PFI Europe NEWSLETTER November 2004 - “Bringing us closer together through news and prayer”
Mailing Address: Les Vernettes, 1081 Montpreveyres, Lausanne, Switzerland
Telephone: (+ 41) 21 903 0270 FAX: (+ 41) 21 903 0272 E-mail: Europe@pfi.org


FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL SERVICES DIRECTOR…

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This is to report that the initiative of the European Office to encourage the formation of an Association of Friends of PFI in Switzerland is taking shape, praise the Lord! At a brainstorming meeting in Bern, the capital of Switzerland, on Oct. 29, the Chairman of PF Switzerland Jean-Luc Rioult, the Member of the Swiss Parliament Hon. Walter Schmied, and other people present supported the idea without any reservation. In the period before Christmas the Executive Board of the Association will be formed and will apply for registration under the Swiss law. At the same time an Advisory Board of prominent personalities will start to be formed. Later on, a business/professional network will be established, permitting business friends of the national ministries to get reliable business referrals through PFI global network (an idea, generated by PF Kazakhstan Executive director Andrey Sadoyan).

The main thrust of the Association activities will be to present PFI vision and mission as the biggest prison ministry in the world, to promote especially the concept and best practices of Restorative Justice, and last but not least to present to Swiss foundations, churches and individual donors worthy projects of PFI national ministries from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America and raise funds for such projects.

We shall keep you informed you of the developments, but already now we invite you to do the following:

• Pray for the formative stage of the Association;
• Send us your comments, advice, and proposals for joint projects with PF Switzerland and other PFI ministries;
• Share stories, programs and needs of your ministry, that will enter into the Projects Portfolio the Association will start developing;
• Discuss the possibilities for encouraging the formation of an Association of Friends of PFI in your country.

Yours in Christ, Ivan Sotirov

PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1 (NIV)

NEWS ITEMS and PRAYER REQUESTS

NEW PFI EUROPE CHARTERED MINISTRIES
At the recent PFI Board Meetings held in Washington DC, 2 new National Ministries, PF Belarus and PF Channel Islands (British Isles), became PFI chartered members.

We warmly welcome these two new PFI Europe ministries which bring the total number of ministries in our region to 30.

The Channel Islands are a group of 5 small British Crown Dependency islands in the English Channel off the NW coast of France. The two main islands, Jersey and Guernsey have a prison population of 92 and 180 prisoners respectively.

Channel Islands interest in PFI began in 2001 when a group of politicians interested in restorative justice, led by Jonathan LeTocq, a member of the States Parliament in Guernsey invited Jonathan Aitken a member of the PFI Board to meet with them. Ron Nikkel visited the Channel Islands in 2003 and following his visit an interdenominational Steering group was formed which eventually through its hard work and prayer culminated in the public launch of PF in the Islands in October 2003.
The Chairman of the ministry is the Rev. Jonathan P. Le Tocq, Email address: Jon@LeTocq.co.uk

The Belarus prison ministry celebrated its 10th Anniversary on October 11-12 in Minsk. The two-day conference was presided by Metropolitan Filaret, the head of the Belarus Orthodox church, with guests from

While the chaplains from the PF Russia, and PF Ukraine. Orthodox Church and their volunteer teams serve as the backbone of the ministry, clergy and volunteers from the Catholic, Pentecostal and Baptist churches are also involved. All 37 prisons in Belarus have prayer rooms and in 11 prisons there are chapels. Mr. Vladimir Gorelov is the PF Belarus Executive Director. Dr. Alexander Patushenya and Fr. Vassily Litvinko are Co-Chairmen of the Board.

PF NORWAY - KARE ROLAND IS SCALING DOWN
Ingvald Viken reports: “PF Norway’s Executive Director, Kare Roland is reducing pace, scaling down and leaving as leader of PF- because of old age and health restrictions.
Kare Roland has been connected with PF Norway since its start in 1988, last 9 years as Executive Director. He has also many friends in PFI through his faithful involvement at several conferences throughout the world, last in Toronto.
The P F Board is happy that he is still available locally – serving Ringerike prison and being part of the PF network and serving in consultative functions.
Please be with us in prayer for his follower as Executive Director.”

PFI - RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WEEK, 14-21 November 2004
“BUILDING PEACE- BUILDING RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS”
Study material for PFI’s Restorative Justice Week, 14-21 November 2004 is available from the PFI Centre for Justice and Reconciliation.

