• PRINT EDITIONS
  • | CONTACT
  • | TEL: 304.645.1206 | E: hello@wvdn.com
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
West Virginia Daily News
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Business and Tech
    • Crime
    • Local News
    • National News
    • State News

    West Virginia Wildlife Center to hold Groundhog Day event

    West Virginia lawmakers advance ban on gender-affirming care

    WVa lab owner admits to lying about testing public water

    Attorney General mobile office sets February stops for Central and Southeastern West Virginia

    Republican Club to meet Feb. 2

    A Greenbrier County grand jury handed up the following indictments in Greenbrier County Circuit Court on June 9.

    Greenbrier County Courthouse Transactions 1.30.23

    Trending Tags

    • Lewisburg
    • Alderson
    • White Sulphur Springs
    • Rainelle
    • Ronceverte
    • Greenbrier County
    • Monroe County
    • Rupert
    • Beckley
    • Smoot
    • Local News
    • State News
    • National News
    • Crime
  • Community
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
    • All
    • College Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Local Sports

    No. 15 TCU hosts West Virginia following Stevenson’s 31-point game

    Lady Cavaliers cruise to Senior Night victory

    Spartans end South Charleston’s winning streak

    After long layoff, Lady Spartans lose close one

    Erik Stevenson’s 31 leads West Virginia over No. 15 Auburn

    Erik Stevenson’s 31 leads West Virginia over No. 15 Auburn

    Basile and Virginia Tech host Syracuse

    Trending Tags

    • Greenbrier East
    • Greenbrier West
    • Marshall Sports
    • WVU Sports
    • Local Sports
    • High School Sports
    • College Sports
  • Government
    • All
    • City
    • County
    • State

    Alderson Municipal Planning Commission to meet Thursday

    Greenbrier County Commission approves bid for courthouse generator, new hires

    Lewisburg City Council to meet in special session June 2

    Lewisburg City Council approves county building permit invoices at special meeting

    West Virginia Senate passes guns-on-campus bill at colleges

    West Virginia Senate passes guns-on-campus bill at colleges

    WVa gov goes on the road to tout income tax cut proposal

    WVa gov goes on the road to tout income tax cut proposal

    Lewisburg City Council to meet in special session June 2

    Lewisburg City Council holds January meeting, announces Volunteer of the Year

    Trending Tags

    • Greenbrier County
    • Politics
    • Senate
    • Monroe County
    • White Sulphur Springs
    • Rainelle
    • Lewisburg
    • Alderson
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Lifestyle
  • Election Center
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Business and Tech
    • Crime
    • Local News
    • National News
    • State News

    West Virginia Wildlife Center to hold Groundhog Day event

    West Virginia lawmakers advance ban on gender-affirming care

    WVa lab owner admits to lying about testing public water

    Attorney General mobile office sets February stops for Central and Southeastern West Virginia

    Republican Club to meet Feb. 2

    A Greenbrier County grand jury handed up the following indictments in Greenbrier County Circuit Court on June 9.

    Greenbrier County Courthouse Transactions 1.30.23

    Trending Tags

    • Lewisburg
    • Alderson
    • White Sulphur Springs
    • Rainelle
    • Ronceverte
    • Greenbrier County
    • Monroe County
    • Rupert
    • Beckley
    • Smoot
    • Local News
    • State News
    • National News
    • Crime
  • Community
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
    • All
    • College Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Local Sports

    No. 15 TCU hosts West Virginia following Stevenson’s 31-point game

    Lady Cavaliers cruise to Senior Night victory

    Spartans end South Charleston’s winning streak

    After long layoff, Lady Spartans lose close one

    Erik Stevenson’s 31 leads West Virginia over No. 15 Auburn

    Erik Stevenson’s 31 leads West Virginia over No. 15 Auburn

    Basile and Virginia Tech host Syracuse

    Trending Tags

    • Greenbrier East
    • Greenbrier West
    • Marshall Sports
    • WVU Sports
    • Local Sports
    • High School Sports
    • College Sports
  • Government
    • All
    • City
    • County
    • State

    Alderson Municipal Planning Commission to meet Thursday

    Greenbrier County Commission approves bid for courthouse generator, new hires

    Lewisburg City Council to meet in special session June 2

    Lewisburg City Council approves county building permit invoices at special meeting

