The Prison Fellowship Bahamas (PFB) is known for its Christian interaction with prison inmates at The Bahamas Department of Corrections (BDOC). But what does the fellowship do outside of the four walls of the prison?
President of the Fellowship, Rev. Anthony Sands, said yesterday in an interview with this Journal, that the ministry goes beyond helping to reform prisoners, and have made a mark in schools across New Providence.
“Prison fellowship also by extension has a number of other programs; our school program is a crime prevention program.
“We partner or share partnership with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and with the Bahamas Department of Corrections, where we carry a message of crime prevention and certainly a message of hope to our young people letting them know the impact of crime and violence in our community and how it they can stay away from it,” Rev Sands said.
And it is not all preach and talk, the PFB also socialize with families, particularly the children of those incarcerated, according to the Secretary of PFB, Elder Cora Mcphee.
“We have two major programs where we feature the children of the inmates.
“We have our Back to School Program, where the children of the inmates are presented with back to school materials and also a social is held. We have the children, [who] we meet with and we have a little fellowship with them.
“And then, we also have what is known as the Angel Tree Program which is at Christmas time and again, we feature the children of the inmates where we purchase presents.
“So, of course the public helps us and our volunteer members contribute towards this aid that we are able to purchase gifts for the inmates children. And again, a fellowship and a spiritual enrichment time is also held at the Christmas time to let them know really what Christmas is all about,” Elder McPhee said.
McPhee explained that the whole idea is to keep the family strengthened.
“Prison Fellowship Bahamas is concerned about family connection, and this is why we minister to the children to keep the strength of the family together.
“This is something that we invite you as the public to support. So we expect to hear from you in the month June so we can be prepared for back to school and in the month November so that we can be prepared for our Angel Tree Program,” McPhee said.
PFB is an arm of Prison Fellowship International out of Washington DC. It is a nonprofit organization, but receives some assistance from Government, Corporate Partners and sponsors.
The fellowship visits five different sections of BDOC, particularly maximum, medium, and minimum security, remand facility and of course female section, conducting spiritual enrichment services.
PFB urges persons with a heart for change and service to pick up applications which are always available to the public.
