|
By Lailani Mendoza
LIKE ambient noise during our morning coffee or
late-night dinner, crime news is common – yet many of us feel
desensitized toward it all.
However, in the view of some activists, crime is only a
reflection of our community – which, they feel, is something that
most people fail to acknowledge.
“While [inmates] are in prison, there’s
something lacking in our community. Crime is a community affair,”
said Dr. Pierre Allard.
A retired prison chaplain, Allard was the guest speaker
during the 10th anniversary of the Bridges to New Life Society – held
November 15 at Kamloops Southwest Community Church.
Allard said God is calling us to embrace the offenders.
Allard is an advocate of restorative justice – which he equates to
biblical justice.
True biblical justice, he explained, is a dynamic
attempt at reconciliation; this is an embodiment of what restorative
justice is trying to achieve.
It is about the possibility of restoration – of
correcting the wrongdoing, while caring for both the criminals and the
victims.
Allard’s personal conviction and ministry in this
area was instrumental in helping founder Rob Baskin start a prison ministry
in Kelowna 10 years ago.
Bridges to New Life Society is a Christian organization
that ministers to inmates with programs and resources which are offered to
help them break out of the vicious cycle of crime.
Baskin said the organization has a two-fold purpose: to
visit those in prison, and to carry out Christ’s Great Commission.
“From Bridges’ point of view,” he
stated, restorative justice “is giving [prisoners] a chance to
reconnect with the community, and build a whole and productive life –
as opposed to just pushing them aside and abandoning them.”
The organization fulfills this by providing clients
with support both inside and outside the prison. “We visit the
Kamloops prison every two weeks,” said Baskin.
“We give out Christian literature to inmates, do
counselling and help them do some pre-release planning.”
Prisoners serving a federal sentence are offered a pen
pal relationship.
Bridges to New Life Society also provides four chapel
services on a Sunday six times a year where volunteers interact with the
inmates, he added.
“Most of our work is outside the prison. We have
a weekly drop-in at Kelowna, Cranbrook, Vernon and Kamloops – and we
also run a Christian 12-step program.
“In our Kelowna head office, we have computers,
telephones and an employment agency to help them find work. We have a
five-bed safe house where people can live for up to two years.”
Continue article >>
|
The organization has four paid employees, about 60
volunteers and approximately 150 clients.
Baskin said the ministry needs “more Christian
mentors – which means men and women who are willing to give an hour
of their time a week to befriend people who are incarcerated.”
Bridges’ greatest need, he explained, is
“for the community outside to not leave it to the chaplains
inside.” Reintegration into society is the most difficult and crucial
phase in prisoners’ lives – so they need a bridge from the
inside to the outside.
And the most effective people for this job, he
emphasized, can be found in a caring Christian community.
Success may be measured in baby steps, but prison
ministry changes lives – simply by providing the support offenders
need.
Baskin remembers one person in particular. Lloyd
“came out of prison about five years ago. He got involved in our
12-step program. We got him a mentor and helped him get some work, a place
and furnishings. Now he works for Freedom’s Door Recovery House in
Kelowna.”
After working as the director for close to two years,
he decided to become a counsellor with the same organization.
Baskin said Lloyd is a new man. He is a homeowner; and
he still attends church every Sunday.
It is people like Lloyd who remind Baskin and Allard
why this work must be done, and what makes it all worthwhile.
As Baskin sums it up: “So many prisoners are
basically neglected. I believe that God’s called his church to
be restorative agents – as opposed to just being punishing
agents.”
January 2009
|
