Many leaders of the urban church who powerfully impact their communities for the Kingdom of God are currently incarcerated. These leaders are redeemed, called, and also happen to be serving time behind bars. World Impact partners with local prisons and detention centers, reentry homes, churches and mentors to move these leaders toward success on the inside and incorporation into a caring body of believers once they are released through our ministry initiative, Incarceration to Incorporation (I2I).
One of the ways I2I is lived out in Newark is through Opportunities Turn Around Cities (OTAC), which prepares inmates for release. World Impact staff have the privilege of working in the Essex County Correctional Facility with a reentry program called Staying Connected.
Recently a new group made up of men from the general prison population and the federal prison signed up for the program. A variety of belief backgrounds are reflected in the group—there are Christians, Muslims, and even atheists. One thing that unites this group is that all people need conflict resolution, and this topic often opens the door to wider conversations of reconciliation, forgiveness, and Jesus. This class is not a church service, but each gathering opens and closes with a word of prayer. Every opportunity to point the conversation toward the Gospel is taken, and the Gospel is what led Jorge* to open up.
Jorge is a student in the Staying Connected program who is serving 25 years for armed robbery. He is quiet in class and doesn’t ask very many questions, but he is liked by the other students. So it was a surprise when he approached the World Impact staff who taught the class to ask if there was a time that they could meet one-on-one. The staff agreed to meet and Jorge shared his story. The story of how he was a believer before he was incarcerated but had fallen away and hadn’t been living for Jesus. While he was in prison, God took a hold of his heart.
As the World Impact staff listened to Jorge tell his story, they realized God was using him to mentor other inmates who were in similar situations. The staff saw his heart for people and encouraged him to continue to trust the Lord and mentor fellow inmates. Jorge is a mighty leader with great potential. World Impact would not be able to spend time with future leaders behind bars without the support of OTAC and prayer from donors like you. Thank you for making a difference in Jorge’s life.
*Name changed for privacy.
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