What Is It Like to Honor God’s Word in Prison?
Society may intend prison to be a place of punishment, but God can also use it as a place of worship and transformation. This is what happened during the National Bible Week as even people behind bars joined in the nationwide celebration and honoring of God’s Word. Inmates from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) conducted week-long events to celebrate the Bible, spearheaded in unity by various Christian denominations existing within this jail community.
In a typewritten letter, Lito Jatulan, an inmate who serves as a roving minister inside the prison, joyously shared how God’s Word was meaningfully celebrated by hundreds of inmates from different religious sectors. They kicked off their Bible celebration with a launching program headed by the prison camp leaders coming from the Roman Catholic Church, Born Again Centered Fellowship Inc., Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo, and Dapecol Church of Christ. Each religious sector also held their respective Bible study and sharing sessions throughout the week.
Their monthly Therapeutic Community Meeting also centered on the importance of reading God’s Word, with 3,411 inmates together with the Islamic Community in attendance. It was also graced by the Commander of the Guards PGIII Nonie Forro, as well as PGI Manuel Roxas Jr. who is in charge of the Behavioral Modification and Therapeutic Community Program for the inmates at DPPF. They recognized the Scriptures as a source of help and encouragement for people in prison and talked about how the Bible is indeed hope for a community’s progress especially in their jail communities.
They also made their Bible celebration more festive with an inter-religious slogan making contest and awarded their winners in a culminating program. They also had fun performances from different Christian sectors and distributed certificates of appreciation to those who actively participated and supported their week-long activities in the prison camp.
God be praised for the ministry opportunities He provided through the National Bible Week. For the inmates, this celebration not only paved a way for them to honor God’s Word but also became an event that showed how the different religious sectors in the DPPF community can unite and work together. The Word of God is truly powerful and can bring genuine transformation in our country.