How’s your summer going? For many of us, July looks like pool days and popsicles and fun in the sun. (At least, that’s how it looks for Paul and me as parents of littles!) My hope is that every child would make sweet memories with their families during summer break. But as you know, this season can look very different for kids with an incarcerated parent.
This is why I love Angel Tree camping. We partner with churches and Christian camps nationwide to provide scholarships to children with moms and dads in prison. At camp, kids have a safe place to just be a kid, enjoy God’s beautiful creation, and encounter Jesus alongside new friends and caring camp counselors.
Just last summer, 10-year-old Maddie attended a camp in Northern California. She loved going swimming, making tie-dye crafts, meeting other campers, and reading the Bible every day. It was the first time she had ever really studied the Word.
On the last night of camp, campers enjoyed a theatre presentation of the Gospel. The powerful display of Jesus’ love and grace impacted Maddie deeply. That same night, she made a commitment to follow Christ!
To people who support camp, I would say, thank you. I was a little bit scared ... but then, when I went there, it really helped me.
—Maddie
The beauty of Prison Fellowship Angel Tree is not just in helping kids make memories but in offering families the hope of Christ. Maddie has received Christmas gifts from her dad, who is incarcerated, for several years through Angel Tree Christmas. Every gift is a tangible reminder that her daddy loves her. And it’s a wonderful way for the local church to come alongside her family! Maddie and her family have a great relationship with the youth pastor at their church—a connection that began with Angel Tree.
It’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas. Is your church registered for Angel Tree? If not, now is the time to join us.
Angel Tree makes it simple to show Jesus’ love to families of the incarcerated. This is your opportunity to come near to the brokenhearted this holiday season—and to encounter Jesus with them in the process. It’s one of my family’s favorite traditions. Register here!
I’m so grateful for friends like you who make life-changing ministry possible! Thank you for your prayers and your support. If you have any prayer needs, please share them with our prayer team.
Serving Him with you,
HEATHER RICE-MINUS President and CEO
P.S. To continue receiving these ministry updates in your inbox, please add prison_fellowship@email.prisonfellowship.org to your address book or safe list. Learn how here.
