making god's love tangible

​For a few years now, Festival of Sharing has had the opportunity to support the Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (WERDCC) in Vandalia, Missouri. This support has been expressed through women’s hygiene kits and a Christmas service inside the facility. The service is a joyful time with lots of worship and prayer. We celebrate the birth of Jesus and that he has come to make us all new. We rejoice in breaking the chains of our sin and giving our heart fully to God. To be part of the service is very humbling: the women will share their stories and ask you to pray for the health and safety of their family and friends. This year we will miss out on this connectional opportunity because of the pandemic. It would be unsafe and unfair for us to visit the facility and potentially take in outside germs to a vulnerable population.

Until we can visit again, I would like to encourage us all to keep the women in the WERDCC, and individuals incarcerated across the state, in our prayers. Pray that God is with them during their joys and concerns. That they feel comfort and love from their support network and that the facilities and staff can stay safe and healthy. May they still join in the awe and wonder of Jesus’ birth during this season.
 
We will be making a delivery of about 230 women’s hygiene kits to the WERDCC in early December. These kits will not support all 2,076 women who are housed there, but they can provide some relief and comfort to the women who may not have as many resources. There is a little store inside the WERDCC with higher quality hygiene items the women can purchase. To do so, one must have money in their account, which can be added to by friends and family. When someone doesn’t have funds, Chaplain Barnhart will help them access one of our hygiene kits, a small way we can share God’s love with them.
 
There are a few ways to join the support of prison ministries. As mentioned previously you can pray for the women, men, and youth who are incarcerated. You can send money to the Festival of Sharing designated for women’s prison kits. Sometimes facilities have other needs such as books for their library. The facility’s Chaplain would be a great person to start that connection with. ​