As I write this piece, we have been blessed to recently take part in graduations of Lifeline Global programs in Arizona, Kansas, and Florida. This week, we had additional graduations in Southern California and in a couple of facilities in Texas.
In our first two complete months of the new year, our numbers are up substantially over 2024 in terms of men and women reached. This is a God thing because He blessed us with a 22 percent increase year over year in 2024. If all these statistics are not remarkable enough, we are touching the lives of roughly 50,000 incarcerated people every month with our curriculum on tablets/e-readers. This month and next month, our partners in Georgia will be hosting two Returning Hearts Celebrations (RHC), and we are preparing to return to Angola State Prison in May for a new RHC.
We give God all the glory!
Yet for all this good news, it is sad to say that we are losing ground. Recent studies from the Prison Policy Initiative reflect that after a drop in rates (due to COVID protocols), incarceration is back on the rise. The numbers are disturbing; especially when compared per capita with other countries. Although it is no surprise that the United States is leading in this category, it is disturbing that rounding out the top ten are not other countries but the United States.
What is the takeaway? We are not done! We give God the glory, and we drive on. Our race and mission, with your help, is to drive a wedge so deep in this problem that it will never rise again.
Please consider supporting RHC – either as a volunteer or with a generous donation. Help us restore more incarcerated fathers and mothers so they can spiritually reunite with their families and break the cycle of incarceration.
