THE HOUSE OF NEW BEGINNINGS
Introduction
Hope in Christ Prison Community Service is a charitable organization that looks at the plight of vulnerable people in society but very passionate about prisoners, their families and ex-prisoners. The centre is being run by a committee of people who feel God wants to use them in this ministry voluntarily. We were prompted to come up with a centre after seeing the challenges that many prisoners and ex-prisoners face while in prison and after release. Our main vision is to build a centre that will enable us empower inmates in different skills once released. Due to limited resources we are currently unable to achieve this goal hence we can only offer the following services:
Services Offered
Among the services being offered at the centre are:
- Spiritual counseling
- Provision of temporary shelter to some of the just released inmates who have nowhere to go
- Provision of food and basic needs like clothing and transport monies to their families
- Mediation between families and inmates
- Re-uniting families and their offending relatives
- Assisting families of inmates and ex-prisoners by paying their children’s school needs and in some cases paying their house rentals and food, and many other things
What we intend to Achieve
- To build and furnish a drop-in-centre where inmates can come and be empowered in a desired skill once released e.g carpentry, gardening, computers, plumbing, mechanics, tailoring etc.
- To build a kitchen and dining hall
- To build hostels for ladies
- To have a fish pond
- To build a small clinic; this is very important because usually many inmates come out with a lot of diseases and infections therefore, need to be treated before they leave the centre
- To supplement govern efforts in reforming prisoners to responsible citizens.
Challenges
- Lack of resources e.g necessary tools to empower ex-prisoners as per our vision
- Lack of funding e.g money to buy food and clothes for inmates who pass through the centre
- Lack of transport to enable us deliver our vision diligently
- We are currently sustaining the centre from the finances coming from the:Produce of our small garden
- Occasional gifts
How can you help
In able to help us in our efforts to support (former) inmates and their families you can:
- Donate:
Second hand clothes
Tools (carpentry and gardening)
Take the following information into account when being in contact with a prisoner:
Addressing Letters & Envelopes:
Use this prisoner's complete address on both the envelope and letter. If the letter should become separated from the envelope, the prison will still be able to get it to the prisoner. The same can be said for Zambian Mail Services.
Ceasing Correspondence with an prisoner:
If you are hearing from an prisoner/prisoners that you do not wish to have contact with, write and tell them so. If that doesn't immediately end the problem, contact the prison and tell them that you do not want to receive mail from the specific prisoner/prisoners writing. Also, you can take all letters from the prisoner/prisoners that you receive, black out your address, write "RTS" (return to sender) on the envelope, and put them back in your mailbox. The mail will then be returned as "undeliverable."
Crime Information:
Crime information in often not available; for legal reasons it might not always be possible or the prisoner to disclose their crime information.
Discussing Crimes:
We recommend that you not ask the prisoner about his or her crime. When they are ready, they may bring it up in correspondence, and that would be the time to discuss it.
Donations to prisoners:
We neither encourage nor discourane you to send money to an prisoner at any time. Many prisoners are indigent, and we fully understand that they may ask people on the outside for money once correspondence is established. Donating money is a decision that can only be made by you; Hope In Christ Zambia is not able to give any guidance or recommendations in specific cases. Remember that you chose to write to an prisoner, not sponsor one. You are not obligated to send money, nor do most prisoners ask for money. If this makes you feel at all uncomfortable, don't do it. If the prisoner is requesting a donation for something that seems unusual, please ask the prisoner for more explanation before sending money. A few dollars can go far in prison, but you should never send large sums of money under any circumstances. Many pen-pals will send $10.00 to $25.00 or so on birthdays or holidays to the prisoner they are writing. prisoners can use money in prison to purchase a variety of items including: food, medication, hygiene products, clothing, art supplies, and postage. Please contact us when you want more technical details on sending money to the prisoners.
Family:
Many prisoners have lost contact with their family members due to their crime(s) or due to geographic boundaries. It is always smart to check with the prisoner to see what their personal situation is.
Gifts:
If the prisoner doesn't specify in his or her profile, write and ask before sending any items. Most of them will be thrilled just to hear their name at mail call. Rules may vary from prison to prison, contact us if you wish to send care packages or other useful items to the prisoners.
