PRISON MINISTRIES START-UP Building a legacy of hope in Christ

Malachi Dads : for Men

Hannah’s Gift : for Women

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The GOALS of Awana Lifeline’s Malachi Dads and Hannah’s Gift programs are:

•TobiblicallypresentGodandHisplanforhistory.

•ToshowhowapersonbecomesafollowerofJesusChrist.

•To provide practical biblical advice for life, marriage, andparenting.

•Togivepracticeindevelopinggodlyhabits:Biblestudy,prayer,Scripturememory,accountability,andtoparticipateinsharingsuchwithothers.

•ToteachthecommandforandtheskillofDiscipleship.

•To enable a person to actively disciple their own family andthoseofothers.

n AWANA LIFELINE RESOURCESThefoundationofAwanaLifelinecurriculum isGod’sWord, theBible. All materials point inmates in the direction of becominggodly,faith-focusedparents.

Psalm 1 3-6weekBibleStudy

( (alsoavailableinSpanish)

MalachiDads:TheHeartofaFather 12weekBibleStudy

(alsoavailableinSpanish)

MalachiDads:TheHeartofaMan(PartOne) 12weekBibleStudy

MalachiDads:TheHeartofaMan(PartTwo) 12weekBibleStudy

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MalachiDads:FamilyRestoration 12weekBibleStudy

Psalm 23 3-6weekBibleStudy

Hannah’sGift:TheHeartofaMother

12weekBibleStudy

(alsoavailableinSpanish)

Hannah’sGift:FamilyRestoration 12weekBibleStudy

Returning Hearts Celebration

Childrenofinmatesarebroughttotheprisongroundsforasingledayofactivitiessotheirdads/moms can connect with them to further theprocessofreconciliationandrestoration.

n OUR BIBLICAL MANDATEThroughout Scripture,Godmoveswith compassion for those insociety who are most often forgotten – the sick, marginalized,andimprisoned.Whilestatisticsofthoseincarceratedcontinuestoincrease,itistheChurchthathasbeencalledtobealightofhope.

James 1:27 ReligionthatispureandundefiledbeforeGod,theFather,isthis:tovisitorphansandwidowsintheiraffliction,andtokeeponeselfunstainedfromtheworld.

Hebrews 13:3 Rememberthosewhoareinprison,asthoughinprisonwiththem,andthosewhoaremistreated,sinceyoualsoareinthebody.

Matthew 25:35-36, 40 ‘For I was hungry and you gavemefood,Iwasthirstyandyougavemedrink,Iwasastrangerand

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youwelcomedme,Iwasnakedandyouclothedme,Iwassickandyouvisitedme,Iwasinprisonandyoucametome.”

AndtheKingwillanswerthem,‘Truly,Isaytoyou,asyoudidittooneoftheleastofthesemybrothers,youdidittome.’

n OUR VISION:thateverychildwouldhaveagodlyparentwhoisbuildingalegacyoffaithinChrist.

n OUR MISSION:toglorifyGodbyinspiringandequippingmen, women, families, churches, and communities to developgodlyparents.

n AWANA LIFELINE HISTORY AND PURPOSELocatedone-hournorthwestofBatonRouge,theLouisianaStatePenitentiaryatAngolaisthelargestmaximum-securityprisonintheU.S.Morethan6,000inmatesresidethere.Manyarefathersto a collective 20,000 children.Most are serving life sentenceswithvirtuallynohopeofever leavingprison.Thegoodnewsisthatmorethan1,200inmatesareChristians.

For over a decade, formerwardenBurl Cain (who is also aChristian)strivedto improvetheconditionsatAngola.Wardensfromacrossthecountrynowcometohimforadviceonhowtochangepatternsofinmateviolenceandapathy.CainbelievesthatemphasizingfaithinChristhelpedtoturnAngolaaround.

InOctober2003,WardenCaininvitedAwanaCo-FounderArtRorheimandPresident/CEOJackEggartospeaktotheprison’sfellowshipofChristianmen.Whattheyfoundwasinspiring.The

inmates recognizedtheir role as spiritual leadersoftheir fami- lies and wanted an evangelism and dis- cipleship program to reach their children. Awana Lifeline Minis-trieswasborn.

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From the seed planted at Angola, Awana Lifeline Ministrieshas grown to include more prisons. And from those prisons,ourprogramshavenowexpandedtoimpactlocalchurchesandcommunity-basedgroups.Why?BecauselivesarebeingchangedthroughJesusChrist.

Childrendesperatelyneedgodlyfathersandmothers.AwanaLifelineMinistriesisinspiringandequippingmen,women,families,churches and communities to develop godly fathers and godlymothers,regardlessoftheircircumstances.

Current Awana Lifeline Ministries Statistics

•Runninginmorethan25USAStates.

•More than200MalachiDadsandHannah’sGiftprogramsarepresentlyinoperationworldwide.

•Operatingin7internationalcountries.

• Interestintheprogramcontinuestogrowinternationally.

