Aglow Nigeria Prison Outreach

by Janae Lovern, Aglow International Field Director

This month’s International Field report comes from the archives from June 2014 and Aglow Nigeria. On June 4, 2014, Aglow leader Bessie Ochinyabo wrote a response to the question of “What Does Aglow Do?”  

Here’s Bessie’s response from twelve years ago, an inside look at Aglow in a nation where the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit are still going strong today! As you go about your daily life over the next month, please lift the nation of Nigeria and all of the Aglow women and men of this great nation.

Bessie Ochinyabo (2014 June 4)

I find the topic very interesting.

One of the things Aglow does is Prisons fellowship. In our town Otukpo, in Benue State of Nigeria, Aglow goes into the local prisons weekly. We visit the inmates; share the word of God with them in fellowship. It is heartwarming to see Jesus transforming these souls, giving them hope and a future. They are taught how to pray, wait on the Lord and be of good behavior. They are excited when prayers are answered. We also supply them with bibles, when there are new inmates, and encourage them to read them in their quiet times.

Once in a while, we have babies born while their mothers are still serving in jail terms, on awaiting trial. Aglow now takes responsibility of providing the needs of both mother and child. We also ensure that adequate medication is given, in all cases they have their babies in the hospital where the doctors and midwives are present to carry out the delivery of the babies.

Occasionally, supplies are taken to the in-mates such as; washing soap, footwear (dresses for the female wing). There are times when mothers with a child between the ages of 1 year to 3 years are in-mates. Aglow now takes full responsibility for taking care of the child’s clothing and ensuring that the child is properly fed and is healthy.

We realize that not only do the in-mates fellowship with us, while in the prison some of the Warders (authority) join us too, and make their contributions to the glory and honor of our Lord Jesus. Last week, it was quite interesting.

We give God the praise for the open-door; He has given to us, to serve in the prisons. Praise the Lord.

Bessie