Haven followed the ongoing series on PROSTITUTION OF TITHE AND OFFERING SERIES BY Dr Sunday Adelaja I became more certain of my call into prison ministry. Five years ago, I started this project as a community development service as a corp member serving in Benue, I’m glad today it has now transformed into a movement as an NGO called Dream Again Prison & Youth Foundation. Our vision is simple “Transforming prisons in Nigeria from punitive to an effective correctional facility”
DSA started sharing about the WEIGHTIER MATTERS, how we should consider the poor, the weak, the disfranchised in our society, the widows, the prisoners, strangers, orphans, he said we should use our resources to improve the lives of the less privileged.
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. Proverb 19:17
As an NGO we have recorded some success stories working with people in prison.
We have paid the fines of 35 inmates who have gained their freedom with the support of our partners, we have established a library in prison, yes we have supplied drugs to the clinic in prison, we have a mentoring class called Dream Again Academy in prison, occasionally we feed the entire inmates in prison, during some of our sessions we provide little refreshment for our students BUT, what I saw today blew my mind and caused me to weep alongside the students.
After listening to Dr Sunday Adelaja I decided I was going to HUG all my students in prison without knowing the healing and hope it will bring to them.
Swami Sivananda said: “Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success”
Like a comedy I started today’s session in Otukpo prison by saying I didn’t come to talk or motivate you but I came here today to do something maybe foolish, something I don’t even understand myself, I came here to “HUG YOU ALL”
One after the other they started coming out for a hug, there is this guy named Austin, he started crying from his seat before coming out for his hug, after his hug he said though he came from a good background since he came to prison over one month now, none of his family members has come to see him, so the hug today gave him hope and motivation.
Another guy who has spent over ten years in prison said “today I woke up with a burden about my case but with this hug, I felt love, hope and encouraged”
BENJAMIN said: “This is my second time here but I regret that I have not been coming since. THANK YOU BASHIRU”
TIJANI said: “Bashiru has love in him, he is love personified. Any time I see him he gives me Joy. Not even my mum gives me the Joy Bashiru gives me”
VICTOR said: “I came here with a heavy heart but the hug you gave me reduced my pains to nothing and all I feel is joy. If you had not let go of the hug, I would not have either. GOD BLESS YOU BASHIRU”
Remember, Jesus didn’t say I was in prison, you didn’t preach to me rather he said: “I was in prison you didn’t visit me”.
When we visit I believe it’s more about the prisoners’ welfare both spiritual and psychologically.
Most times what people need is not our preaching but our practice of the LOVE word.
Let’s heal the world by healing people who are having emotional trauma not just in prison but in different spheres of life.
Thank you DR. Sunday Adelaja for sparking up this genuine heart to heal more people and show them the love of the Father.
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