•Severalprisonshave/arehavingReturningHeartsCelebrationseachyear.

n THE NEED FOR TRANSFORMATION AND RECONCILIATION

1)AccordingtoareportreleasedinFebruary,2008,forthefirsttimeinhistorymorethanoneinevery100adultsinAmericaareinjailorprison.1Thisaccountsfor2,319,258adultsheldinAmericanprisonsorjails.

2)In2008alone,statesspentmorethan$49billiononcorrec-tions,anincreasefrom$11billion20yearsbefore.However,thenationalrecidivismrateremainsvirtuallyunchanged,withabouthalfofreleasedinmatesreturningtojailorprisonwithinthreeyears.2

3)Morethan1.5millionchildrenintheU.S.undertheageof18–approximatelytwopercentofminorchildren–haveaparentservingasentenceinastateorfederalprison.3Thisnumberincreasesto2.2millionifyouincludejailsentences.

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4)Forty-sixpercentofall imprisonedparents livedwithat leastoneoftheirminorchildren,priortoentry.4

5)The average age of children with an incarcerated parent iseight years old; 22 percent of the children are under the age of five.5

6)AccordingtostatisticsfromtheDepartmentofJustice,childrenofincarceratedparentsareseventimesmorelikelytowindupbehindbars.6

7)Parentalincarcerationcreatedadditionalchallengesforchildrenand families often resulting in:

•Financial instability and material hardship, with financialproblemsthemostsevereforalreadyvulnerablefamilies.7

• Instabilityinfamilyrelationships.8

•Schoolbehaviorandperformanceproblems.9

•Shame,socialandinstitutionalstigma.10

1 ThePewCharitableTrusts,“Onein100:BehindBarsinAmerica2008,”availableonlineat[http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/One%20in%20100.pdf].

2 C. J.Mumola, (August 2000), “Incarceratedparents and their children.”U.S.DepartmentofJustice,OfficeofJusticePrograms,Washington,DC,accessed04/17/08at[http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/iptc.pdf].

3Ibid. 4C.F.Harrison,et.al,“FocusonChildrenwithIncarceratedParents,”(2005). 5Ibid. 6TheU.S.DepartmentofJustice,OfficeofJusticePrograms,accessed05/15/09at[http://www.ojp.gov/bjs/abstract/pptmc.htm].

7I.Garfinkel,A.Geller,&C.Cooper,“ParentalIncarcerationinFragileFamilies:SummaryofThreeYearFindings.”AnunpublishedreporttotheAnnieE.CaseyFoundation,2007.

8Ibid. 9T.E.Hanlon,“Vulnerabilityofchildrenofincarceratedaddictmothers:Implica-tions forpreventive intervention.”ChildrenandYouthServicesReview,2005,Volume27,67–84.

10Ibid.

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n BATTLING THE CYCLE OF CRIMETo combat this cycle of crime, prisons are joining efforts withAwanaLifelineMinistriestoofferrehabilitated—yetstillincarcer-ated—fathersandmothersachancetohaveapositiveimpactonthenextgeneration.ThisisaccomplishedprimarilythroughthreeAwanaLifelineministries.

The combination of Malachi Dads, Hannah’s Gift and Returning Heartsprogramshashadthemosteffectiveresultsinthelivesofinmates,theirchildrenandtheguardianfamilytowhichtheybelong.ForthiswecreditGodandthefaithfulworkofchaplains,wardensandchurchvolunteers.

Awana Lifeline Ministries equips churches and parents to buildalegacyofhopeinChristforchildrenofinmates.

•We empower local churches with resources that build a life-changingprisonministry.

•Fathersandmothersarereunitedwiththeirchildren.

•Weencourageanongoingconnectionbetweenfathers,mothersandchildrenthatresults inbetterchoicesandfuturesforthechildrenofinmates.

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•Weequipchurcheswithbiblicallybased,hands-ontraining.

•Weprovidegospel-centeredproductsandeventresources.

•Weseektoconnectchurcheswithothercompassionministriesthathaveaheartforinmatesandtheirfamilies.

•Weseektodiscipleinmatessotheyareempoweredtospiritu-allyleadtheirchildrenandfamilies.

n AWANA LIFELINE MINISTRY RESULTS AND GROWTH

AccordingtothecaregiversofchildrenwhoattendedtheReturn-ingHeartsCelebrationin2007attheLouisianaStatePenitentiary,67percenthaveobservedpositivebehaviorchangesintheirchil-dren.Forexample,theyhaveseenagreaterinterestintalkingtoorvisitingthefatherandaskingthemquestionsaboutGod.Also,anincreaseinacademicimprovementwasobservedbyguardians.

Further evidence supports this on a broader scale. In addi-tionto loweringthe likelihoodofrecidivismamong incarceratedparents, there is evidence that maintaining contact with one’sincarcerated parent improves a child’s emotional response tothe incarceration and supports parent-child attachment. God isat work throughout the country with Awana Lifeline Ministries’messageofbiblicalfathering,mothering,brokennessandrecon-ciliationbetweenaninmatefather,motherandtheirchildren.

