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Ron Nikkel, president of Prison Fellowship International, writes a thought for the week. Subscribe to the RSS feed here 
3 May 2010
Colour for Life By Ronald W. Nikkel “You cannot imagine how exciting it is for us when you come to visit us in prison,” declared the ex-prisoner. “You don’t only bring us help – you bring us colour. All we see in prison is orange, and green, and grey. There is not much colour in prison, and when you volunteers come in we see colours that are like life, they aren’t the colours of prison.” I hadn’t thought about our work being colourful before. I am a frequent traveller between two worlds – between free communities that nurture creativity and life, and prisons that enforce conformity and containment – between communities that sing with vibrant sounds and lustre, and prisons that groan with monotony and dreariness. I commute between the openness of communities and the restricting walls of the prison world. To describe the prison world as dull and drab is a total understatement. Recently, while visiting several African prisons with my colleagues, I saw through new eyes the boring monochromatic world of imprisonment magnified by crumbling infrastructures, poverty, idleness, and overcrowding about which that ex-prisoner had spoken. As much as in any other region of the world, most of Africa’s prisons are devoid of the liveliness of living and one can literally feel the life being “sucked” out of the inmates. In every respect, both imprisonment and the prison environment leach life and vitality out of human beings - physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. It has long been observed that the tragedy of imprisonment is not just that it prevents normal contact and conversation between prisoners and their friends and family; but that prisons are designed to keep the community out. I haven’t given this much thought except for the idea that the participation or involvement of the community in prison serves as a necessary bridge between prisoners and their community. Since crime is a problem of the community, somehow the community must be part of the solution because eventually the vast majority of prisoners will be released back into the communities from which they came. In what condition will they leave prison? After being separated from the vitality and life of the community will they even be able to successfully reintegrate into that community? A bridge of social, material, and spiritual friendship is essential for prisoner re-entry. It isn’t easy for men and women who have become blind to the colours of humanity to regain their sense of balance in being fully human and alive. As I listened to the African ex-prisoner share his experience of imprisonment and subsequent return to the community, I became poignantly aware of just how degrading and damaging imprisonment is, and how life affirming and revitalizing it is for inmates when volunteers come in to visit them. I’ve usually tended to think that the principal value of prison volunteers is in their messages of hope and faith and in their compassionate friendship. Quite possibly their colourful presence is just as important a message as their words of hope and care. “Colour gives us feelings of life and joy,” said the ex-prisoner. “I am glad you came to visit me, it gave me hope and kept me alive.” It seems to me that his story carries echoes of St. Paul’s words to the followers of Jesus when he tells them that they are “the aroma of Christ – the fragrance of life” [i] in the world; and echoes of Jesus’ poignant challenge to his followers not to be tasteless or hidden in the shadows but to be salt and light in the world. [ii] To inspire hope and life among people who feel hurt and cut off from life is as much about the colour, fragrance, and flavour of your and my presence as it is about our efforts to speak and to serve. So many nights I sit by my window Waiting for someone to sing me his song So many dreams I kept deep inside me Alone in the dark but now You've come along You light up my life You give me hope To carry on You light up my days and fill my nights with song Rollin' at sea, adrift on the water Could it be finally I'm turning for home? Finally, a chance to say hey, I love You Never again to be all alone [iii] ________________________________________
Ron's devotional book, Your Journey with Jesus, features 52 of his most insightful meditations. To Learn more about Prison Fellowship International, visit www.pfi.org
Ronald W. Nikkel, PFI President & CEO
Ron has served as PFI's president since 1982. Widely recognized as an expert on criminal justice issues, Ron has visited more than 1,000 prisons in every region of the world and met with church and political leaders, as well as criminal justice officials.