Rise-Up
When a group of missionaries were serving in Salga, a young man in his mid to late 30s stopped us and asked for prayer. This was not uncommon, Salga is a town notorious for prostitution and alcohol. But this experience proved different and inspired what became known today as the Prison Redemption Project. This man shared that he was in prison 18 years, but for a crime that he did not commit. He was released about 8 months ago, he said. But with no work, no resources, and no support system to continue he was lost and understandably struggling to recover. Having unjustly spent half his life in prison, what was he to do now? The missionaries prayed for him but knew they needed to mitigate the cause of his suffering.
Unfortunately, the missionaries learned that this young man’s experience was not unique. Many people spending time in Kenyan prisons are often falsely accused and excessively sentenced. Many Kenyans lack the means to have legal representation at trial, which often results in an unjust sentence. Stealing a few bags of beans, albeit wrong, could result in a three-year prison sentence. A lack of formal jobs, corruption, and a highly inflated economy only compounds the problem.
The lady in the picture below is one example. She was falsely accused of abusing her children by the new jealous wife of her ex-husband, but without evidence, just envious false accusations. Thankfully, this project, led by Father Makarius, was able to pay her fine – a sum of about $800 USD, but a colossal amount for a working Kenyan family. By the time of her release, she had spent nearly four months in prison. Overjoyed, she was reunited with her children.
The term “Redemption” is a deliberately chosen. All are redeemed by the Blood of Christ; all of us have an unpayable debt paid by His life-giving sacrifice on the Cross. And therein lies the purpose of the Prison Redemption Project – by participating in the release of imprisoned Kenyans, supporters of this project can express Jesus Christ’s redemptive love for them. Our goal is to communicate the infinite love of Jesus and fulfill the biblical command to visit and minister to those in prisons (Matthew 25:36-40). The Prison Redemption Project received a list of 81 prisoners. Each of them has a sentence, some excessively high for small crimes, some unjustified completely, and some justified. After spiritual council and social rehabilitation, our mission will pay the fines for their release, with some fees as low as $35. For each prisoner, the purpose remains the same. When they are freed to begin a new life, they begin to understand to costly price Jesus paid for their souls – and the inherent value they have as sons and daughters of the most loving God.
We invite you to participate in this project. Our goal is to raise $20,000 total. At just $20/month, we are inviting 100 people to join this mission. Within a year, we could release the remaining 80 prisoners. God bless you and please keep the Prison Redemption Project in your prayers.
