PF Ukraine is supporting Internally Displaced People.
Hear from Ukrainian children of prisoners in their own words as they send thanks for the support that they have received from PF Ukraine. (They are introducing their social center in Kiev and giving thanks to PF Ukraine for supporting them. Full translation not available, but the spirit of their words are loud and clear.)
Please keep all families and children of prisoners in Ukraine and around the world in your prayers.
I am sure we all wish we could wake up and find the conflict in Ukraine was only a nightmare.
Another week passes by, and the suffering only grows. Amidst the disaster, we also see the best in people. The combined actions of individuals, churches and organizations responding all over Europe is a joy. The number of miracles amidst the tragedy is growing.
PF Ukraine is supporting Internally Displaced People.
Closer to home, PF Ukraine continues to help those in Kiev and surrounding areas. Their commitment and sacrifice is an inspiration, and we pray they will experience God’s presence and protection more than ever. Since the start, they have helped more than 300 women and children escape. They have helped two prisons receive extra food. They have helped people within Ukraine as they figure out their next steps. Their tireless activity is an inspiration.
PF Ukraine is helping to evacuate women and children. Some are also being supported with food packages. To date they have helped more than 300 families.
PF Czech Republic has raised more than 6000 Euro and purchased relief items which have been sent to PF Ukraine. Hoffnungstraeger (Hope Bearer) has also raised considerable donations to support PF Ukraine, PF Romania and other organizations.
We will continue to monitor and provide updates to you, our global family.
Prison Fellowship Colombia (PFC) is a nonprofit organization founded in Colombia in 1980, and affiliated with Prison Fellowship International (PFI). At the global level, PFI has had United Nations (UN) special consultative status, participated in the UN Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and has led research, advocacy and promotion of Restorative Justice.
Prison Fellowship Colombia, like PFI affiliates throughout the world, is a vital member of Prison Fellowship International. With more than 40 years of experience in Colombia, our mission has been to work with people deprived of liberty, victims, perpetrators of the armed conflict, and their families.
A PFC volunteer is one who, in addition to his own professional work, in a continuous and responsible way dedicates part of his time to activities not in favor of himself, nor of the associates (unlike associations), but in favor of the others or collective social interests, according to a project that is not exhausted in the intervention itself (as opposed to charity), but tends to eradicate or modify the causes of social need or marginalization.
Prison Fellowship Colombia throughout its more than forty years of operation in Colombia has learned the importance of watching over and shepherding our volunteers, as we recognize the positive impact caused on our population deprived of liberty by the comprehensive work carried out by each one of them. We carry out this accompaniment through the following actions:
To be part of our volunteer team, our applicant must share their curriculum, which we then analyze to identify their profile and vocation. However, in this step, the most relevant thing is to identify their interest in serving people with dedication and passion. Once we determine this, we will know their judicial background and make sure that the applicant does not have any type of restriction to enter the prison. Finally, the applicant must begin the training process by completing the volunteer course and signing the voluntary agreement, after which they will be given tools, policies, and behavior guidelines that will be key to the success of their work.
It is wonderful to see the great cultural, academic, and social diversity that is part of our volunteer team. We have ex-inmates, professionals, high school graduates, people deprived of liberty, merchants, rural population, members of indigenous populations. This diversity has taught us to value the capacities and abilities that God gives to each one with the sole purpose of fulfilling our missionary objective, learning tolerance, and the capacity to live as a multicultural community that works for a single objective “Expanding the Kingdom of God.”
The volunteer is synonymous with dedication, passion, and commitment. Today, PFC has witnessed the impact that the work of a single volunteer can have on the heart of a person, family, and society.
Volunteering at PFC is an example of faith, commitment, and trust.
To accompany, train, and save our most valuable human capital – our volunteers – must be a priority for all PFI members around the world.
PF Ukraine will reach 55,000 prisoners in all 109 prisons nationwide with an opportunity to participate in The Prisoner’s Journey® (TPJ).
PF Ukraine is expected to graduate 26,000 prisoners from TPJ — nearly 20% of the prison population — by the end of their third year running the program. This will be a significant step on the path toward breaking the cycle of crime and restoring lives, worldwide, through Jesus’s love.
In order to reach this graduation goal, PF Ukraine will mobilize, train, and deploy a force of 1,700 certified volunteers to support the program.
In their fourth year running TPJ, Prison Fellowship Ukraine will expand outside of prisons into the probation and parole system, allowing them to serve 50,000 more people within the correctional system.
“PF Ukraine is a shining example of a national ministry that is harnessing the power of the church in its ministry to prisoners,” said David Van Patten, PFI COO. “Eleven denominations are represented on their board, bringing together thousands of volunteers from Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches who are working shoulder to shoulder to bring the Good News to prisoners throughout the Ukraine.”
PF Costa Rica is on track to reach 17,400 prisoners in all 20 prisons nationwide — 90% of the prison population — with an opportunity to participate in The Prisoner’s Journey® (TPJ).
By the third year of running TPJ, PF Costa Rica should graduate 8,700 prisoners from the course, which is nearly 47% of the prison population. They will reach a nationwide tipping point of 20%, and they will continue to scale.
In order to reach this tipping point, PF Costa Rica will mobilize, train, and deploy a network of 400 volunteers from a network of 60 Evangelical Protestant and Catholic churches. This is a testament to leveraging church partnerships!
Pictured: Tasnadi Istvan Szilard (left), prefect of Cluj, presented the award for Romanian NGO of the Year to Andrei Brie (right), executive director of PF Romania.
Congratulations to PF Romania for being named NGO of the Year by the Romanian government! Praise God for all that He is doing in and through PF Romania. Please pray that Romania will come through the Covid crisis very soon. Please also keep Andrei Brie in your prayers as he seeks to lead PF Romania during these very difficult times.
Happy 40th Anniversary to PF Scotland! Praise God for His faithfulness during the four decades that PF Scotland has been in ministry, and pray for their next 40 years to have even greater impact. Andy Corley attended the recent anniversary celebrations on behalf of PFI, and was able to personally convey congratulations to the PF Scotland team.