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n PROGRAM PLANNING PHASES for Malachi Dads and Hannah’s Gift

PHASE1:Preparation

PHASE2:Investigation

PHASE3:RecruitmentofVolunteers

PHASE4:Orientation

PHASE5:SelectionandTraining

PHASE6:Implementation

PHASE7:EvaluationandRestart

PHASE 1 : Preparation

Checklist:

3 Pray,Pray,Pray3ReadBurlCain’sbookCain’s Redemption:AStoryofHope

and Transformation in America’s Bloodiest Prison by DennisShere

3ReadEquip Leaders:SmallGroupPrisonMinistrybyGregandDonnaCarlson(optional)

PHASE 2 : Investigation

Checklist:

3HaveaninformalconversationwiththePrisonChaplainorWar-denregardingtheirinterest.

3Readoverall thematerialson theAwanaLifelinewebsiteatwww.awanalifeline.org.

3 Prayandaskotherstopray.3 DecisionPoint:Determinewhethertohavetheprogramornot.

PHASE 3 : Recruitment of Volunteers

Checklist:

3Determinehowmanyvolunteersyouwillneed:—Instructors(1perclass)—Facilitators(1per5-6students)

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3 EstablishcriterianeededtohaveasuccessfulprogramthatisGodcenteredandGodhonoring.

3Dothedue-diligentbackgroundchecks(prison’sresponsibility)

PHASE 4 : Orientation

Onceadecisionhasbeenmadetoimplementtheprogram,con-siderthekeystakeholdersandconsiderdatestobegin.Begintoformanadvisoryboardthat includeswardens,correctionaloffi-cers,chaplains,ministrypartners,andvolunteers.

Checklist:

3Determineyourstakeholders.3 Set time to meet with and explain the program to the stakeholder(s).

3Determineifyouwillholda3-,12-,24-or36-weekprogram.3Getsupportfromvolunteersandaskthemtoplayarole.3 Understand the cost of the program and where you will get the resourcestopayfortheprogram.

3 Seta1-4hourtrainingtimeusingtheEquipLeadersbook.3 Decision Point: Determine an inmate orientation date fortheMalachiDadsorHannah’sGiftprogram,afterhavingtheneedednumberofvolunteers.

PHASE 5 : Selection and Training

Thisisacriticallyimportantphaseastheprisonorministrybeginstoselecttheinmateswhowillparticipateintheprogram.TheMal-achiDadsorHannah’sGiftLeadershipTeamshouldbecomposedofinmateleaders(ifthePrisonwillpermit)aswellasvolunteers.Therewillbeatrainingsession(1to4hours)forthevolunteersbeforetheprogramstarts.

Checklist:

3Gathertogethertheneededforms:—MalachiDadsorHannah’sGiftFlyer(toannouncethepro-gramtoinmatesandvolunteers)

—MalachiDadsorHannah’sGiftApplicationForm(forsigningupinterestedinmates).

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3DeterminehowmanyDads/Momsyouwantintheprogram.3 Schedule an Inmate Orientation (provide inmates with theapplicationforms).

3 Prayforandselectthevolunteerswhowillleadthisprogram.3 ProvideatrainingsessionforyourvolunteersusingEquipLead-ersbook(1-4hours).Includecurriculumplanandallaccount-abilityforms.

3 Prayforthemenandwomenwhowillbeintheprogram.3 ProvidethetrainingfortheMalachiDadsorHannah’sGiftLead-ershipTeam.

3 DecisionPoint:Haveconfidentandcommittedvolunteerswhoarewelltrained.

PHASE 6 : Implementation

Checklist:

3 Purchase the Malachi Dads or Hannah’s Gift materials. (seewebsitebookstore:www.awanalifeline.org)

3 Prepare,prepare,andprepare.3 Schedule and hold your first Malachi Dads or Hannah’s Giftweek(introducethePledge).

3Determine bi-weekly meeting time with Malachi Dads orHannah’sGiftvolunteersandadvisoryteam.

3 Decision Point: Set a graduation/celebration date that isapprovedbytheprison.

PHASE 7 : Evaluation and Restart

Awana Lifeline headquarters wants to know you have imple-mentedthisimportantprogram.

Checklist:

3 PrintoutcertificatesforallMalachiDadsorHannah’sGiftgrad-uates.(seewebsitebookstore:www.awanalifeline.org)

3 Prepareforgraduationandcelebratetheaccomplishmentsofthe men/women with their families, if possible. Provide theprisonwithanevaluationoftheprogram.

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3DetermineiftheprisonorministrywantstodoanotheryearoftheMalachiDadsorHannah’sGiftProgram.

3Gather your advisory team and volunteers to evaluate anddetermineatimeframeforthenextstart-up.

3 DecisionPoint:DeterminewaysyouwillimprovetheprogramandthankGodforhowHeworked.

n OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUPlease be assured that you are not in this alone. Awana Life-lineMinistriesstandswithyouinprayer.Wewouldlovetobearesourceforyou,sodonothesitatetoletusknowhowwemightbeabletosupportyouthroughthisendeavor.

Feedback:Pleasefillusinonhowitwent.

www.awanalifeline.org

1-888-944-4292