Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides)- Prison inmates all over Malawi offered prayers for the victims of violence during a Week of Prayer in Prisons held 6- 13 November organised by the Malawi Prison Fellowship.
“The Week of Prayer marked in prisons and in homes and churches all over the country with special prayers for all victims of violence caused by those now serving sentences: for the prisoners themselves, for the respective families, for former prisoners striving to reinsert themselves in society, was an opportunity for all to examine one’s personal life” Italian Monfort missionary Fr. Piergiorgio Gamba, told Fides from Malawi.
“This ecumenical initiative involved the different Christian communities in the country as well as a good number of Italian volunteers” said Fr Gamba. “Prayer as a path for conversion, prayer as last hope...in a country where no one wants to listen to useless suffering in a prison environment which has become a closed circuit of violence”.
An important experience to encourage prisoners to make a fresh start and which Prison Fellowship Malawi intends to put at the centre of lived Christian ministry, the initiative was praised by the Chief Commissioner and the highest Prison Service authorities.
“A highlight of the week was a show put on by prisoner number 58 accompanied by the full Alleluya Band” Fr Gamba said. “Lucius Banda, a singer who grew up in the Alleluya Band, became famous, tried his hand in politics and was elected MP in Balaka Nord. As an MP he became even more famous presenting a motion of impeachment against the President, who reacted by taking him to court for presenting false school certificates and Banda was sentenced to 21 months in jail on 31 August 2006”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2006 righe 28 parole 331)
