For 49 years, South Carolina Baptists have provided a Christmas gift to every inmate in the state, in an effort to bring hope to nearly 1 million people over the life of the ministry.
This initiative is called Prisoner Packets, and it is a collaboration between South Carolina Baptist Convention churches, associations and the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Throughout the year, South Carolina Baptists gather supplies, and volunteers attend a packing day, which took place Dec. 3 at NewSpring Church in Columbia, South Carolina. Volunteers packed 17,500 bags, ensuring that every current inmate would receive a gift.
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Simple gifts
The bags contain simple hygiene items, writing materials, a 30-day devotional and candy — but for many inmates, it’s a reminder that they are not forgotten. In fact, each year, former inmates return to this packing event to serve those still behind bars.
Perhaps the clearest picture of the ministry’s impact came from a woman who walked through the doors on her first day out of jail. She came not to receive anything, but to give back. “I got these packets for 15 years. When we receive these bags, it’s like a big Christmas party. This program is awesome because we really look forward to these bags every year.” After receiving the gifts year after year as an inmate, she returned — this time free — to help pack them for others.
Statewide collaboration
Several attendees emphasized the importance of collaboration on a day like this. Steven Ragan, senior associate mission strategist at Three Rivers Baptist Association, said, “We believe cooperation happens best when churches do things together that no single church could do alone. It’s a beautiful image of people working together to make sure that the gospel is shared no matter what.”
Nearly 160 volunteers attended to pack the bags. Joel Anderson, director of South Carolina Department of Corrections, said, “This program couldn’t be done without these volunteers.” He shared that, in just a few hours, the volunteers would turn the donated items into over 17,000 bags, and those bags would be delivered throughout the state the next day. “It’s amazing what they do,” he said. “Some 2,000 churches are involved in this, and we need to thank them tremendously.”
The reason for the season
While the gifts are an important part of the initiative, partnering Baptist churches and volunteers are driven by the message to share the gospel with those behind bars, especially during the holiday season. “Christmas can be a challenging time for inmates, so this packet is an opportunity for us to encourage them in this season,” Jon Jamison, SCBaptist Serve Team leader, said.
Dwayne West, administrator at Kittiwake Baptist Church, emphasized his prayer for the packets. “I hope the inmates realize they aren’t forgotten, and I hope they take the opportunity to read the devotional and find Christ.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Anna Gardner and originally published by the Baptist Courier.
