*** FOCMINISTRIES ***

Prision Ministries

As prison ministry is a part of FOC ministries, I used to occasionally visit jails and talk to prisoners. But after few months I received a letter from a prisoner (Mr. Prakash, a police constable) who is released on bail and he wrote it to me just before he committed suicide and died. In that letter he mentioned to me that he was a Hindu but he accepted Jesus on studying a gospel tract given by me. He also said that the prisoners needs comfort and love of Jesus. But before I received his letter he died. This specific incident challenged me and changed my motives towards the prison ministries. No I'm regularly reaching the prisoners. So I received the necessary training from the Prison Fellowship of India.

Our district Vizianagaram has 6 sub- jails. We visit one jail per week. Also we visit central jail on every second Saturday which is in Visakhapatnam . We talk to them, counsel them, give them hope and preach them about Jesus.

We are affiliated with Prison Fellowship of India in our prison ministries.

Counseling
Family care for both the parties.
Rehabilitation

Have you ever given a thought to the thousands of children in prison and prisoner's children? Did you know, those imprisoned mothers are allowed to keep their children in prison till they reach five years of age? After which they are either taken by a relative or kept in a destitute home. Grown children are left to feed for themselves. From a life of gloom and misery and poverty they graduate to crime and end up prison. Statistics indicate that 70% of the children of prisoners and those of crime victims turn to criminal activities.

Don't they deserve better life? Can we be complacent?

These budding lives cannot be left to be trampled by the harsh realities of life, because they are PRECIOUS CHILDREN. Precious Children's Home is a project of Followers of Christ Ministries to give hope, love, and joy to the hopeless children of prisoners and crime victims. Stigmatized as they are, these children are not received in any other institutions. Therefore this project focuses on their physical, emotional, educational and mental well-being.

Our commitment is precisely to serve the community of prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families in the area of correction, welfare and rehabilitation. Children within the age group of 4-8 years from economically poor situations are also brought to the Precious Children Home. All the physical and educational needs of the child are met within the Home. After completion of high school, the child can further do his or her education, either in academic or in vocation. The parents have an option to take their child back once they are out of prison. We encourage this in order to accommodate another waiting child.

We haven't forgotten to accommodate the Crime Victim's Children. No! Not at all. Hand-in-hand, together with the prisoner's children, they also find solace here. Your response to this cause would provide meaning and purpose in the lives of many PRECIOUS CHILDREN 100 & more is our goal.