Mountain View is a 650-bed, maximum-security prison with women serving long sentences. Some are angry, and others have lost hope. However, among the women are those who are not just serving time but are also serving Jesus. One of our six Faith-Based Dorms is located at Mountain View, and this month we had our fourth graduation.
Carla Hooten, Reentry Director
Graduations are an important component of our dorms. After 18 months of accountability and study, the women receive their diplomas. We also invite past graduates who are no longer in the faith dorms but are living as missionaries in the general prison population to attend graduation. They are so encouraged by being with their sisters again! Carla Hooton also meets with these graduates in the general prison population twice a month to encourage them.
The graduates had an opportunity to respond to the challenge of Isaiah 6. "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
Faithful volunteers prayed for those who declared,
"Here am I Lord. Send Me!"
And who will go for us?
Reentry is the focus of Hilltop Trusty Dorm. Women are being prepared to leave prison and return to the free world. They are eager participants, as they are very aware that challenges are ahead of them.
This month, along with our other classes, we had a manners seminar with lots of helpful information on practical life skills. In the afternoon, the ladies were taught to develop a prayer journal with goals and reminders of their encounters with God. Very moving testimonies were given.
Women in prison are extremely creative and very willing to open their lives to one another. Relationships are deep in safe community. Faith Dorm women are leaving prison with tools to succeed. But, most importantly, most leave our dorms with a vital relationship with Jesus.
Returning with HOPE!
Lastly, we have a new reentry project. The greatest challenge many of our incarcerated sisters face is their release date. So we begin to bring our ex-offenders who are living successful lives on the outside back into prison.
As volunteers, they share from experience and give helpful information and encouragement. The response from the women in white was overwhelming. Now we are creating DVDs with these ex-offenders as a practical, useful tool, preparing women for reentry.
We desperately need prayer:
- God will be glorified through these videos.
- Ex-offenders to be honest and wise as they discuss their struggles and successes
- Those who are planning, filming, and editing to follow God’s direction
- And for the additional funding for this project.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and partnership in this ministry!
Discipleship Unlimited staff and team