Greetings, dear friends, in the strong name of Jesus Christ!
For the last few weeks, we have been sheltering in our home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this label, the “CO” stands for corona, “VI” stands for virus, “D” for disease, and the number 19 represents the year. All of our lives have been greatly impacted by this virus, with more than 50,000 Americans having died as a result of the infection. Certain localities and venues have been especially hit hard: nursing homes, residential care centers, meat processing plants, and jails and prisons. As a ministry which partners with churches and other ministry networks to empower incarcerated disciples of Christ, we are especially concerned for the welfare of “the Church Inside-the-Walls.” God can touch their lives, even in the midst of this crisis.
Indeed, with the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is virtually impossible today for any volunteers or trainers to gain access into the nearly 70 prisons we currently serve. For the welfare of the volunteers and the incarcerated, prisons have greatly restricted the entrance of any non-staff persons into the facilities. This crisis has led a number of our TUMI graduates to continue the discipleship and leadership training previously carried out by our volunteers! My colleague, Daren Busenitz, our senior vice-president for Ministry Mobilization for World Impact sent me a blurb from a Christian inmate regarding their current status: “Bro, FORREAL?? We still having church playa. Just cuz y’all OGs [ministers] can’t come in don’t mean GOD ain’t rockin’ player… We are strong, our numbers in the congregation could be better but we still get about 30+ in the flock every week. Abe is bringing the message on Easter. We are going hard, homie, don’t even trip… We are holding it down in here!”
What a testimony to God’s sustaining grace, even in the midst of incarceration! We sponsor nearly 70 prison church-based seminaries serving 1,226 individuals who call the prison yard their home. We believe God will call some of this number to become evangelists and church planters, those who win the lost, and plant and pastor new churches in communities ravaged by poverty. Not even the COVID-19 crisis can overcome the grace of God in a believer’s life. All of TUMI’s training and resources are designed to outfit these ambassadors for this task. We are convinced that God is calling these released citizens to serve Christ as Kingdom workers in the harvest field here and around the world. We know that only through partnerships will this be attained. This short video that explains our partnership with Prison Fellowship and Serving USA will encourage you.
Your prayers and gifts sustain us as we serve these dear Christians in the “Church Inside-the-Walls.” Never forget to pray for them and for us. God hears and answers your prayers.
For the least of these—Christ’s brothers and sisters,
Don and Beth Davis
