The Lord has enabled us to reach even more prisoners.
Dear John,
Happy Independence Day to you and your family! I pray you’re celebrating with loved ones today and praising God with us for the glorious freedom we have in Christ each day.
Our Prison Fellowship team is also celebrating the amazing progress the Lord has enabled us to make in reaching more Spanish speakers in prison. There are a surprising number of prisoners who can’t access English-language materials—13% of federal prisoners don’t speak English as their first language—and there are few resources to meet their needs. As you know, for years we have offered both our Inside Journal newspaper and the Inside Journal Life Recovery Bible in Spanish. Both are widely used, and we receive letters every day like this one from Wilmer. Wilmer wrote to us in Spanish, his heart language. His letter has been translated so I can share it with you here:
My name is Wilmer. Sadly I am incarcerated and I have not been able to get a study Bible, but a friend told me about you, and I would like to ask you if you could please give me the Inside Journal Bible in Spanish, as I understand that you give them to prisoners, but I would like to ask for it in large print because I have problems with my vision. Many thanks for your help because it will be the best thing to help me grow spiritually. Many thanks.
Because of your ongoing support, we were able to send Wilmer his very own large-print, Spanish-language Bible so he can continue to grow in his walk with the Lord—praise Jesus!
We offer more than just reading material for Spanish speakers. We now provide Spanish-language videos on Floodlight
, our online platform for uplifting, educational content, which reaches 415 facilities in 49 states. Our recent Spanish Easter special was viewed by more than 3,000 incarcerated men and women, and more than 1,200 of them completed a survey to share their feedback with us through our tablet partner, Edovo. We rejoiced to learn that 459 people placed their faith in Jesus for the first time or rededicated their lives to Christ after watching the video. In addition, another 168 shared that they are not Christians but want to know more about Jesus. We received so much encouraging feedback, including this note:
To see this video and to know that God always is with us in every moment and that we don’t have to be discouraged, because although life is sometimes hard, my Father God is always here with us, and every day I ask of God that He quickly will allow me to be with my family and that He will take care of my two daughters and my son, even though I find myself a prisoner [and] I have not been able to know about my daughters. All I ask of God is that He take care of them. Many, many thanks to those who made this video. Truthfully, I loved it and it’s a video that lifts your spirits. Thank you for this video.
We’re also ministering to Spanish-speaking families of the incarcerated, including Arianna, a shy, smiling third grader who lives in Orange County, California. It’s hard having a parent in prison, but Arianna is grateful that she and her siblings have a safe, loving home with her grandmother, Carmen, an immigrant from Mexico who speaks little English. Arianna’s favorite subject in school is math. “I’m good at it,” she beams.
Prison Fellowship Angel Tree has been blessing Arianna’s family for the past five years. Angel Tree Christmas parties, organized by the Celebrate Recovery ministry at Saddleback Church in Anaheim, are an important part of Christmas for Arianna. Despite the language barrier, churches and Angel Tree have gone the extra mile to make sure prisoners and families who speak Spanish at home can access the program.
In 2021, the church pulled out all the stops to help families with an incarcerated parent experience the joy of Christmas despite the pandemic. There were fun crafts, delicious food, and a message about the hope found in Christ. Arianna, who got to take home her own children’s Bible, especially loved the chance to play games, win prizes, and spend meaningful time with her family. The present from her parent in prison made her feel loved and remembered.
“Thank you, Angel Tree!” she says.
And thank YOU for your faithful prayers, which have allowed us to ensure that Spanish-speaking prisoners and their families are able to know the love of God and grow in their relationship with Christ. You make this work possible. Our entire Prison Fellowship team thanks the Lord daily for your continued support for getting the Good News to all those impacted by crime and incarceration.
Celebrating with Him,
JAMES J. ACKERMAN President and Chief Executive Officer
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.
Prison Fellowship P.O. Box 1550, Merrifield, VA, 22116-1550 US
