Kenya (MNN) — At Langata Women’s Prison in Kenya, where the walls and locked gates are meant to confine, something unexpected is happening: Freedom is being found. Not the kind granted by release papers, but the kind that transforms hearts.
The catalyst for this transformation is Crossroads Prison Ministries’ mentor program.
“We connect mentors from churches with our students in prisons, and they correspond back and forth with each other through letters and our Bible study lessons,” explains Brian Kamstra, Crossroads’ Director of International Ministries.
During a recent visit to Langata Women’s Prison, Kamstra and his team witnessed firsthand how the Holy Spirit is moving. “That was just a very, very touching time for us,” he shares. “We spent time worshiping with the women and learning some of their stories. A couple of students shared how going through the Crossroads lessons has transformed their lives.”
One moment stood out to Kamstra. “I looked down in front of me, and there was a Bible sitting on the chair. A woman had written on the pages of her Bible — the word ‘blessed.’ As I looked at that woman, we were in our time of worship and she was just singing at the top of her lungs.
“How ironic to see the word ‘blessed’ on her Bible when she’s locked up in this prison, but probably is more free than she has ever been through learning more about Jesus and the life transformation she has gone through.”
Jane from the Langata Women’s Prison in Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)
The reality of life in Kenyan prisons is sobering. Overcrowding is a massive issue, partly because more than half of incarcerated individuals are still awaiting trial — sometimes for over a year.
Kamstra says, “One of the reasons why women are going into prison is because of fighting or domestic violence issues.” He describes tragic situations where a woman, defending herself against an abusive partner, might unintentionally cause harm and find herself imprisoned.
Crossroads is a lifeline for many women at Langata. One inmate, Jane, shared how the lessons sustain her. “She said, ‘When you’re in prison, you have to forgive. I have to forgive my neighbor…because I have to live with that person.'”
Through Bible study, women are learning about their identity in Christ.
“Those are the things that our ministry is all about,” Kamstra says. “The Crossroads lessons have helped people understand forgiveness, understand that they’re a child of God, understand that they are loved, understand that a mentor cares for them, [and] understand that there are churches out there that want to be involved and engaged in prison ministry.”
Crossroads carries out ministry to prisons in Kenya and four other African countries. You can advance this critical Gospel outreach by supporting Crossroads at their website.
Header photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries.
