Crosses rise over churches, orphanages, and rural medical clinics. Funds are sent to support an orphanage in war-torn Sri Lanka. A school is rebuilt after being destroyed in typhoon-devastated Philippines. Wells are installed in 10 rural villages of earthquake-stricken Nepal. These are amazing results of compassionate caring and giving.  But what is more amazing is that the initiators of these projects are men incarcerated in a Canadian correctional institution who never go beyond their prison yard!

William "Bud" Sargent was the pastor of the Innisfail Church of the Nazarene, which was only a few miles down the highway from Bowden Institution, a federal correctional facility in central Alberta, Canada. The Bowden Institution is a medium institution with over 600 inmates, fulfilling sentences ranging from a couple of years to “lifers” who will die there. There is also a minimum annex to the institution where 125-130 inmates live in a group home setting, preparing them for release. Sargent became involved in prison ministry as a volunteer.

“I never really thought about ministry inside prisons and the impact chaplains might have upon offenders,” Sargent said. “But I was challenged to change my thinking and was invited by the chaplain to attend a few Sunday evening worship services at the prison to see what God was doing behind the fence.”

For the rest of the story, see Engage magazine.