Thank God that all travelling was completed safely. The visa waiver was extended until the end of June 2024.
One of Fraser servers crashed this week, the last data restore point he can find is September 2023. He needs a crucial file from after this date. Please pray. With God all things are possible, including IT solutions.
Dawn is preparing for the prison Bible studies and music sessions. Pray that those who need and would benefit most get the chance to get one of the spaces.
Ministering to prisoners is great, but far better to help people leave crime than pick up the pieces in prison once lives have been wrecked. Ashley, a prison ministry colleague and ex-drug-dealer/gangster, wants to offer a Restorative Justice programme for gang members still in the community and has asked Dawn to be involved.
We would do the same RJ things with different gangs around Wellington. Prisoners have said, “If only I had been shown these things years ago, my life would have been very different.” After the individual gang sessions, we hope to offer a united support group.
Pray for a place to meet, funds, printing and for other groups to allow us use what they’ve developed – to serve the same God and work towards the same goal.
Last week, we met one gang member. The others had jobs on local farms. Few want a criminal life; many feel they have no choice. Ashley’s life, completely changed since he met Jesus, is a witness to the possibilities of what can be achieved with God’s help.
Dawn held the Bible study in Drakenstein Medium A today on Depression, how to recognise it and help both others and yourself. A prisoner told of how even warders confide in him and ask him to pray for them because they see how he lives for Jesus.