Transforming
Prisoners ’ Lives
in Ecuador
By Carlos Mario Delgado , Coordinator of Prison Ministry , Ecuador
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison , and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering . Hebrews 13:3 ( NIV )
What God is doing in the lives of Ecuador ’ s prisoners is making an impact !
We give thanks for God ’ s marvelous work in the prisons of Ecuador . He is moving , even in the midst of broken families , drug addiction , and families mourning loved ones due to gang violence . Sadly , the majority of murders are planned from within prison walls . Yet , around this hate and hostility , a growing group of prisoners is hungry for God ’ s Word .
Ecuador has a penitentiary population of more than 31,000 inmates , with 53 prisons : 36 for adults , 17 for teens , and several more “ homes of trust ,” where women live with their young children and receive business training . The overpopulated adult prisons witness murders and other gang-related violence regularly . When faced with this reality , my wife and I prayed for many years about how we could help . We felt the Lord call us to organize a prison ministry that would give prisoners and their families the opportunity to be cared for spiritually , psychologically , and socially . We wanted to see godly transformation .
As we have visited many prisons to preach the Gospel with great success , other prison ministries have opened for us throughout the country . On a regular basis , with the help of many volunteers and trainers , we share the Good News of Jesus , we disciple new believers , and then we baptize them . As we spread the Word of God , we also help by distributing
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