USA (MNN) — Imagine you’re cut off from the world, and a letter you wrote to a spiritual mentor weeks ago is still sitting unread.
That’s the reality for many Spanish-speaking prisoners in the US who are Bible study students with Crossroads Prison Ministries.
Crossroads has a Bible study correspondence program for students in prison to go through with a mentor outside of prison. The Bible study program is offered in English and Spanish. By writing letters and going through the program, students and mentors build relationships and grow spiritually.
(Image courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)
However, around 1,000 completed Spanish Bible studies and letters are sitting in the Crossroads office — still waiting to go out to Christian mentors.
Jose Pichardo, the mentor training manager with Crossroads explains, “Unfortunately, we don’t have as many Spanish-speaking people available to help us with that backlog. Those lessons and all those questions that those men and women have are just sitting in the office currently.
“We strive to be a relational ministry through our letters, but the reality is that we have an eight-week backlog. That means lessons usually sit in our office two months before they can even go out to a mentor that can review that lesson and write an encouraging letter to that man or woman behind bars.”
There can be a lot happening in a prisoner’s life while they wait to hear back from a Crossroads mentor. It can be difficult to maintain the momentum of relationship building and spiritual support.
Pichardo says, “We constantly receive letters and comments from our students where they’re just saying, ‘I really wish I can receive the lessons more quickly. I really desire to receive that letter more consistently from you guys.’ That’s [in the] top three comments that we get on a consistent basis.”
(Image courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)
Crossroads created a new website to better serve Spanish-speaking students and mentors. They also have a Spanish group page on Facebook where they share updates, student testimonies, and artwork!
Both of these links can be shared with anyone interested in becoming a Spanish mentor to Crossroads students in the Bible study program.
“Right now, our biggest effort is just making everyone aware,” Pichardo says. “Even if people don’t speak Spanish, we know that some people may have someone in their networks that speaks Spanish. We want to share with everyone so that hopefully there’s someone within someone’s network that speaks Spanish and may be interested.”
It’s a critical opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Click here to become a Spanish mentor with Crossroads.
“You don’t have to be a pastor. You don’t have to be the best biblical scholar. You just have to have a desire to want to share the love of Christ with others.”
Header image courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries.
