Christmas on the Inside

At Prison Ministry, we receive many calls for help from prisoners and their families at Christmas. We receive donations of food from our supporters that is distributed to families in need. We also often receive donations of gifts for women and children that we give to appropriate families.

We deliver food baskets, toiletries and gifts to families in need. To watch a child’s face light up as they investigate their surprise is reward enough, but to see a mother’s appreciation as she sees her children’s joy and knows that she has that something special to brighten the Christmas season for her family is wonderful. Sometimes, tears of joy and thankfulness flow because someone cared enough to brighten their lives with an unconditional gift.

In the Women’s Correctional Centre, the chaplains are allowed to give a small care package for Christmas to each of the inmates. This consists of: 

• a package of toiletries
• a calendar
• Christmas cards
• a diary
• a biro
• a New Testament.

When offered this gift, one young woman hesitated to take the package asking, 'Is this all for me?'. Another commented, 'No one has ever given me anything like this before'. The idea that such small things can mean so much to someone who has never received such a blessing from a stranger before is humbling.

We take most of these things for granted. After all, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, a biro, and a calendar are just basic, inexpensive things everyone has, aren’t they? Sadly, for some of our prisoners, these things are neither affordable nor easy to obtain. It is touching to see how much these things are valued by the women in prison. Even these basic needs are not automatically supplied by the prison and must be purchased by each prisoner.

The need for food and toiletries continues all through the year and, while Christmas brings out the giver in many of us, our prisons never close down. Let your Christmas spirit not only touch those who desperately need Christmas cheer, but let it continue all year through, to share the blessing of unconditional love.

Christmas

Those involved in ministry with the marginalised know that Christmas is an ideal time for us to show Christ’s love for those suffering loss or in great need. We start to plan ahead several months to give all of our loving volunteers enough time to gather resources and plan our assault on poverty and pain.

With more families in need and with more on our books, we are reaching out to the wider church family in Brisbane and asking for your help to show that we care and show that our God is a God of love. Many churches help with gathering and packing groceries and gifts for children including mothers. Teams of volunteers gather to help coordinate the rest of the donations. This year we are praying for God’s help and guidance and we would like you to pray with us.

Our Christmas activities are always a blessing to those in need and to all of us involved in this ministry and we pray that we may reach families and inmates and spread information about our services to those in need. We continue to need donations of goods, time and finances to help us reach all those on our books. We are looking for:

• Non-perishable groceries for Christmas hampers
• Toiletries for female inmates for their Christmas care packages
• Small gifts for children and mothers on the outside
• Volunteers who can spare a day or two to help us pack and deliver hampers and sort, wrap and label children’s gifts
• Donations of funds to help facilitate further follow-up services

If you or your church can help with any of these needs, please call the Prison Ministry office for details. Thank you so much for your past and present support for this effort. Please continue praying for the ministry through this outreach.