Giving Your Address:
You do not have to give your address if you are willing to get a P.O. Box. Also, your local church will almost always let you use their address. Churches tend to be very supportive of prisoners maintaining contact with the outside world. Be sure to stop in or give them a call before doing this. When using a P.O. Box or church address, it may be possible to correspond with an prisoner using only your first name. Prison policies may vary on this, and you would need to contact the prison directly before doing this.
Guidance:
You begin as a pen pal, but you are in a position to become much more - a mentor. You may become the most influential person in your prison pen pal's life. Many prisoners lose all contact with the outside world. You are in a unique position to encourage positive behavior and reform. Outside contacts for prisoners serve a much different purpose than those inside. prisoners will typically share more of their concerns with outside contacts, because it is not perceived as a weakness like it is in prison. You can help by providing a sympathetic ear and steering them away from trouble. Oftentimes, prisoners vent in letters about other prisoners, staff, conditions, regrets, etc. We recommend that you do not involve yourself in detrimental talk about the prison staff or other prisoners; however, letting them share their thoughts can serve as a safety valve for prisoners when they write letters. As your friendship evolves, try to help your prison pen pal focus on the positive. If appropriate, introduce the conversation of counseling, furthering their education, and definitely don't miss the opportunity to talk to them about employment if they're coming home soon. We provide a great deal of information and assistance regarding employment, but it takes friends working with the prisoner to make it happen. We also list many self-help documents to help prisoners get their lives moving in the right direction.
How Long Before Receiving a Reply:
Please be patient. Institutional mail typically moves about 10 to 15 working days slower than normal mail. Mail is rarely lost as long as it is addressed properly. International mail can take up to one week longer for delivery.
Mental Well Being:
Do not correspond with an prisoner or anyone that you don't know if your own mental state is unsound. It can be damaging to both you and the prisoner.
Photos/Fake Photos:
Hope in Christ Zambia verifies prisoner photos before placing them online only when that option is available to us. We do not consider old photos fake photos. Many prisoners do not have access to new pictures. As is the case with all pictures posted on the Internet worldwide, it is entirely possible for an prisoner to place a fake photo on Hope in Christ Zambia or other pen pal sites.. If you are unable to verify the prisoner's photo at the correctional link provided on their profile, so are we. Keep this in mind when replying to prisoners. If an prisoner does place a fake photo, it will typically be of a very good looking person. This is something to keep in mind when replying to appealing pictures that cannot be verified. However, an attractive photo does not necessarily mean that photo is not authentic. If you send an prisoner a photo, follow these guidelines:
1) Write the prisoner's complete name and DOC number (if applicable) on the back of the photo.
2) Always send copies of photos. Originals can and will be lost sometimes.
3) Never send Polaroids. They might be returned and tend to fade over time.
4) Do not send anything sexual or violent in nature, and do not send anything that could be interpreted as gang affiliated. Use common sense when sending anything to an prisoner, or you may unintentionally get him or her in trouble. Ideally, ask the prisoner for specific instructions regarding the sending of photos. We also recommend sending no more than two photos at a time until you have reached the maximum number allowed; the prisoner can provide this information.
Prayer Partners
Some prisoners on our site are seeking people from their faith to pray with. For example, some maximum security prisoners or prisoners of unorthodox faiths may not have access to other people of their faith, and thus turn to sharing prayer through correspondence. Appearances are important in prison, and some prisoners are simply more comfortable sharing their faith with people outside of prison.
Receiving Money from prisoners & More:
Never accept money orders, cash, check, etc. from prisoners. Money orders can be faked, and cash can be counterfeited. Never accept money from someone else on behalf of an prisoner. Never send money to someone else on behalf of an prisoner.
Romantic Relationships:
We are not a dating site. We always discourage prisoners from placing profiles seeking romance, and we discourage you from seeking romance through our site. We are aware that some prisoners use their pen-pal profile space to solicit love letters. prisoners are no different in that respect, but as we’ve stated repeatedly, we promote friendship, not romance. If prisoners are unlucky in love, suffice it to say that they will still need a friend. Even if their profiles focus on seeking romance, you can still write to them offering friendship. Additionally, if you are writing to a very good looking prisoner who is seeking romance, it is highly unlikely that you will be the only one writing them. Good looking people tend to get good amounts of mail.