This Study Guide can be used in a number of ways; 1. For Daily Devotions. 2. for Staff, Volunteers or Board Training. 3. Bible study in prison. 4. Study/information sessions with local churches, student groups. 5. Study/information sessions for Christian prison personnel and justice officials. To obtain a copy by email, please contact Lynette Parker, email lparker@pfi.org

PF UNITED KINGDOM –PRISONS’ WEEK- November 21-27 “JUSTICE THAT RESTORES”
For a number of years Prisoners’ Week has been observed throughout the UK and Canada. This year the name has been changed to Prison Week.

PF Northern Ireland is taking part in a one day Restorative Justice Conference being held in Belfast on Thursday 18th November 2004, with Dan Van Ness of PFI’s Centre for Justice and Reconciliation being one of the guest speakers. Representatives from the 4 PF United Kingdom national ministries, along with the PFI Regional Envoy for Europe, are taking the opportunity of meeting together in Belfast on the 17th of October.

PFI’s INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP FORMATION & MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT (ILF) “WHERE EXCELLENCE IS A JOURNEY”

During the recent PFI Board meetings a new PFI continuing leadership training and ministry development, based in Singapore, was inaugurated whose Purpose Statement is; “To affirm the calling to leadership and to enable these leaders (those so called) through intentional leadership formation, to serve their National ministries in the fulfilment of the PF Mission.” The Institute of Leadership Formation (ILF)’s threefold Objectives are aimed at implementing an intentional and integrated process of:
• Assisting emerging national ministry leaders in discerning their vocation and calling to ministry leadership.
• Supporting emerging, new, and established leaders, in a guided process of spiritual formation designed to nurture and develop the character of spiritual leadership.
• Equipping these leaders with leadership and management skills by providing learning opportunities and ongoing mentoring and coaching.

The inaugural session will take place in the second half of April. Besides, there will be an LTI training seminar during the International Council session in August 2005 in Hong Kong., and another one in November (location to be determined).

VISIT REPORT - INNERCHANGE FREEDOM INITIATIVE (IFI) FAITH-BASED PRISON, HOUSTON, TEXAS
Mario Diaz Velez and Angus Creighton, PFI Regional Envoys for Latin America and Europe, recently visited the IFI Faith-based prison in Houston, USA, and copies of their Visit Report document are available in email format to any PFI National Ministry interested in PFI’s faith-Based Prison Initiatives. Please contact Angus Creighton acreighton.caucus@pfi.org

PF MOLDOVA – A one-day retreat (seminar) of PF Moldova was organized mid- September in the capital city Kishinev with the theme: “I was in prison and you visited Me.”

High level government representatives, top managers of the penitentiary system, as well as the deputy wardens of all the prisons in the country in charge of correctional and religious programs took part as guests of the seminar, together with volunteers of various Christian denominations, ex-prisoners, representatives of some missions with which PF Moldova is partnering, Christian guests from the USA who co-operate with the Union of Churches in Moldova – altogether more than 70 persons. The seminar was opened by Col. Tonkoglaz, Acting Chief of the prison administration and member of the Board of PF Moldova. He stressed the importance of the valuable assistance the penitentiary system of Moldova is receiving from PFI in many aspects: in the spiritual re-education of the inmates - preaching the Gospel, distributing of spiritual literature, as well as humanitarian aid – sending clothes, shoes, alimentary products, medicines. It was underlined that the vehicles received from the Swiss Army are still in good shape.

Mr. Yatzko, Chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs of the Republic of Moldova spoke about the religious situation in Moldova, stressing the stable relationship between all Christian denominations, the freedom of religion and the significance of preaching the Gospel in the penitentiary system.

The Chairman of PF Moldova pastor Oselsky led a Bible study, which ended with a joint prayer.
He spoke about the importance of God’s Word, which is directed to all people and the need of it on the part of both the inmates, and the prison officials, the rich and the poor, the famous and the downtrodden, the wise and the ignorant.

The Executive director of PF Moldova pastor Plucci spoke about the vision and mission of PFI, about the importance of the unity of all denominations involved in the ministry, as well as about the true spirit of cooperation in building the relations with prison officials. We all have been called by God who has united us and given us the same task – go to prison and preach the Gospel.
Jesus was One with the Father and we must be one body in this ministry.

The leadership of PF Moldova expressed its heartfelt gratitude to PFI for the financial and material assistance to PF Moldova, which enabled the organization of the seminar.

The deputy prison wardens/governors in charge of religious programmes expressed their appreciation of the work of PF Moldova volunteers in the prison system and the multi-faceted assistance being provided to the prisons. Lt. Col. Kaloyan of the high security prison No. 15 stated that those inmates who come to the faith and who participate regularly in the Christian programs do not come back to prison after release – they have changed their lives, they have rejected the life of crime. Col. Kaloyan ended his Statement with the words: “May the blessing of our Lord be upon all of us”.

