FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
Ministering to Christian Ex-Convicts
My son is due to be released from a mandatory 30-year sentence when I am 96. He will be 56.
During the 5 years he has been incarcerated he has been seeking God, memorizing chapters of the Bible and carrying on spiritual dialogues with my wife and me. We are concerned, even now, with his transition to life after prison and, since we will most likely not be there, find our prayers centered on his Spiritual well being and the reception he will receive from society, and the church, upon his release.
Forge has opened a conversation with a local ministry to returning citizens called The Penitent Thief. Two men from that group have joined my Thursday morning Forge table! It has become clear to me that they are men of God who are now facing incredible obstacles that I am feeling led to address.
They are traumatized from their time in prison. They are not apt to shake hands firmly or give solid eye contact. They have developed a prison lingo they realize is unrecognizable to those outside the walls and this makes them less willing to share their thoughts while in a small group at our table.
Complicating matters, they find fellowship, housing, and employment to be difficult for a variety of obvious reasons. This is where The Penitent Thief has come alongside to help. The President of The Penitent Thief, Paul Del Favero, has dedicated his life to providing a secure framework for men he initially meets in his prison ministry. This program includes prison ministry that continues to come alongside the recently returned to give them a much better chance of making a Godly transition. The need is great with 60 men in various stages of transition and 27 more being released in the next few months.
My vision is that my table will be able to facilitate some of this transition by ministering to the men that God leads to us. Simple acts like fellowship, mentorship, rides and meals. My larger hope is that the men of Forge would be able to pull their collective resources to bless the ministry and men of The Penitent Thief – our new neighbors. Let’s dig in and give this our prayerful consideration. You can learn more at www.thepenitentthief.org.
Bob Eichelberger
Forge – Maitland
