Guatemala/S. Africa (MNN) — There are billions of people who don't know Christ across the world, but there is one consistently-overlooked people group on every continent: prisoners.
Crossroad Bible Institute (CBI) has been reaching out to this group of men and women on society's fringes through a long-held model, proven effective worldwide, in which students are mentored by volunteer instructors native to their countries. Indigenous campus directors oversee their activity, teaching them about Christ and discipling them as they learn.
CBI currently works on all six populated continents and has over 40,000 students learning through their program. On November 15, CBI announced the opening of new satellite campuses in two more nations.
South Africa and Guatemala each will now have their own CBI prison ministry campuses.
CBI Guatemala was launched in partnership with Christian Reformed World Missions and Estrategia de Transformación. The local pastors helping implement the program have established a strong foundation through their prior work with the new students.
CBI International Program Coordinator Cynthia Williams, who visited Guatemala to assist in the campus launch, told CBI, "Through the changed hearts of prisoners, this country could become free from the ravaging violence now dominating the landscape. CBI Guatemala is poised to help bring about that change."
CBI provides people in prison and their families with faith-based reentry education and mentoring for 27 years–assets that could be extremely valuable in Guatemala in particular.
CBI South Africa was initiated by contacts established through CBI's membership with the World Reformed Fellowship, an international organization linking like-minded evangelicals. The campus director visits the students each week to present a message and distribute lessons. Backed by support from prison officials, the program will expand into additional facilities in 2012.
Director Alwyn Bezuidenhout told CBI, "Due to the positive support of the staff of correctional services, local churches, and most of all, the inmates, we see the Lord's blessing on our work."
Dr. H. David Schuringa, CBI President and CEO, stated in a recent press release, "Incarcerated people across the globe have been ignored and under-served. CBI's unique discipleship and mentoring program responds to God's call to remember them, and we plan to continue extending this response worldwide."
With several new openings pending for 2012, CBI's international expansion promises to continue, giving hope to prisoners and unifying diverse cultures with the Gospel message. Learn more about ways you can get involved and even become an instructor with CBI here.