Security:
Never discuss prison security with an prisoner, even jokingly. Prison staff could misinterpret the conversation, and the prisoner could get into serious trouble.
Third Party Contacts:
Never contact someone else on behalf of an prisoner. Never include correspondence from someone other than yourself when writing to an prisoner. This is typically a violation of prison rules.
Tips for Writing prisoners:
A) Initial Contact:
In your first letter, tell a little background about yourself - your interests and hobbies, things like that. Avoid sharing too much personal information. Prisoners are happy to hear from you and are looking for words of encouragement. You might respond to something they have written in their profiles, such as a love for the outdoors or some other area of interest.
If you don't receive a reply right away, be patient. Mail moves more slowly behind prison walls. These men and women are anxiously awaiting contact from the outside world. If you don't get an immediate reply, give it some time.
Be sure that both your return address and the prisoner’s address are legible. Always print your name and address neatly on the envelope, and include it again in the body of the letter in case something happens to the envelope. Put your pen pal's last name and correctional ID number on each sheet of paper or the back of any photos that you enclose. This ensures that pages won't get lost when the mail is opened.
Birthdays can be a lonely time. If you don't have time for a lengthy correspondence, remembering a prisoner on this particular day can have a tremendous impact. Their birthdays are displayed with their profile information.
Greeting cards can be a good way to make initial contact. There are many friendship-type cards available just to say "hello" to the prisoner. This can take the pressure off of you about worrying what to write that first time. You can download free cards for printing on our site; links are provided on each prisoner's profile under “Profile Resources”.
You might want to include a photograph of yourself so the prisoner has a "face" to put with the name. Obviously, many of the prisoners are forthright in stating they are looking for relationships, but others are simply looking for a friend with whom they can correspond. A photo would be a nice gesture of friendship.
Be open and honest in your correspondence, but use good judgment and common courtesy. These pen pals are human beings. They are not novelty toys. They are people and should be treated with respect and courtesy regardless of what they are incarcerated for. You have voluntarily chosen to engage in correspondence with them, so please be careful and thoughtful in choosing your words.
We encourage you, the pen pal, to try and be a friend first and possibly a mentor to your prisoner pen pal. During incarceration, a good pen pal can be instrumental in helping prisoners overcome addictions, tracking down lost family and friends, and by providing a positive line to the outside world in general. Because communication with the outside world is a vital component in promoting a healthy attitude for prisoners, your letters can have a significant impact.
B) Ongoing Correspondence:
Maintaining an ongoing correspondence with a prisoner can be a mutually rewarding experience. As you get to know each other, your uplifting words of encouragement can make their prison sentence more bearable, and in many cases, it can have a positive impact on their transition back into society when that day finally arrives. You can and should encourage prisoners in their endeavors, such as work, school, therapy during incarceration, maintaining positive family relationships, etc.
Writing More Than One Prisoner at a Facility:
We encourage you never to write to more than one prisoner at any one facility. You may create a negative situation for the prisoners if you were to do so. It is just good sense to avoid such a situation.
Hope In Christ Zambia Prison Community Service cannot be held responsible for what happens between friends out- en inside prison.
Use this prisoner's complete address on both the envelope and letter. If the letter should become separated from the envelope, the prison will still be able to get it to the prisoner. The same can be said for Zambian Mail Services.
Ceasing Correspondence with an prisoner:
If you are hearing from an prisoner/prisoners that you do not wish to have contact with, write and tell them so. If that doesn't immediately end the problem, contact the prison and tell them that you do not want to receive mail from the specific prisoner/prisoners writing. Also, you can take all letters from the prisoner/prisoners that you receive, black out your address, write "RTS" (return to sender) on the envelope, and put them back in your mailbox. The mail will then be returned as "undeliverable."
Crime Information:
Crime information in often not available; for legal reasons it might not always be possible or the prisoner to disclose their crime information.
Discussing Crimes:
We recommend that you not ask the prisoner about his or her crime. When they are ready, they may bring it up in correspondence, and that would be the time to discuss it.
