Women s Prison Outreach Practical Compassion for Imprisoned Women

Transcription

1 370 W Camino Gardens Boulevard Boca Raton, Florida Women s Prison Outreach Practical Compassion for Imprisoned Women Manila, Philippines PROJECT 0268 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3

2 Project Synopsis Description Give basic supplies such as soap, toothpaste, medicines, and other necessities, to female prisoners who have no family or friends to provide for them. The detention facility only gives them food and shelter. Goal Demonstrate God s love for the poor and imprisoned by meeting their practical needs. Location Quezon City, in Metro Manila, Philippines Affiliation Daughters of Wisdom Cost $2,200 provides basic toiletries and supplies to hundreds of women for an entire year that s only $ per month. Summary Women who have been accused of a crime are detained at Quezon City Female Dormitory while they await trial. Many women will wait years some up to seven for their day in court. The facility was built for 175 prisoners, but it now houses nearly 600 women who live elbow-to-elbow. Many women sleep on the floor because there are not enough beds to accommodate everyone. The prison only gives food and shelter to Prison Conditions in the Philippines An estimated 57,800 inmates are detained in overcrowded detention centers nationwide and jails in Metro Manila are operating at 323% of their intended capacity. Inmates subsist on a meager daily budget of 74 cents per day. The number of prisoners in the country increases by 12% every year, but the budget to care for them has not kept pace. Cramped, dilapidated, and congested jails allow the quick spread of diseases like boils and tuberculosis. Source: Senate of the Philippines the women, who rely on family and friends to provide them with basic supplies such as soap and toothpaste, as well as necessities like medications or eyeglasses. Unfortunately, 80 percent of the women have no family or friends that visit or provide for their needs. These women depend on Sr. Liane Rainville of the Daughters of Wisdom. Sr. Liane visits the women s prison two to three times a week; and, with funds provided by the benefactors of Cross International Catholic Outreach, she brings supplies to those who need them. She also provides materials for the women to make crafts that they can sell for a little income. Various organizations host religious services each morning, but give material gifts once a year. Sr. Liane not only provides for the women s practical needs year round, but she is also available to lend emotional and spiritual support to the women she visits each week. Sr. Liane s ministry demonstrates God s love in action. The women who have their practical needs met experience Christ s unconditional love and genuine compassion. 1

3 Sr. Liane Rainville sits on the floor among hundreds of Filipina detainees in their cramped sleeping quarters. Alone in a crowd The walls seem to close in on anyone who walks through the doors of Quezon City Female Dormitory. Built to house 175 detainees, these crowded, congested quarters currently hold nearly 600 women who live elbow-to-elbow 24 hours a day. The women imprisoned here are accused of crimes and awaiting trial. Some had been homeless women who were raped by police and then thrown in jail for vagrancy or some other trumped-up charge. Most of the women will be detained here for several years some have waited up to seven. Often, they will spend more time in this facility waiting for their day in court than they are eventually sentenced to serve. And if a woman is found innocent, she has simply lost those years out of her life. In the meantime, these residents are forced to depend on the Filipino prison system to feed and house them. But that is all. They rely on family and friends to supply things such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and meet their other basic needs. Unfortunately, about 80 percent of the women are alone. No one visits them at all except for Sr. Liane Rainville of the Daughters of Wisdom. Sr. Liane has been visiting prisoners since 1992, and she visits the women at the Quezon facility two to three times a week. Sr. Liane is the only family, the only friend, most of these women have. 2

4 Meeting prisoners practical needs When inmate Dolores Rodriguez had a stroke, she became weak on her right side and had trouble walking. Sr. Liane brought her a cane. Sr. Liane has brought other residents things such as hypertension medication, a nebulizer for asthma, and eyeglasses, to name a few. And every week she brings bags full of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other basic supplies for the many women who have no one else to care for them purchased with funds provided by the benefactors of Cross International Catholic Outreach. When Sr. Liane realized there were not enough bathing facilities to accommodate all the women, she helped install more water faucets. When she found women sleeping on the floor due to lack of beds, she brought them sleeping mats. She also provided ceiling fans so they could sleep more comfortably in the stifling heat. The prison system budget is so extremely limited, if it were not for Sr. Liane and the caring Catholics who support her ministry, these basic things would never have been provided. The warden has designated a small room near the main entrance for women to sell their crafts to visitors so they can earn a small income. So Sr. Liane also provides craft materials and the women are very resourceful. For example, they have made Dolores Rodriguez leans on the cane Sr. Liane provided to help her walk after she had a stroke while in prison. brightly-colored hanging butterfly mobiles out of pantyhose, and created beautiful sculptures using the pages of telephone books. They also crochet and embroider clothes, make candles, and weave rugs. While various organizations host Bible studies and religious services each morning, they only give material gifts at Christmas. Sr. Liane is the only one who consistently provides for the women s practical needs year round. And she is there to give a hug, hold a hand, and lend spiritual support to the women she visits each week. Her genuine, Christ-like love shines through her smile and her selfless deeds....i was in prison and you came to visit me. Matthew 25:36 3

5 Help care for imprisoned Filipinas Packed in like sardines, the hundreds of poor Filipino women waiting for trial would have nothing with which to bathe, brush their teeth, treat their illnesses or generate income, if it were not for the compassion of Sr. Liane, backed by the gifts of caring Catholics. Sr. Liane relies on support from Cross International Catholic Outreach to purchase basic supplies as well as medicines, canes, and other things as they are needed. Without our support, she would be forced to visit empty-handed. Sr. Liane desperately needs help to care for the hundreds of women who have no one else to turn to. It is much more efficient and economical to provide funds for Sr. Liane to go to the local market each week and purchase the supplies she knows are needed, than it is to ship them to her all the way from North America. So the best way someone can join her in ministering to the needy imprisoned women is to make a gift toward her ministry through Cross International Catholic Outreach. When Sr. Liane enters that crowded facility each week, carrying bags full of much-needed supplies, the grateful women see God s love in action. Won t you help fill her bags and extend the arms of Christ to these poor prisoners? Then the righteous will answer him, Lord... when did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:37-40 Our Promise to You! 100 percent of the proceeds of this appeal will be used for this project. In the rare event that we receive more than needed to fund this project, additional gifts will be used for other urgent needs for the poor W Camino Gardens Boulevard Boca Raton, Florida