Prison Father-Daughter Dance and Family Interaction Promotes True Rehabilitation – RedState
One of the things I love about my church is that it not only streams services to some of the state’s correctional facilities, but also provides support initiatives throughout individuals’ incarceration and helps them reintegrate into society. Studies have shown that family and community support is a crucial element in an inmate’s rehabilitation and a powerful tool in returning to a normal life.
In addition to connecting prisoners to a life of faith, the God Behind Bars organization strongly advocates for the restoration of family within this framework. So, with other partners, they have sponsored events that allow inmates to reconnect with their young and adult children, especially fathers and daughters.
The hope of restoration and rehabilitation for the prisoner is the subject of this week’s Feel-Good Friday.
In April, God Behind Bars hosted the first annual Father-Daughter Dance at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in California.
Hair, makeup, dresses, tuxedos and tears: San Quentin Rehabilitation Center was recently the scene of the first-ever emotional father-daughter prom.
For many incarcerated participants, it was the first time they had put on a tuxedo, the first time they had one-on-one time with their daughter(s), and the first dance they had ever had with their child.
For some, it was the first time they met their daughter.
“The whole event was extremely touching and uplifting. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house for most of the day!!! Lots of tears of joy and smiles,” Morgan Hubbard shared with Friends of The People In Blue.
In the video below, a father said it was the first time he put on a tie and it was a freedom for him. The fact that it wasn’t just limited to children was also special. Adult daughters need their fathers just as much as young ones, and the restoration that occurs when their bond with their father is reestablished, and in some cases established for the first time, is powerful. I also loved seeing a banner placed above the entrance. It’s from Psalm 126: “Those who sow with tears will reap with joy.”
Many tears were shed the night of this event, and likely even more tears will be shed as these men serve their sentences and make greater efforts to hold their daughters tightly in their hearts, even if they cannot do it with their arms. But the joy of reconnection and the hope of restored relationships can, and I believe will, bring that blossoming of joy.
WATCH:
God Behind Bars affirms how important these types of connections are for incarcerated men.
Rebuilding family relationships is the cornerstone of true transformation. For incarcerated men, the bond with their children provides hope and motivation to become better men, both inside and outside of prison walls.
Events like this father-daughter dance at San Quentin have a direct impact on the future, not only for these fathers but also for their daughters, their families and their communities. Your support changes the narrative and breaks the cycle.
In May, Indian Creek Correctional Center in Virginia held a similar, but more low-key event.
Imagine this: sixteen incarcerated fathers, sixteen guardians and twenty-seven children, all in one room. For some of these fathers, it had been years since they last hugged their children. A father hadn’t kissed his daughter since she graduated from high school. Another held his four-year-old son, crying, as he gave him the very first Bible he ever owned, complete with a heartfelt note written just for him!
In prison, physical contact is generally limited to two hugs per visit. But this day was different. These dads were given the rare and precious gift of time. It’s time to keep their children close. It’s time to play basketball and ping-pong. It’s time to sit side by side and share a simple meal as a family. For those few hours, they weren’t inmates…they were just fathers. They were present. They were at home.
It’s easy to take the little things for granted until they’re taken away. But that day, the ordinary became sacred.
A little girl curled up on her father’s lap, catching up on everything they had missed. Nearby, a young boy twirled to the live music of the prison worship group, “The Creek Band.” For the first time, these fathers were able to dance with their children to live music. One father said it was the best visit he ever had. It’s times like these that prison ministry is so life changing. Not only for the prisoners, but also for their families!
Strong fathers are necessary for our society to survive and thrive, and we cannot ignore those fathers in prison who can be reformed and transformed. God Behind Bars lays out the numbers: 14% of incarcerated people are serving life sentences, and 95% of incarcerated people will be released into society. The sad reality is that 27 percent of this number will return to prison within three years, and 82 percent will return to prison within 10 years. God Behind Bars seeks to reverse this trend by focusing on the spiritual, physical, and relational needs of inmates and their families. These events help serve this purpose.
One of the Messianic promises in the Bible says: “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” These efforts to build a bridge and restore relationships between incarcerated men and their children are definitely part of that growth.
Editor’s note: At RedState, it’s not just about politics and politics. We love to bring attention to what’s good in the world, with features like “Feel-Good Friday,” “Start Your Weekend Right” and “Hoge’s Heroes.”
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