Donations to prisoners:
We neither encourage nor discourane you to send money to an prisoner at any time. Many prisoners are indigent, and we fully understand that they may ask people on the outside for money once correspondence is established. Donating money is a decision that can only be made by you; Hope In Christ Zambia is not able to give any guidance or recommendations in specific cases. Remember that you chose to write to an prisoner, not sponsor one. You are not obligated to send money, nor do most prisoners ask for money. If this makes you feel at all uncomfortable, don't do it. If the prisoner is requesting a donation for something that seems unusual, please ask the prisoner for more explanation before sending money. A few dollars can go far in prison, but you should never send large sums of money under any circumstances. Many pen-pals will send $10.00 to $25.00 or so on birthdays or holidays to the prisoner they are writing. prisoners can use money in prison to purchase a variety of items including: food, medication, hygiene products, clothing, art supplies, and postage. Please contact us when you want more technical details on sending money to the prisoners.
Family:
Many prisoners have lost contact with their family members due to their crime(s) or due to geographic boundaries. It is always smart to check with the prisoner to see what their personal situation is.
Gifts:
If the prisoner doesn't specify in his or her profile, write and ask before sending any items. Most of them will be thrilled just to hear their name at mail call. Rules may vary from prison to prison, contact us if you wish to send care packages or other useful items to the prisoners.
Giving Your Address:
You do not have to give your address if you are willing to get a P.O. Box. Also, your local church will almost always let you use their address. Churches tend to be very supportive of prisoners maintaining contact with the outside world. Be sure to stop in or give them a call before doing this. When using a P.O. Box or church address, it may be possible to correspond with an prisoner using only your first name. Prison policies may vary on this, and you would need to contact the prison directly before doing this.
Guidance:
You begin as a pen pal, but you are in a position to become much more - a mentor. You may become the most influential person in your prison pen pal's life. Many prisoners lose all contact with the outside world. You are in a unique position to encourage positive behavior and reform. Outside contacts for prisoners serve a much different purpose than those inside. prisoners will typically share more of their concerns with outside contacts, because it is not perceived as a weakness like it is in prison. You can help by providing a sympathetic ear and steering them away from trouble. Oftentimes, prisoners vent in letters about other prisoners, staff, conditions, regrets, etc. We recommend that you do not involve yourself in detrimental talk about the prison staff or other prisoners; however, letting them share their thoughts can serve as a safety valve for prisoners when they write letters. As your friendship evolves, try to help your prison pen pal focus on the positive. If appropriate, introduce the conversation of counseling, furthering their education, and definitely don't miss the opportunity to talk to them about employment if they're coming home soon. We provide a great deal of information and assistance regarding employment, but it takes friends working with the prisoner to make it happen. We also list many self-help documents to help prisoners get their lives moving in the right direction.
How Long Before Receiving a Reply:
Please be patient. Institutional mail typically moves about 10 to 15 working days slower than normal mail. Mail is rarely lost as long as it is addressed properly. International mail can take up to one week longer for delivery.
Mental Well Being:
Do not correspond with an prisoner or anyone that you don't know if your own mental state is unsound. It can be damaging to both you and the prisoner.
Photos/Fake Photos:
Hope in Christ Zambia verifies prisoner photos before placing them online only when that option is available to us. We do not consider old photos fake photos. Many prisoners do not have access to new pictures. As is the case with all pictures posted on the Internet worldwide, it is entirely possible for an prisoner to place a fake photo on Hope in Christ Zambia or other pen pal sites.. If you are unable to verify the prisoner's photo at the correctional link provided on their profile, so are we. Keep this in mind when replying to prisoners. If an prisoner does place a fake photo, it will typically be of a very good looking person. This is something to keep in mind when replying to appealing pictures that cannot be verified. However, an attractive photo does not necessarily mean that photo is not authentic. If you send an prisoner a photo, follow these guidelines:
1) Write the prisoner's complete name and DOC number (if applicable) on the back of the photo.
2) Always send copies of photos. Originals can and will be lost sometimes.
3) Never send Polaroids. They might be returned and tend to fade over time.
4) Do not send anything sexual or violent in nature, and do not send anything that could be interpreted as gang affiliated. Use common sense when sending anything to an prisoner, or you may unintentionally get him or her in trouble. Ideally, ask the prisoner for specific instructions regarding the sending of photos. We also recommend sending no more than two photos at a time until you have reached the maximum number allowed; the prisoner can provide this information.
