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THEY’RE IN PRISON Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, grandmothers and grandfathers, they’re in prison. Politicians, businesspersons, preachers, movie and sports stars, they’re in prison. The rich, the poor, the young, the old, the innocent and the guilty are in prison. In the December 3rd edition of the United Methodist Review, an article on folks in prison makes it plain. For instance, the U.S. Prison population is the largest in the world, absolute and proportional. China is a distant second. 117 inmates per 100,000 persons is far lower than Uncle Sam’s figures of 701 inmates per 100,000 population. Those figures paint a stark reality. Second, Uncle Sam’s prison population is increasing. In 2003, the prison population of men shows a 2.65 increase over 2002. For women, the upsurge comes to 3.6 per cent in 2003 versus 2002. Third, 70 per cent of the children who have parents incarcerated end up behind bars themselves. As the inmate population explodes, new prisons are springing up everywhere in locations as strategically positioned as Mc Donald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or Wal-Mart. What an unfortunate place for job creation. Is the United Methodist Church as a whole doing anything about the roughly 2.08 million people in chains? Not enough. Too many of Jesus’ followers may be standing around, wringing our hands exclaiming helplessly, “Gee, ain’t it awful!!!” An official of the General Board of Global Ministries laments the fact that denominational resources have dried up for Restorative Justice Ministries-that GBGM had to close its Nashville-based office of Restorative Justice. Lamentable? Yes. Resource-less? No. Money is not the key ingredient for prison ministry? Caring enough to visit the imprisoned remains at the heart of this ministry. All the church needs is the will to engage in prison ministry; the way will be provided. Christ believes his followers must participate in this ministry of transformation. (Mt. 25: 43c) Many of you could share stories like those below. In East Ohio Conference, I asked the Cabinet to accompany the bishop on visits to prisons for men and women. We were the recipients of ministry during our visit. Although I was not ever successful in visiting one of our young persons in a youth facility (every time I visited or called, it seemed like the young person was sent to another facility), nevertheless, we became pen pals. Until the youngster was released, I prayed, talked and answered questions by letter. The young person visited me in my office after being released. I was humbled in that joyful encounter. After our conversation, I never saw the youngster again. Years ago, several local churches in East Ohio started Disciple Bible Study in the prisons. Last year, the church that conducted Disciple Bible Study in the Mansfield Prison got the bright idea that Dr. Zan Holmes, one of the moderators of Disciple Bible Study, might come to the Mansfield Prison and visit the class. Dr. Holmes came and visited the prison. Because of that visit in person and his presence on tape, several prisoners have become disciples of Jesus Christ. After Dr. Holmes returned home, somebody reported that Zan called his visit to the Mansfield Prison the highlight of his 40 plus years in ministry. Check out the history on the Hymn “Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior.” It was conceived during a prison visit by its author. Finally, remember that every time we have Thanksgiving, Labor and Memorial Day-when the church celebrates Christmas, Easter and Pentecost-folks in our families, churches, work places or ourselves (God forbid) are behind bars.” Remember the heartfelt words of a mother whose daughter is in prison. She said, “When a family member is in jail, everybody’s in jail.” Get up!!! Visit those in prison!!! Welcome them in your church. Help them re-enter society. The burgeoning prison population is the “mission field in America’s backyard.” Like the inmate purportedly said to blind Fanny J. Crosby as she visited those imprisoned, “while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.” |
Advocate
Article - December 21, 2004