Inmates Receive Counselling and Healthcare from Christian Light Foundation

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Arthur Williams, has commended the Christian Light Foundation for its vision in providing healthcare and ministering to inmates across the island.
Speaking with JIS News while on a tour of the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston on Tuesday (June 3), Senator Williams noted that the Christian Light Foundation is in the country on a medical and evangelical mission.
“A number of doctors are here and they are seeing the inmates, they have brought a lot of drugs with them for treatment and as a Christian group they are also ministering to the inmates and hoping to change their hearts and their minds,” he pointed out, noting that his presence is to support the mission and its initiative while encouraging the group to continue its work across the island.
The Minister informed that the response of the inmates to the group have been welcoming and hoped that the lessons taught by the group would ensure that they do not repeat the same offences whenever they are released.
“The response from the prisoners is that they are welcoming the medical treatment and they certainly are enjoying the evangelical mission, a number of them in here are Christians and it is another event for them to interact with foreigners who bring another perspective about conditions in the prisons in America and pointing out to them the way they should go, to ensure that whenever they are released, they do not re-offend,” he said.
Senator Nelson toured sections of the chapel, hospital and the photography and finger printing section of the facility.
Deputy Director of Custodial Services, June Jarrett in her remarks, said that the vision of the Foundation is tremendous as they seek to offer medical care to inmates and staff, while providing counselling services to the inmate population.
She informed that the team from Jacksonville, consisting of 16 medical doctors and five evangelicals, would visit nine facilities across the island during the course of the week.
The facilities are: St. Andrew Juvenile Correctional Centre, Rio Cobre Juvenile Correctional Centre, Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre for Girls, Hill Top Correctional Centre for Boys, South Camp Rehabilitation Centre, Horizon Remand Centre, Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre, and Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre for Women.
“The inmates will be treated for minor to major injuries such as diabetes, hypertension and (be given) general check-ups,” she said.
Executive Director, of the Christian Light Foundation, Jack Cummings in his remarks said that the main aim is to share the gospel with the men.
“I do not believe you can change a person until you change them in their hearts, you have to change them inside before you can change them outside. The second initiative of the mission is to provide doctors, medicine and others things that are needed in the facilities,” he said, adding that in the future some of the needs at the institution will be met, such as the need for bibles, and recreational equipment.
The Christian Light Foundation is a non-denominational Christian organization that believes in the absolute inerrancy of the Bible.
The Foundation’s major aim is to teach men and women how to discipline themselves biblically as well as working with young men and women, giving them the opportunity to discover how God has uniquely created them. The Foundation also provides free medical services, education, and attempts to meet humanitarian needs where possible in all areas of society.