Prayer Partners
Some prisoners on our site are seeking people from their faith to pray with. For example, some maximum security prisoners or prisoners of unorthodox faiths may not have access to other people of their faith, and thus turn to sharing prayer through correspondence. Appearances are important in prison, and some prisoners are simply more comfortable sharing their faith with people outside of prison.
Receiving Money from prisoners & More:
Never accept money orders, cash, check, etc. from prisoners. Money orders can be faked, and cash can be counterfeited. Never accept money from someone else on behalf of an prisoner. Never send money to someone else on behalf of an prisoner.
Romantic Relationships:
We are not a dating site. We always discourage prisoners from placing profiles seeking romance, and we discourage you from seeking romance through our site. We are aware that some prisoners use their pen-pal profile space to solicit love letters. prisoners are no different in that respect, but as we’ve stated repeatedly, we promote friendship, not romance. If prisoners are unlucky in love, suffice it to say that they will still need a friend. Even if their profiles focus on seeking romance, you can still write to them offering friendship. Additionally, if you are writing to a very good looking prisoner who is seeking romance, it is highly unlikely that you will be the only one writing them. Good looking people tend to get good amounts of mail.
Security:
Never discuss prison security with an prisoner, even jokingly. Prison staff could misinterpret the conversation, and the prisoner could get into serious trouble.
Third Party Contacts:
Never contact someone else on behalf of an prisoner. Never include correspondence from someone other than yourself when writing to an prisoner. This is typically a violation of prison rules.
Tips for Writing prisoners:
A) Initial Contact:
In your first letter, tell a little background about yourself - your interests and hobbies, things like that. Avoid sharing too much personal information. Prisoners are happy to hear from you and are looking for words of encouragement. You might respond to something they have written in their profiles, such as a love for the outdoors or some other area of interest.
If you don't receive a reply right away, be patient. Mail moves more slowly behind prison walls. These men and women are anxiously awaiting contact from the outside world. If you don't get an immediate reply, give it some time.
Be sure that both your return address and the prisoner’s address are legible. Always print your name and address neatly on the envelope, and include it again in the body of the letter in case something happens to the envelope. Put your pen pal's last name and correctional ID number on each sheet of paper or the back of any photos that you enclose. This ensures that pages won't get lost when the mail is opened.
Birthdays can be a lonely time. If you don't have time for a lengthy correspondence, remembering a prisoner on this particular day can have a tremendous impact. Their birthdays are displayed with their profile information.
Greeting cards can be a good way to make initial contact. There are many friendship-type cards available just to say "hello" to the prisoner. This can take the pressure off of you about worrying what to write that first time. You can download free cards for printing on our site; links are provided on each prisoner's profile under “Profile Resources”.
You might want to include a photograph of yourself so the prisoner has a "face" to put with the name. Obviously, many of the prisoners are forthright in stating they are looking for relationships, but others are simply looking for a friend with whom they can correspond. A photo would be a nice gesture of friendship.
Be open and honest in your correspondence, but use good judgment and common courtesy. These pen pals are human beings. They are not novelty toys. They are people and should be treated with respect and courtesy regardless of what they are incarcerated for. You have voluntarily chosen to engage in correspondence with them, so please be careful and thoughtful in choosing your words.
We encourage you, the pen pal, to try and be a friend first and possibly a mentor to your prisoner pen pal. During incarceration, a good pen pal can be instrumental in helping prisoners overcome addictions, tracking down lost family and friends, and by providing a positive line to the outside world in general. Because communication with the outside world is a vital component in promoting a healthy attitude for prisoners, your letters can have a significant impact.
B) Ongoing Correspondence:
Maintaining an ongoing correspondence with a prisoner can be a mutually rewarding experience. As you get to know each other, your uplifting words of encouragement can make their prison sentence more bearable, and in many cases, it can have a positive impact on their transition back into society when that day finally arrives. You can and should encourage prisoners in their endeavors, such as work, school, therapy during incarceration, maintaining positive family relationships, etc.
Writing More Than One Prisoner at a Facility:
We encourage you never to write to more than one prisoner at any one facility. You may create a negative situation for the prisoners if you were to do so. It is just good sense to avoid such a situation.
Hope In Christ Zambia Prison Community Service cannot be held responsible for what happens between friends out- en inside prison.
