The Pen Pal Ministry is a letter writing ministry to incarcerated men and women who may not receive letters from family or friends - or someone you might know. In corresponding with someone who is in jail or prison, there are some important things to remember.
1. Do not send money to the inmate. Even though he or she may have legitimate needs, sending money can confuse the message of why you are involved. Anyone that you write to might mention a need and say, "Please pray for the financial need I have." Do just that - pray for them. Sending money can really get out of hand and you have no way of knowing whether or not they are using the funds you sent for the purposes requested. Additionally, some who are unscrupulous might tell others that you are someone that will help them with their financial needs.
2. Do not agree to receive collect calls from the inmate. This is another situation that can get out of hand quickly. An inmate can onkly call collect and most times the phone rates are expensive. While inmates are allowed to send and receive email messages (at a moderate cost to both parties), you would be advised to set boundaries with regard to how often they write.
3. If you become involved as a Pen Pal, always give a church address or a PO Box and not your home address. Similarly, avoid sharing too much family information with those you write because once you share that way, you have opened the door to potential problems.
4. Avoid inmates of the opposite gender if possible. Some inmates are very specific in terms of the woman they hope to write and some are clearly looking for a post-incarceration relationship. If you keep in mind that inmates can experience deep loneliness at times, that will help balance your response. You cannot change their environment and the best thing you have to offer is your faith in God.
5. The purpose of pen pal correspondence is one of offering hope and encouragement, not writing with the intent of converting someone to a specific denomination or position of faith. You can share your faith and how it impacts your daily life but most often the one you are writing has not had the experiences of faith you've had. See them were they are in the moment and just be willing to walk along side them. Your simple witness might be the best display of God's word that they have ever met.
6. Understand that there are real blessings that come with being a Pen Pal for someone in confinement so long as you remember that it is not your job to change them but to encourage them in the choices they make.