Earlier this week, in a federal prison in West Virginia, 50 children got to spend the day with their moms - 23 women who are currently incarcerated. It was the first time God Behind Bars has hosted a reunification event in a federal prison, and you could immediately sense how perfectly timed it was... the Lord knew exactly how deeply this was needed for these women and their children.
Before the kids arrived, each of the mothers got to change out of their prison clothes, and into beautiful new dresses that we brought for them. It may seem small, but it wasn’t. It restored a sense of dignity, reminding them that they are still worthy, still women, and still becoming who they want to be for their children.
Some of these moms were meeting their children for the very first time, while others hadn’t seen or held theirs in years! There were nerves at first, but we watched as those nerves slowly softened into pure joy.
One moment from the day was hard to forget - a mom who entered prison unable to read had spent the last five years learning, and when she saw her son, she sat down and read to him for the first time. Just a mother reading to her child, a simple moment they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
The day unfolded in simple, but beautiful ways. Kites in the air, Easter eggs scattered across the grass, cookies decorated side by side. Families getting to just be families, even if only for a little while.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without you. So thank you for the ways you support our ministry to do events like this. We are also incredibly grateful to the staff and Federal Bureau of Prisons for allowing God Behind Bars to host this event!
This week, please remember to take a moment to pray for families living in the tension of separation: for children who didn’t choose this, and for mothers and fathers doing the hard work of rebuilding what’s been broken, and becoming the men and women that God created them to be!
We’re still in awe of what happened this past month at Dixon Correctional Institute in Louisiana. Over 1,200 men serving long-term or life sentences sat in 95-degree heat for more than six hours, not complaining, not leaving... just hungry to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There has never been a greater urgency to reach men and women behind bars. The cycle of generational incarceration is massive, but together we get to do something about it. Whether you choose to give once or monthly, know that your donation is not only helping here on earth, but is changing eternities forever.
Thank you for your interest in getting involved with God Behind Bars! We just need a few pieces of information to get the application process started.
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