The volunteers of PF Moldova shared stories and best practices from their work in the prisons and in aftercare and families of prisoners. They also spoke of the hurdles on their way of taking God’s love and His Word to the prisons – mainly lack of funds to cover the transportation costs.

PF MALTA
Mark Vella, PF Malta’s Executive Director reports:

”I’m OK, Thank God. Just on the go…”

“PF Malta is doing fine. Few in number, but big in heart.

Yesterday we had our monthly meeting for volunteers... We would like to report that on the 22nd. September, thanks to contacts through HSBC Bank International, a special activity for Angel Tree was attended by HRH the Princess Anne, who personally said to me how pleased she was to learn of PRISON FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL. She would like more information.
She had great words of gratitude for the wonderful work being done by PF for the children of prisoners.

Last weekend, thanks to HSBC we organised 2 helicopter excursions for 50 children of Angel Tree Club.
It was so emotional seeing these children from 3 to 13 years meeting at the airport lounge, going through security, and boarding on the 2 big helicopters. They were allowed to take it in turns to sit by the pilots.

This afternoon (29th November) being the last Friday of the month, we will be holding our Prayer Meeting for male prisoners. Around 60 will be attending, including some 2 foreign prisoners, mostly Muslims.

We also serve tea/coffee and sandwiches.

As a Christmas present to all prisoners, PF Malta has decided to print a full-colour calendar. On every page we are including either the winning drawings in our Prevention of crime competition or photos taken of activities of Angel Tree.
This will be our first time printing such a calendar to accompany inmates throughout 2005.”

PF ROMANIA -
THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM OF PF ROMANIA
“(We) had a hard time in order to prepare all the 6 centres for the winter. It seems not so important, but 400 people full of energy are obliging us to restore, repaint, replaster, and fix again and again furniture, toilets, and bedrooms. We are blessed to praise God for helping us to have all the buildings like new ones. The Christian Centre for Children Exposed to Crime now has a new wood burning heating unit, and the expenses are now 90% compared to the time when we used diesel, and the Old Castle doesn’t at all complain of reuma. The kids are so happy!

The CHOIR MIRACLES of the street children is almost ready for their second CD. The children are preparing a journey to Greece for several concerts. The Romanian Embassy in Athens will include the project within the Government Educational Programme Abroad and they will not only represent our family, they will also be ambassadors of the children from Romania. Our Ambassador, Dr. Caius Traian Dragomir confirmed that the Embassy will support the transportation and some other costs of the trip.” Constantin Asavoaie, PF Romania Chairman.

THANK YOU NOTE

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, dear Friends,

Please allow me to avail myself of this opportunity to tell you how deeply touched I am by your prayers, even children are praying for me and I receive all kinds of attention and encouragement from many of you.

BIG THANK YOU TO ALL!

I am amazed at your perseverance, zeal and faith with which you continue to pray for me for months!

Truly, as God says, being members of the Body of Christ, we are members of each other, so when one member suffers, all members suffer.

Here is the moment to alleviate your sufferings for me - last week a third scanner was performed and the results are very encouraging - the growth of the tumour has stopped and the destructive changes in the surrounding tissues - disappeared. Halleluiah! God is merciful and all-powerful.

I feel your love and your prayers all the time, and here is the tangible result of them – your intercession before the King of kings and the Lord of lords bore a wonderful fruit.
Our God is great, merciful, generous and faithful! HALLELUIAH!
And He still goes way ahead of me! As He promised. He is the greatest Promise Keeper!

Many of you are asking how I feel. As far as my physical state is concerned (re my spiritual state - I am on top of the world!), during the days when I don't get the shots (3 times a week), I feel close to normal. After the injections, however, I get fever (which at one time rose as high as 40.2 C or 104 F), all kinds of aches, nausea, etc. and must stay in bed. That is, actually, good for me as it indicates that gamma-plant - the Russian plant-based preparation, makes my body fight the disease.

I consider that I am in great shape, especially in comparison with how I would feel without a stomach and with all those terrible side effects of the chemotherapy. I go with Ivan for walks in the woods, shopping, doing the work around the house, visit friends, still receive PFI colleagues to stay at our home. I know my total healing is just around the corner and I thank God for it! AND I REJOICE IN HIM ALWAYS!

I ask our loving Heavenly Father to pour on you, your families and ministry His abundant blessings!

With deep gratitude to Him and to you,

With His love, peace and joy,

Violet

This is YOUR Newsletter – Please send contributions, news items and prayer requests from your National Ministry to Gilbert Chellembron: gchellembron@pfi.org

Violet Sotirov is Editor of the Russian language edition.