We build relationships with inmate sisters through providing a church service at prisons where we fellowship, pray, share stories to encourage one another
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:34-40
Situation in Hong Kong
- Annual admission of sentenced persons rose by 165.3% from 9,185 in 1982 to reach a high of 24,366 in 2002.
- The percentage of female and male prisoners is 22.3% and 77.7% respectively.
- Of all sentenced persons, 10.8% were young offenders (ie those aged 14-20).
- The most common type of offence was “Against Local Laws” (committed by 29.4%), followed by “Against Property” (26.3%) and “Narcotic Offenses” (24.5%).
- 9.5% of the prisoners are sentenced 10 years or over, 2.5% is life sentenced.
- Of all sentenced persons, 32.5% are local, 13.9% are Chinese illegal immigrants, 43.8% are Chinese legal entrants and 9.8% are prisoners of other nations/ territory.
Source: (Populations behind the bar, HK Monthly Digest Statistics, 2004)
How SP responds?
- We visit the Maximum Security Tai Lam Centre and Lo Wu Correctional Centre for Women and provide worship services for the inmates in English, Cantonese and Spanish.
- Visiting prisoners and lavishing His love upon them is a mandate God has put upon us as believers in Christ. We desire to respond to Him through this ministry by showing the inmates His love.
- Many of them have life sentences, but we want them to know that God has the power to free them from guilt, shame, negative emotions and addictions. We also want them to know that God has a wonderful plan for them that they can be a blessing though they are physically constrained.
- In the long term we hope to encourage inmates to function more positively within the prison environment and provide a link between the community and the correctional institution in which they are confined.
Schedule
This ministry is currently suspended due to Covid-19.
For more information, please email [email protected]
