They support prisoners with several different programs including job skills training, prayer walks, a letter writing program, counseling, holding worship services, and restorative justice.
What is my team's plan?
After a few low key days to settle in, get over jet lag, and do some more vital training, we will be jumping into the deep end. Our first week we will be assistant facilitators at a restorative justice program. The purpose of the program is to put humanity back into the crime, and to help the prisoners to confront and take responsibility for what they have done. Many crimes get prosecuted as "the state vs. so and so" and in some prisons the inmates become a number rather than a name. This makes the crimes impersonal and leaves the victims feeling twice wronged, and the offender not as easily equating what they have done with a life negatively impacted. In essence, the prisoners have been told "You broke the law. You will be punished by the government for doing that." This program comes in and says "You hurt people and ruined relationships. Let's work together to repair and reconcile what we can."
The staff and long term volunteers running the program will be going through a number of exercises and giving some lectures. On one day, the men will go through an exercise to name everyone effected by their crime. The victim/s is/are the obvious person/people, slightly less obvious are the victims' family and the convict's own family, but it spreads even farther to the police who processed the crime scene, the professional who did the autopsy, the community members who do not feel safe on their street and in their homes, etc. On another afternoon they have a rape survivor come in and tell the men her story of how crime has effected her life and still effects her to this day. Many of these guys were in gangs from a young age and have never really thought through the impact of their actions. They are giving themselves that challenge now. These man are not ordered into this program, and they receive no benefits such as reduced time or a nicer cell block. They are doing this because they want to be better men, and I really respect that.
My role (and my teammates roles) as assistant facilitators, is to sit at a small table with an experienced facilitator and small group of inmates and help them work through the process. After exercises we have time set aside to share in our table groups. Facilitators are supposed to help keep the conversations respectful, open, and meaningful. We are to ask probing questions and give our full attention to listening to their answers. We are also, when it is appropriate, to share personal stories from our lives.
After the weeklong intensive, the goal is to invite the prisoner's own families to come visit them and help them talk to each other and begin to repair their relationship. Many prisoner's families do not know why their loved ones are in prison. They then have bi-monthly follow up meetings with more exercises and homework. I am hoping to be at the first follow up which should happen before I fly out to Mumbai. After a full year of going deeper and doing more follow up, the goal is to invite victims to come meet with the prisoners for some time of open dialogue. Many victims are full of questions that make the process of healing and moving on more challenging, we hope that talking together will help both sides move forward in a healthy way.
In the ten days after the restorative justice intensive ends before I leave, my team will be visiting some other prisons to help in Bible studies, perhaps going out to visit another ministry in the townships, and supporting the long term workers wherever and however we can. We also plan to go looking for wild penguins on our Saturday off (and they told you penguins only live where there is snow!)
You always have my thanks and love for your support.
Tatiana
Please be praying:
- That anything I need to do (like putting together a first aid kit and getting my mom added to my bank account) I will get done in the next two and a half weeks.
- That things will go smoothly when I meet with my college advisor to talk over my change in major and registering for fall classes.
- That I will get enough rest to go into this prepared to serve and poor out.
- That my India visa application will be approved Monday.
- That I will be able to locate the translations of the book I want to give the prisoners as gifts.
- That be safe and healthy leading up to and throughout this trip.
- That this trip will help me better see what long term ministry I should be doing after college
You can support me financially for my South Africa trip by going to this website, selecting STM South Africa, and putting Tatiana Martin in the optional memo, or by putting money so designated in the offering plate at Park Street Church during Sunday service. (You would get a tax receipt for this)
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