WORKING WITH INMATES' FAMILIES Incarceration imposes an emotional, psychological, physical, and financial strain upon the continuity of the family. The displacement of the inmate inflicts a corresponding sense of displacement upon the family. Hence, each family is in need of a support system to help them cope with the emotional strain of incarceration. Ministering to the family from a holistic approach can be a rewarding endeavor. As you minister to inmates who have actively involved themselves in your worship services, the occasion will present itself, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to minister to their families. When this level of confidence has been reached between a Prison Ministry worker and an inmate, the inmate will disclose information about his family, and will express an interest in the Prison Ministry worker. He/she should move with dispatch to attain an appointment to visit with the inmate's family. However, this appointment should be made after the inmate has notified his/her family about their desire for the visit. As a rule, inmate families will welcome you with open arms. Their hearts will be filled with gratitude because of the caring attitude of the Prison Ministry worker. THINGS TO REMEMBER: Some situations are going to be better than others. Some people might be manipulative; the Holy Spirit will guide you in these situations. When you work in a service capacity, a certain degree of vulnerability comes with the territory. No one wants to get burnt, but if you never get burnt, you are probably too rigid. Always visit in teams of two; sometimes it will be wise to have a male and female working on the same team. Don't go in preaching. Be friendly and compassionate like Jesus. Try to assess their needs. Try to take care of their social service needs through Social Service Agencies and the church. Don't make personal contributions of money. All exchanges of money should go from one agency to another, but never form person to person. This will keep the Prison Ministry worker from being financially manipulated and eliminate scams (i.e., an inmate's family member tells the Prison Ministry worker that they need $100 to pay their electric bill. In turn, the church, or an agency should make a check payable to the Electric Company, never to the inmate's family member.) If there is a need for food, don't give money, give food, or food certificates through the church, or an agency. Note that every time the Prison Ministry worker says this is from my church, a wedge is being opened to tell that family about Jesus and to initiate Bible Studies. The Prison Ministry worker has to follow the footsteps of Jesus by addressing the families' physical needs first, thus opening the door to address their spiritual needs. Invite the family to learn more about God's will and purpose for their lives through Bible study. Organize a family support system in your church for the family members of inmate so that they will have an opportunity to express what is on their minds, and to draw strength from each other. Teach them survival skills: anger management, assertiveness, training, coping skills, family management (money, structure, communication, etc.), job skills, computer training, GED, VOE, healthful living, etc.