    West Virginia Senate passes guns-on-campus bill at colleges

    West Virginia Senate passes guns-on-campus bill at colleges

    WVa gov goes on the road to tout income tax cut proposal

    WVa gov goes on the road to tout income tax cut proposal

    Lewisburg City Council to meet in special session June 2

    Lewisburg City Council holds January meeting, announces Volunteer of the Year

    Trending Tags

    • Greenbrier County
    • Politics
    • Senate
    • Monroe County
    • White Sulphur Springs
    • Rainelle
    • Lewisburg
    • Alderson
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Lifestyle
  • Election Center
No Result
View All Result
West Virginia Daily News
No Result
View All Result
Home Community

Lewisburg volunteers help inmates find a second chance through their faith

WV Daily News by WV Daily News
December 14, 2022
in Community
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
64
SHARES
460
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ALDERSON (WVDN) – “I care about them like family.”

This is how Lewisburg resident Nicole Pisapia describes the prison inmates she and her husband Michael visit at the Alderson Federal Prison Camp for women (FPC Alderson).

The Pisapias are among the thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses who volunteer in a prison ministry that has ramped up during the pandemic. New methods were tested with the hope of reaching some 2.1 million incarcerated individuals in the United States with comfort and hope from the Bible amid lockdowns at these facilities.
“In our prison ministry initiatives, we’ve observed that many inmates want to change,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “They’re looking for a second chance, and some are finding the strength to change by applying Bible principles.”

More than 600,000 individuals exit state and federal prisons each year and face what an overwhelming transition can be back into society, according to a proclamation from the White House.

The reentry process is complicated in the best of times and is even more so with the additional difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pisapias believe that scriptural guidance can help inmates to cope with such challenges.

“Studying the Bible helps them to get a grasp on something positive that will help them to stay focused — not just while they’re in the facility – but also once they get out,” said Michael Pisapia.

The volunteers have seen the Bible’s positive impact first-hand.

“It doesn’t take long to see the changes in the prisoners’ body language and attitudes,” shared Nicole Pisapia. “It’s amazing to watch them blossom as they build a relationship with God and make good choices.”

The benefits even reach beyond prison walls. “Many of the inmates are mothers and grandmothers,” Michael Pisapia said. “Some have commented that what they’ve learned has helped them in their family relationships.”

For some four decades, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Greenbrier County have offered spiritual support to inmates at FPC Alderson. Each week, volunteers like the Pisapias offer an hour-long program featuring a Bible-based group discussion, songs and prayers. As many as 15 attend. Inmates also have opportunities to view pre-recorded Bible discourses and uplifting videos prepared by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

During the two-year pause on their in-person ministry due to the pandemic, local congregants shared scriptural encouragement with inmates by letter and email.
“Fellow Witnesses who have been doing a similar work in jails, prisons, state hospitals, youth facilities and substance-abuse facilities for decades are eager to return in person when safe to do so,” said Hendriks.

“Meanwhile,” he said, “rather than slow down our outreach, we are using this time to improve the training of our volunteers and research innovative ways to expand the work.”

In 2021 alone, more than 6,300 of these volunteers received enhanced training to assist individuals at 920 prison facilities across the country. Some of these volunteers are themselves former inmates.

Darrell Boyce of Louisville, Ky., entered prison at the age of 23 over drug charges.

He studied the Bible during his incarceration, was baptized upon his release and returned to help other inmates spiritually.

At one point, he was even overseeing the prison ministry work at the Pitchess Detention Center in Los Angeles, where he went six days a week to study the Bible with those who requested assistance.

“I felt like I had wasted the first 25 years of my life,” he said. “But I was able to use those years in some positive way to help others, which felt good.”

Like Boyce, two inmates who attend the Witnesses’ weekly program at FPC Alderson draw from their backgrounds to help others. They conduct one-on-one Bible lessons with other inmates.

Such teachers have observed that personal experience with incarceration builds empathy and helps those who are trying to change their lives see that they can be successful.

Reflecting on the positive outcomes of prison ministry, Nicole Pisapia explained what she and her husband consider to be the source of the success: “It is God who is lovingly stretching out a hand to these inmates. He wants them to come to know him, regardless
of their past choices in life.”

