Adventists are missing in action....

[TrustAndObey]

...in our prisons.

There are over 2 million people in our prisons in this country. Every single one of them can tell you about the secret rapture, about Sunday being "holy", and about the immortal soul, etc. What very few can tell you about it the TRUTH of scripture.

I'm sending out an open plea to everyone here to please look up the addresses to the prisons in your area. Please donate books (no hardcover books), Sabbath school quarterlies (even if they're used), and ANY religious literature you can get your hands on to these prisons.

When a book or quarterly is donated to a prison it becomes worn out very quickly. These souls that so many people think of a "throw away people" are seeking out the truth just as you and I have, but they have VERY limited resources.

The men and women in these places are dying to know the truth. Most of them are locked down in a cell for 23 hours a day and have nothing to do but read. They WANT to know the truth and want to study the Bible. Unfortunately the materials that are widespread in these places are the type of things you'd see on TBN.

Also, if you have an extra few dollars, donate some money for a "canteen card" for their visitors. Canteen cards are purchased by visitors so they can buy their loved one a soda or something to eat. The fees for these condiments of junk are unbelievable, and many people cannot eat for the 7 hours the visitation is scheduled.

MOST inmates do not even get any visitors, so volunteer just to sit with someone for a few hours and play cards with them. There are some very LONELY, depressed and confused people in our prisons, and it's heartbreaking how so many of them have been abandoned by their families.

If you knew the cost an inmate's family has to endure just to COMMUNICATE with them, you'd understand how some people choose to just turn their backs.

We need to get Adventist literature and PEOPLE into the prisons.

If you need information on how to visit an inmate or send them some mail with literature, donate some literature, etc. please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please remember what Christ said about prisoners!

Your sister in Christ,
~Lainie

 

[TrustAndObey]

http://www.friendsbeyondthewall.com/

Here is an excellent website about becoming pen pals with a prisoner. Your letters may be the only letters a prisoner ever receives and I can tell you right now, that any letters you send will be CHERISHED.

If you "adopt" a prisoner, and become pen pals with them, I promise you right now that any literature you send them will get widely distributed among the population of inmates. Your time and efforts will NOT go unnoticed.

Matthew 25:35 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: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

[Sophia7]

Thanks for the suggestions. We have a prison-ministry program in our area, and several inmates in the prison here are doing Bible studies. We have one Jewish guy who wants to study Revelation, which is kind of unusual, I guess. We have even had a couple of baptisms and professions of faith. There are definitely many lonely people who are looking for hope in their lives and who want to learn more about God.

One thing that makes visiting difficult for the average person is the strict procedures that they have at most prisons before they will allow you to visit. Here you have to fill out an application to visit a specific inmate, so you can't just go and hang out and spend time with those who are lonely unless you know who they are. The Bible studies are a little bit different because people can come if they are interested, so you don't have to know them first. To help with the Bible studies, though, my husband had to go through some training at the prison before they would approve him.

 

[Cliff2]

...in our prisons.

There are over 2 million people in our prisons in this country. Every single one of them can tell you about the secret rapture, about Sunday being "holy", and about the immortal soul, etc. What very few can tell you about it the TRUTH of scripture.

I'm sending out an open plea to everyone here to please look up the addresses to the prisons in your area. Please donate books (no hardcover books), Sabbath school quarterlies (even if they're used), and ANY religious literature you can get your hands on to these prisons.

When a book or quarterly is donated to a prison it becomes worn out very quickly. These souls that so many people think of a "throw away people" are seeking out the truth just as you and I have, but they have VERY limited resources.

The men and women in these places are dying to know the truth. Most of them are locked down in a cell for 23 hours a day and have nothing to do but read. They WANT to know the truth and want to study the Bible. Unfortunately the materials that are widespread in these places are the type of things you'd see on TBN.

Also, if you have an extra few dollars, donate some money for a "canteen card" for their visitors. Canteen cards are purchased by visitors so they can buy their loved one a soda or something to eat. The fees for these condiments of junk are unbelievable, and many people cannot eat for the 7 hours the visitation is scheduled.

MOST inmates do not even get any visitors, so volunteer just to sit with someone for a few hours and play cards with them. There are some very LONELY, depressed and confused people in our prisons, and it's heartbreaking how so many of them have been abandoned by their families.

If you knew the cost an inmate's family has to endure just to COMMUNICATE with them, you'd understand how some people choose to just turn their backs.

We need to get Adventist literature and PEOPLE into the prisons.

If you need information on how to visit an inmate or send them some mail with literature, donate some literature, etc. please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please remember what Christ said about prisoners!

Your sister in Christ,
~Lainie

Sounds like a good idea to me.

I know it is not so easy to just roll up and hope to visit someone here (Australia) but I do know of a family who too it to heart and the prisoner was baptised.

 

[TrustAndObey]

Sophia, you brought up some good points that I should address.

Most times it is a lot easier to find out about a prisoner through church, friends, etc and then start writing them. After you've started communication with them you can start visiting, after you get on their visitation list. You can't just show up at most prisons, and I should've mentioned that.

My loved one is in prison in Colorado. At the prison facility he's in you can only visit on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for specific time periods.

In order to do a Bible study group, like you mentioned, you have to take some training.

I'd suggest going to a site like this one:
http://www.inmatemailpals.com/index2.html

After you contact someone and know that they are interested in the Lord, etc., you can request a visit, just to sit and talk, play cards, etc (on the scheduled visitation days).

I haven't been to that site yet (a friend just sent me the link minutes ago), but if it's like most you can pick a pen pal from a prison in your area.

OH...also...there are strict procedures on sending books and mail as well in most prisons. Some prisons require that you get the title of the book PREapproved before sending it to an inmate. I believe all prisons require that you do NOT send any hardcover books.

Some prisons also require that you send the receipt with all books (they have to be new) and that the books have to come directly from the distributor (like Adventist Book Center, etc.).

These are all things you'll have to find out after contacting an inmate I guess. They make it really difficult to show these people love, that's for sure!

God bless,
~Lainie

 

[TrustAndObey]

http://www.prisonpenpals.com/

It has come to my attention that the other two sites I posted mostly contained prisoners looking for romance. My apologies. Not that there's anything wrong with loving someone in prison, but I know most of you are already married. LOL

The site above has people that just want people to write to. There are some looking for romance but obviously you don't have to write to them.

 

[reddogs]

Truth and Obey,

Can I ask how you are personally involved in prison ministry as I have done some myself and it is very difficult as they screen every little thing and they have all kinds of limmitations and rules.......

Red

 

[g85]

I dont know why I find it kinda scary... But its true we should reach to those ppl as well.

Women could write to ladies in prison and men could write to men in prison (that way the romance problem would be kinda solved )