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How can our church help prisoners?

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Each church is different. Therefore there are different ways in which churches can help prisoners and their families.

If it suits your church, you might get involved in

Note: Your help is very welcome. However, all initiatives need to be submitted to us first, due to the safety regulations in the prison. Not everything is allows and we can help you to make your plans suitable as to prevent disappointment.

Activities at the holiday

We like to let prisoners know that people think of them during the holidays. We do this for instance through postcards or through the collection and handing out of small presents like fruit, flowers or booklets.

Prisoners are normally alone in their cell. Holidays provide an opportunity to get together in prison and have a joyful meeting. Such meetings can be made possible through the financial gift of your church.

Supporting the families of prisoners
When someone goes to prison, their family often suffers the consequences. Many families could use the practical or financial aid of churches in such difficult times. For prisoners it is very important to know that there are people looking out for their families while they are absent.

Supporting ex-prisoners upon release
When people are released from prison they need to make a new start in life. They often need to find a new home, new job and new friends. These things are essential for preventing that an ex-offender falls back into criminal networks and activities.

Churches can mean the world for such a person. A church is a social community that can include an ex-prisoners to make him feel that he is welcome and worthwile. He may find in church people willing to support him in finding his way in society. At De Sluis we aim to help ex-offenders find a church where they can feel that they belong. We also aim at training and supporting churches in the work they do for ex-offenders.

Practical aid:
As a church you can:

  • collect clothing for prisoners. Many prisoners have nothing but the clothes they wore when they were arrested.
  • collect money for DSG de Sluis. Our work depends on the gifts of churches and individuals.
  • sometimes people from Eastern Europe are released from Dutch prisons and they are most helped if you could purchase a plane ticket for them to fly  back home and/or drive them to the airport.
  • ask our staff or volunteers to give a presentation in your church about the work of De Sluis, so that we can raise awareness about the situations of prisoners and their families.

Prayer
As a church or prayer group you pray for people that are in prison. For many prisoners it is important to know that they are prayed for as well as the victims of their crimes. In this way you can express your involvement with prisoners even when you stay outside of the prison walls. If you would like to receive specific prayer requests, please sign up through gebed@dsgdesluis.nl

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