The Witnesses’ official website, jw.org, has more information about their prison ministry efforts during the pandemic as well as personal experiences of Bible instructors and learners in prison.

“It is our love for God and for neighbor that moves us to continue to reach out to inmates,” said Robert Hendriks. “We know the God of the Bible believes in second chances.”

Tags: AldersonCareCOVIDCOVID-19 pandemicdanceEPAFamilyGreenbrierGreenbrier CountyKYLewisburgLocalLouisvilleNYPrisonStateUnited StatesUSVAWV

Related

Community

Baked steak dinner to be held in Williamsburg Feb. 11

by WV Daily News
January 31, 2023
Community

Communities In Schools of Greenbrier County Receives Pyles and Turner Foundation grant award

by WV Daily News
January 31, 2023
Community

WVU system and New River CTC partner to expand educational opportunities for students

by WV Daily News
January 30, 2023
Community

Local West Virginia University student earns honor

by WV Daily News
January 30, 2023
Community

Ashlee Thompson named to JMU dean’s list

by WV Daily News
January 30, 2023
Community

Dixon receives education scholarship

by WV Daily News
January 30, 2023
Next Post

Burns bags first buck

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest News

Obituary: Richard William Ballard, 65

14 hours ago

Coronavirus Weekly Update: 1,874 new cases, 28 deaths

17 hours ago

No. 15 TCU hosts West Virginia following Stevenson’s 31-point game

17 hours ago

West Virginia Wildlife Center to hold Groundhog Day event

17 hours ago

West Virginia lawmakers advance ban on gender-affirming care

17 hours ago

WVa lab owner admits to lying about testing public water

17 hours ago

Lady Cavaliers cruise to Senior Night victory

19 hours ago

Attorney General mobile office sets February stops for Central and Southeastern West Virginia

19 hours ago

Alderson Municipal Planning Commission to meet Thursday

19 hours ago

Baked steak dinner to be held in Williamsburg Feb. 11

19 hours ago

Browse Articles By Categories

  • Business and Tech (143)
  • City (33)
  • Classifieds (13)
  • College Sports (153)
  • Community (2,054)
  • County (47)
  • Crime (259)
  • Entertainment (63)
  • Government (231)
  • High School Sports (695)
  • life style & culture (2)
  • Lifestyle & Culture (962)
  • Local News (2,943)
  • Local Sports (15)
  • National (4)
  • National News (5)
  • National News (571)
  • News (5,797)
  • Obituaries (1,242)
  • Politics (30)
  • Sports (1,006)
  • State (93)
  • State News (2,866)
  • State News (18)

Browse By Topics

Alderson (195) Business (322) Carnegie Hall (188) Charleston (283) college (308) Community (288) Court (290) Dear Abby (318) Education (178) EPA (248) Family (432) Featured (1869) football (185) Grant (214) Greenbrier (838) Greenbrier County (361) Greenbrier East (411) Greenbrier East High School (255) Greenbrier East Sports (330) Greenbrier West (174) health (296) High School (198) Home (624) Jim Justice (171) Justice (219) Land (282) Last (326) Lewisburg (733) Local (202) Man (220) NY (533) Park (183) Plan (426) Project (257) Ronceverte (209) School (351) State (998) The Greenbrier (504) University (240) US (1733) VA (1494) Virginia (430) West Virginia (1140) White Sulphur Springs (240) WV (1399)
QR Code
West Virginia Daily News

The West Virginia Daily News has been serving the Greenbrier Valley and southeastern West Virginia since 1852.

Learn more

Information

  • Login
  • Home
  • Subscribe to The WV Daily News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ethics, Standards & Corrections
  • Submit News and Events
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 The West Virginia Daily News, powered by ECENT CORPORATION. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • _____________
  • Home
  • Editions
  • News
    • Local News
    • National News
    • State News
    • Crime
    • Business and Tech
  • Community
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • High School Sports
    • College Sports
  • Government
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Lifestyle & Culture

Copyright © 2022 The West Virginia Daily News, powered by ECENT CORPORATION. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Google
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Facebook
Sign Up with Google
OR

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
west virginia daily newstaxi how muchupdown

Subscribe For Full Access

Flipbooks are available to paid subscribers only. Subscribe now or log in for access.