ABOUT 31 pastors and church workers have engaged in a prison ministry training at Assembly of God’s (AOG) Christian Life Centre in Honiara, yesterday.
Constatino Lupancu and Reverend Pavel Sav of Blessed Hope International Misison in Chigaco, United States of America have conducted the one-day training.
Their visit to Solomon Islands was made possible through pioneer missionary from Fiji, Jone Karter.
The training was to equip church workers to help inmates serving their sentences in Correctional Centres help them know their purposes in God.
Mr Lupancu said, the training specifically targets inmates because they have lost their dignity and were distressed after being jailed.
Therefore, he said, by equipping these church workers, they can help the inmates to restore their dignity and find restoration in their lives in the jail and when they are release into the society.
AOG superintendent, Reverend John Subu said, the church must take active role to attain to inmates because it’s base in the bible on Mathew 25 verse 31-46.
He said, in the scripture it said eventhough the inmates have serve their time in jail, they are representatives of Christ.
Therefore, Rev Subu said, the church is not doing ministry to inmates only but to Christ as well.
Over the weekend, Rev Subu and Lupancu have visited Tetere and Rove Correctional Centre, where they gave the inmates gifts and devotional books.
Rev Subu said, after both visitations, he strongly believes that churches in AOG must actively involve in prison ministry.
He said, this is the beginning of such training and hope more will come in the future.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
