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Mission, worship and meaningful discussions.
“In Silence, a Light Breeze – The Whisper of Hope” was the theme of the 38th National Convention of the Italian Association for Pastoral Health Care. The event was filled with prestigious speakers over four days, with Prison Fellowship Italy’s Executive Director joining the Inspector General of Italian Prison Chaplains for a session on “Pastoral Care in Prisons.”
Prison Fellowship Singapore hosted Mr. Lee Kok Hwee, Board Chairperson of Prison Fellowship Malaysia, at their office. It was a wonderful time of exchange, with conversations about exploring possible collaboration and mutual support.
Along with seven other southern Middle Eastern countries, Prison Fellowship Lebanon’s Board Chair, Executive Director and Rehabilitation Coordinator visited Italy to learn about therapeutic communities and drug addiction treatment services on Italian soil. The goal was to disseminate the Italian model of recovery from addiction, exchange knowledge and good practices, and promote capacity building. During the meeting, Board Chair Father Marwan Ghanem spoke about the increase in Lebanese drug users due to refugees and the economic crisis.
Prison Fellowship Argentina held a training on the treatment and approach to addictions in the framework of the “The Truth Will Set You Free” program that takes place both inside and outside prisons.
Prison Fellowship Germany has been awarded €5,000 from the VNG Foundation’s 2023 Commitment Prize in the category Climate and Nature. With the prize money, local residents and incarcerated men will plant ~100 m² of bird protection hedge at Lake Hainer and create ~500 m² of flowering meadow. This initiative will provide more habitat and diversity for animals and plants, along with more recreational space for the people in the region. Learn more.
Prison Fellowship Colombia hosted Dr. Sung Joon Jang and Dr. Byron Johnson from Pepperdine University for a training on ethics and human subjects in the survey process. This training is for the upcoming study to measure the transformative effects on a range of PF Colombia programs. Learn more about the partnership.
Prison Fellowship England and Wales’ CEO, Peter Holloway, recently spoke with Amy Follett at TWR UK about the daily struggles of people in prison and how PF E&W supports them in light of staff shortages. Click here or on the image below to listen in!
Prison Fellowship Czech Republic, in partnership with the Czech Prison System and Czech Ministry of Justice, organized an international conference in Prague focusing on the APAC methodology. Originated in Brazil, this methodology is based on the principles of restorative justice and Christianity. Now, it is spreading to other countries and Prison Fellowship International representatives from Europe will share their experience at the conference. Watch day one and day two if you missed it!
