Urgent Need: Pen Pals
If you have 30 minutes a week, or 30 minutes a month, and feel led to reach out to someone who is in a place of real spiritual seeking, think about becoming a pen pal to a Christian prisoner. As you read in the previous post, we get many requests for individual contact. However, with the volume of requests we handle each week, we are only able to contact a fraction of those individually. We pray that God will provide us with persons who are called to reach out and become a friend, a mentor, a Christian example of the love and compassion that Jesus Christ has shown us to be.
If you would like to become a pen pal, please email this ministry. We will provide you with names and addresses. There are many other Christian pen pal sites on the web as well.
Wherever you get names and addresses, be smart about your correspondence. While the vast majority of those seeking pen pals through our ministry are sincere, there are always a few who may seek to manipulate or exploit. We suggest the following guidelines:
1.)Use a neutral address, such as a p.o. box, office or church address, for all correspondence. If you establish a correspondence through this site, and wish to use our church address as your neutral address, we will be happy to receive mail and then forward it to you.
2.)Establish clear boundaries for your relationship as a Christian friend. Don't feel pressured to do everything you are asked. If someone asks you to copy, mail, or type legal documents, or provide financial assistance or prerelease assistance, you can say no. Decide in advance and be clear about how involved you are willing to become in the prisoner's life: Will you accept collect telephone calls, make visits, help with release preparation, provide financial donations? These and other gifts may be welcome but should be your choice. If your pen pal oversteps, don't overreact, but be firm and clear in explaining your boundaries. If inappropriate requests continue, you may decide to end the correspondence.
3.)Regulations for what is acceptable in the mail vary by state, federal or local institution. Go online, or write to the institution to find out what you may and may not send to the inmate.
4.)Share only as much personal information about yourself as you are comfortable sharing. A prisoner may tell you his or her life story. You are not required to do the same. Remember our ministry is to comfort, inspire and share God's word. It is not necessary to share personal details about your living arrangements, family, or relationships to do that.
If you would like to become a pen pal, please email this ministry. We will provide you with names and addresses. There are many other Christian pen pal sites on the web as well.
Wherever you get names and addresses, be smart about your correspondence. While the vast majority of those seeking pen pals through our ministry are sincere, there are always a few who may seek to manipulate or exploit. We suggest the following guidelines:
1.)Use a neutral address, such as a p.o. box, office or church address, for all correspondence. If you establish a correspondence through this site, and wish to use our church address as your neutral address, we will be happy to receive mail and then forward it to you.
2.)Establish clear boundaries for your relationship as a Christian friend. Don't feel pressured to do everything you are asked. If someone asks you to copy, mail, or type legal documents, or provide financial assistance or prerelease assistance, you can say no. Decide in advance and be clear about how involved you are willing to become in the prisoner's life: Will you accept collect telephone calls, make visits, help with release preparation, provide financial donations? These and other gifts may be welcome but should be your choice. If your pen pal oversteps, don't overreact, but be firm and clear in explaining your boundaries. If inappropriate requests continue, you may decide to end the correspondence.
3.)Regulations for what is acceptable in the mail vary by state, federal or local institution. Go online, or write to the institution to find out what you may and may not send to the inmate.
4.)Share only as much personal information about yourself as you are comfortable sharing. A prisoner may tell you his or her life story. You are not required to do the same. Remember our ministry is to comfort, inspire and share God's word. It is not necessary to share personal details about your living arrangements, family, or relationships to do that.
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