Evangelische Bank eG
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Indonesia: Prison ministry
Indonesia: Prison Ministry
Prison ministry performed by the Bali Church is based on the words of Jesus: “I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:36). The Christian conviction says that every person possesses dignity because it is given to each one by God. This also applies to sentenced criminals, no matter how much guilt they have heaped upon their heads.
Prison conditions on Bali are appalling. The prisons are packed and prison cells are hopelessly overcrowded. Even basic hygienic precautions are violated. The women and men in prison receive no meaningful activities or work to occupy them. Most of the day, they sit inactive in their cells. This is a situation which frequently ends in depression or violent conflicts. Prison staff are overwhelmed by the situation. In addition, Indonesian prisons suffer from chronic understaffing.
This is why the Protestant Church in Bali (GKPB) is engaged in the sector of prison ministry and reintegration into society. Female and male ministers accompany prison inmates at their request and conduct conversations with them under the protection of ministry confidentiality. Church co-workers offer prisoners spiritual support and try to make prison life more dignified for them. They accompany prisoners on their way back to freedom and prepare them to resume life in society.
Indonesien
255 million inhabitants, of which 265,000 are detainees
Visits, support and counselling
Prison ministry offers inmates a protected space where they can talk openly about everything that moves them. Co-workers visit prisoners at least once a month. They celebrate worship services with the prisoners on Christian holidays. Besides talks and pastoral counselling, they supply prisoners with soap, toothbrushes, towels and other indispensable everyday items. Co-workers also bring coffee, tea or books with them. These small gestures improve the prison conditions of the inmates and give them back a piece of their dignity. As required, the ministers also keep contact with the prisoners’ relatives.
Project goals
Prison conditions on Bali are appalling. The prisons are packed and prison cells are hopelessly overcrowded. The women and men in prison receive no meaningful activities or work to occupy them. This is why the Protestant Church in Bali (GKPB) is engaged in the sector of prison ministry and reintegration into society. Prison ministry offers inmate a protected space where they can talk openly about everything that moves them. They accompany prisoners on their way back to freedom and prepare them to resume life in society.
Project work
Co-workers visit prisoners at least once a month. They celebrate worship services with the prisoners on Christian holidays. Besides talks and pastoral counselling, they supply prisoners with soap, toothbrushes, towels and other indispensable everyday items. Co-workers also bring coffee, tea or books with them. These small gestures improve the prison conditions of the inmates and give them back a piece of their dignity. As required, the ministers also keep contact with the prisoners’ relatives.
Project partner
Bali has a total population of 2.5 million, of which 14,000 are Christians and around 11,500 belong to the Protestant Christian Church in Bali. In the past, the Hindu population reacted with fear and mistrust to foreign Western religion. Meanwhile, the church on Bali has become settled and tries to serve not only the people in their congregations but also the whole of society. It runs schools, healthcare services and a hotel management school which maintains the ethical principles and the preservation of cultural values in Bali which has a tourism-based economy.
We are pleased to hear that you are interested in this project. If you have any general questions, please use the contact form below. We are also happy to help you personally if you have any questions or require further information – by phone or by E-mail.
Djoko P. A. Wibowo
Liaison Secretary Indonesia
+49 711 636 78 -36
wibowo@ems-online.org
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