Twenty-three prisoners at the maximum security prison HMP Maghaberry in Northern Ireland - including many on life sentences - attended a three-day Alpha event in March.

Both Catholics and Protestant prisoners, who had been on opposite sides during the country’s turbulent history, attended the event.
The visit came at the invitation of HMP Maghaberry’s Chaplain, Leslie Spence, who has been running the Alpha course in the prison for several years and is an Alpha for Prisons Adviser for Northern Ireland.
The Alpha for Prisons team included a number of ex-offenders who had become Christians on Alpha courses.

Among them was Gram Seed, from Middlesbrough, who said, ‘You hear about the troubles in Northern Ireland in the 70s and 80s and then to see some of these lads who were involved, from different backgrounds, Catholic and Protestant, sitting together laughing and crying - it was absolutely awesome.
‘I will be trying to get back into prisons for the rest of my life to do things like this because, like a lot of people in prison, I have tried all sorts of things in this world to get free, but none of that is the answer. I know the answer now - it’s Jesus.’

Team leader Emmy Wilson (right) said, ‘We visited Maghaberry Prison for some time now and have done several Alpha Holy Spirit Days.
‘The theme for these three days was ‘Freedom to live in Jesus Christ’, based around Isaiah 61 and included short talks and testimonies from most of the team. There was also plenty of time for worship and ministry.
‘The times of ministry on this trip were particularly powerful. There were big tough men, hardened criminals, touched by the Spirit from the word go.
‘Usually it takes until the last day before people begin to open up to what God has been doing in them but after the first day several were already testifying to what God had done.

‘The team included ex-offenders Gram Seed and Michael Emmett. The prisoners were on the edge of their seats when they spoke. They just connect instantly because they speak the same language.
‘Gram has this wonderful line: “I spent nearly 10 years of my life trying to get out of prison and now I spend every day trying to get in!”
‘I think for me, one of the most powerful stories was a man who shared for the first time that shortly after he arrived in prison his wife committed suicide.
‘He carried that shame and guilt, as well as that from his crime with him. He knew that God had forgiven him, but he couldn’t forgive himself.
‘Unusually for him, on the last night of the mission he had slept incredibly well. God had spoken to him in a dream that night, telling him he needed to leave the past because God didn’t want him to carry that into his future and for the first time, he was able to forgive himself.’

One of the prisoners sent the team a letter after the visit. He wrote, ‘We were so blessed by your company during the three days.
‘I had prayed for so long for an answer as to why the Lord had spared me during my eight attempts to die but I could find no answer. Then three days after the Alpha meetings I believe the Lord gave me my answer…
‘I was approached by an inmate who asked about Alpha and I found that I was using my experience to witness to him.
‘Bless you and thank you all for bringing me, and others, closer to the Spirit of the Lord.’

If you would like to find out more about getting involved with Prison Ministry either inside or outside prison, please join us at our Prison Ministry Conference on 7 November 2008.  Please see the link below for more details:http://www.htb.org.uk/events/holistic-ministry-prisons-conference-0