darkest_red Posted April 16, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 67 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 885 Content Per Day: 0.12 Reputation: 55 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/05/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/23/1986 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Has anyone had a prison pen pal? I am seriously considering doing this and just wondered if anyone had any thoughts? I spent pretty much all day at work yesterday coming up with a for/against list and the for outway the against (both in number and, I think, in importance) but don't want to rush into anything as it is a big commitment. I have been thinking about it for while now (it was one of a few things I was thinking about doing) and I want to make a decision about it either way. If anyone has any thoughts that would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 i would suggest you obtain a pen pal through a chaplain of a prison ministry. since you're a woman, select only a female inmate as a pen pal. and be careful not to get suckered into putting lots of money on their account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GloryToGod! Posted April 16, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 24 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 624 Content Per Day: 0.10 Reputation: 25 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/20/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/21/1952 Share Posted April 16, 2008 i would suggest you obtain a pen pal through a chaplain of a prison ministry. since you're a woman, select only a female inmate as a pen pal. and be careful not to get suckered into putting lots of money on their account. I would heed Lady C's advice and go for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarletprayers Posted April 17, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 135 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 7,537 Content Per Day: 1.08 Reputation: 157 Days Won: 2 Joined: 04/06/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/29/1956 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I would also suggest you get a PO Box, so that they do not have your home address! Be careful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead Posted April 17, 2008 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 871 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 17 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/28/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted April 17, 2008 I would also suggest you get a PO Box, so that they do not have your home address! Be careful! Agrees, never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingwalker Posted April 17, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 970 Content Per Day: 0.14 Reputation: 11 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/20/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted April 17, 2008 I did one time. It is the last time I will ever help him out. He was a manipulator and user. My sister also had one. When he got out, she ran away with him. She was only 15 or 16 at the time. I guess my recomendation would be to have a pen pal the same gender as you are. But I would go through the chaplain or prision ministry first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damo1 Posted April 17, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,822 Content Per Day: 0.29 Reputation: 19 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/23/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/16/1967 Share Posted April 17, 2008 damo1 high darkest red you have been given some valuable information concerning your request weather or not to have a pen pal from prison i am an x inmate my self darkest red and i would ask that you do not give out personal information or your ph number if you decide to contac an inmate and i would talk to a chaplin first dont get comfterbal with a male inmate as this can lead to trouble when picking a pen pal from prison use wisdom first darkest red i have seen what inmates can do darkest red not all criminals are honest though if you feel god is calling you to be kind to some one who has not had what we have had in life then go for it i would recommend that you make a friend from a female inmate their are sevral difrent sights on line google prison pen pals and you will come to the sight hear you wil have their profile with picture of them selves and what they are in for and the things they have added to their sight you do not get given a ph number but a mailing adress darkest red i have done prison fellowship and its a joy sharing the gospel to these men though i have not shared in a females prison when i was in the philippines in jan for the three weeks i spent with my partner who is a filapino pastor i was invited to speak in one prison my father in law and two other deakons run bible studys every week in the males prisons with in bacolod i had the chance to share my testimony to over 400 inmates darkest red and it was an honor as 4 young men came down the front and gave their lives to the lord i am keeping in touch with a prisoner from germany he ended up in the philippines and got into trouble and is know serving time for dealing in drugs and stealing he is only young he thanked me for what i said and he said you held back as i can pick up you were a bad man your self and had a bad life i said yes you are right to say this and i said it was not right for me to fulley open up to you men i keep in touch with him by writting a letter to my partners acting pastor and when he is doing bible study with my father in law and the other two deakons pastor jess hands the letter i wrote to this young man your letters wil be read so you wil need to be care full what you say in your letters you send darkest red if you decide to have a prison pen pal use your head darkest red when writting and do not make any promises as they will give you their life story for a man who has not tasted the freedom we taste and has not been near a women this wil not be wise darkest red as if you start writting to a male prisoner he will think on these lines something could develop not all inmates are in recovery programs darkest red those who are in for murder brake and enter and dealing in drugs are plotting up new ways so they do not end up back inside and wil almost take advantage of who ever they are writting to sorry if i am sounding harsh hear though i feel i need to leave this hear for you do some more research before you decide darkest red a chaplin will tell you what you want to know and you have chaplins from difrent denominations working with in our prisons male chaplins and female chaplins i served time in two of our harshest jails in australia darkest red and what i saw from with in has never left me it is good that their are people like your self who care and i wil pray that god gives you the wisdom you need darkest red and puts the right prison pen pal in your path were you can be a blessing and were you can speak into their life oh relationships never last when it comes to a prisoner i saw a show on tv were this interviewer interviewd sevral women who had fallen for sevral men who are serving life one women had a kid to an inmate who was on death row he never got to see the child al the mother has is photos to show the child so please be very care full darkest red these guys know how to twist things around god bless from damo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunterpoet Posted April 17, 2008 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 0 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,704 Content Per Day: 0.44 Reputation: 25 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/29/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1950 Share Posted April 17, 2008 As an alternative, you could be a pen pal to troops serving in Iraq or anywhere away from home. However, if you decide to be a prison pen-pal, I would strongly suggest you heed all the advice given so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahDavid Posted April 17, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 320 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 3,166 Content Per Day: 0.45 Reputation: 23 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/31/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted April 17, 2008 i would suggest you use prison fellowship ministries pen pal program as they have a pen pal program specifically for this and offer guidance and support as well. i truly believe it is a better way to go about this than even the local prison chaplain. usually they place people who are very far from each other locally as pen pals for safety reasons. they do prescreen inmates and also give practical advice cautions things you should know etc in a well thought out pamphlet and are a wonderful organization that will answer your questions place you with an inmate and help you deal with problems that may occur. i have used them. love your sister in Christ, rebekah David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkest_red Posted April 18, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 67 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 885 Content Per Day: 0.12 Reputation: 55 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/05/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/23/1986 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks for all the advice so far guys! I'm going out in a minute so I don't have time to reply to all but I will reply next time I'm on! i would suggest you obtain a pen pal through a chaplain of a prison ministry. since you're a woman, select only a female inmate as a pen pal. and be careful not to get suckered into putting lots of money on their account. I won't be suckered into doing anything like that, I'm not that naive! I am aware that it happens though and that people can be very manipulative so I am going to make sure that I'm not suckered into anything like that - I will let people read the letters (both to and from) so if anyone thinks I'm being manipulated they will make sure I don't do anything stupid! I would also suggest you get a PO Box, so that they do not have your home address! Be careful! The people I am looking at doing it through let you use their address and then they forward the mail onto you, so that isn't a problem. I did one time. It is the last time I will ever help him out. He was a manipulator and user. My sister also had one. When he got out, she ran away with him. She was only 15 or 16 at the time. I guess my recomendation would be to have a pen pal the same gender as you are. But I would go through the chaplain or prision ministry first. Thank you for your comments. If I do it and the person I get is a manipulator/user, then the people I am looking at doing it through make it very easy for you to report any problems you have and are perfectly happy to find you someone else. I'm not going to run away with anyone and I'm a few years older than that - BTG don't let anyone under 18 do it anyway, which is highly sensible! Thanks for your advice and information all, like I said, I will reply to any I have missed later but in the mean time you have all given me food for thought so thank you! If anyone has anymore thoughts....keep 'em coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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