The first and most important way you can help us is through prayer. The jail can be a very dangerous place and there is a fog of oppression over the place that can be felt. Prayer is so important! Please pray for our chaplains’ safety, wisdom, and endurance. Please pray for their families as well. And please pray for our board members, who donate much of their time and energy to keep our ministry running.

Secondly, we need men who will agree to correspond with inmates by mail. These men are often abandoned by family and friends and/or have burned bridges through their previous conduct. Having a ‘pen pal’ on the outside (that’s you!), to support them and encourage them makes a huge difference!

Third, we need volunteers to join our ministry and mentor the men in jail. This is an ancient Christian practice we are called to by Christ himself (Matt 25:31-46). Here’s what one of our volunteers had to say about his ministry experience:

First of all, I became a mentor because I was asked. But even before being asked, my heart was getting ready. In the Bible I had read Matthew 25:31-46. What spoke to me in this passage was the part about visiting people in prison. I thought, maybe, I could do that. Shortly after that I was asked if I would visit one of the inmates who wanted a mentor from my denomination so I said I would come and meet with her.

Since that first time I have been visiting weekly for several months. As a result of these visits, I have grown spiritually as well as perhaps becoming a friend and good influence to the ladies with whom I have talked. At a recent retreat at my church I heard the phrase, “Lips speak to lips and hearts speak to hearts.” I think this phrase sums up the work of Maury Chaplain Ministries. They are trying to reach the hearts of these ladies for good and for the good.