Hope for Inmates
Intro:
The concept of restorative justice means giving back to the community you’ve
hurt. Some prisoners have found a way to support children who have even less
than they do. And volunteers believe this program will help inmates feel pride
and avoid a return to prison.
Script:
(Locator: Pittsburgh, PA)
(Chaplain greeting children) “You guys did such a
good job singing today.”
The Rev. Kimberly Greway, United Methodist Chaplain:
“I’m Reverend Kimberly Greway. I’m an ordained elder
in The United Methodist Church and I’m the director
of chaplaincy services at Allegheny County Jail.
It’s a difficult kind of ministry. It’s relentless.
Often times you have people return to jail multiple
times.”
Leland Chalmers Raymaley III: “My name is Chipper
Raymaley. In the past five years, I was locked up
six times.”
The Rev. Kimberly Greway: “We found something that
works to reduce the recidivism rate, the rate of
return to jail, from 65 to 18 percent. It’s called
the HOPE Program and it stands for Helping Open
People’s Eyes. It’s a residential, therapeutic
community that is interfaith. They have a term of
eight weeks in which they have classes three times a
day.”
The Rev. Kimberly Greway: “In each of the small
groups, they were given the challenge to come up
with a covenant that they would all sign. So it
could be things like, ‘I will be kind to my family
on the phone.’ ‘We will meet for devotions at 7
o’clock every morning.’ As their accountability to
each other went up, they earned the right to sponsor
an orphan in Zimbabwe so that child could go to
school. I feel called to be in ministry with the
people of Zimbabwe. I just have a great love of the
country and the people. And I think every child has
the right to go to school, and if we can make that
happen child by child, so much the better.”
The Rev. Kimberly Greway: “Now, obviously, the
inmates couldn’t send the money over to sponsor the
orphans. So, I looked around in the community for
people who would be interested in sponsoring in
honor of the inmates.”
Leland Chalmers Raymaley III: “Our group sponsored
Constantine Zinhumwe. We wrote to this kid and the
kid wrote back, and it was amazing.”
(Raymayly reading letter) “I write this letter to
tell you that you will be my friend.”
Leland Chalmers Raymaley III: “He wanted us to come
visit. He was so excited about this sponsorship, and
it was only $60. He was kind and loving. And what
love does he know? He doesn’t know his parents;
they’re gone. I plan to sponsor an orphan from
Zimbabwe for the same reason that The United
Methodist Church does it. I want to make a
difference.”
The Rev. Kimberly Greway: “There is an idea out
there about restorative justice, giving back to the
community you’ve hurt. I think this goes one beyond
that: giving back to somebody who has even less than
you do. That gives the inmates a sense of pride that
they have done something good even while
incarcerated.”
Leland Chalmers Raymaley III: “The most meaningful
thing I learned while being on the HOPE pod was the
meaning of love.”
(Kimberly Greway preaching) “In my capacity as
chaplain, there are many humbling moments.”
The Rev. Kimberly Greway: “It reminds me that God’s
image is on each person, whether a chaplain, a
volunteer, inmate or Zimbabwean orphan. We all bear
the image of God on us and since we do, we need to
treat one another as a child of God.”
Tag:
For more information on the HOPE program, call
412-688-9070 or
visit the website.
Posted: August 23, 2011
