by Carl Sonnichsen
SINCE MOVING FROM LABRADOR’S NORTH COAST to the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay back in 2002, ministry within the walls of the Labrador Correctional Center has taken on an increased focus for us. With our personal connection to many families who live along the Labrador Coast, it only seemed right to reach out to the inmates at LCC to minister to both them and their families.
There are often times when some of the inmates will refer to me as their “pastor” – due to the role I have in their lives and the spiritual input the Lord has made possible for me to provide. Not only do we connect during the week in meetings and workshops, but the inmates also hear me on the radio during the Sunday broadcasts. What a privilege to have these opportunities to reach into their lives in these ways!
There are times when the staff at LCC will request that I come in to inform an inmate of a death in the family. Oftentimes it is a death by suicide, and I may be informing an inmate that I have not previously met. As much as I appreciate opportunities to minister to others, such requests are not a cakewalk. Yet God has always proved Himself sufficient and able to work even when my words or abilities don’t suffice.
What started with weekly meetings with inmates 20 years ago has turned into a ministry with definite intent and purpose. A program we began several years ago called “Second Wind” is geared towards inmates both during and after their incarceration.
Corrections Canada fully endorses our approach, and we appreciate this freedom, especially when we hear about facilities across Canada slowly closing to Christian influence. The relevance of Scripture becomes very real during our workshops with the men as we use a Christian worldview to touch on topics that they never have addressed.
Nearly all of the inmates we work with have undergone what is called “inter-generational trauma.” This is the trauma that someone may experience, especially during their formative years, that they may carry into their later years, shaping not only their own behaviour, but also impacting the lives of their children and future generations.
And yet Scripture is never silent on any trauma that one may experience. In our workshops we are able to provide the biblical view, and the response that gives a person the help and hope needed to rise above the past and deal with the present. This is all with the ultimate goal of leading each participant into an understanding of their need for an authentic relationship with Jesus.
Once released from prison, life takes on a different picture as they once again are in the midst of temptation and the strong pull to return to old ways. The prison population is comprised almost entirely of “repeat offenders.” It can be disheartening as I see the slow (and sometimes quick) slide into destructive life patterns that will land them back in trouble with the law.
Yet there are a handful of inmates over the years who have not returned, and I cling to the hope that God will work in His way and time with each inmate that He allows me to reach out to.
Carl & Laura Sonnichsen have served with NCEM since 1988 in eastern Canada. They have lived and served in Labrador Coast communities, and since 2002 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. A transatlantic refueling stop for Canadian commercial aircraft, Happy Valley is the largest Indigenous populated community in Labrador.
(from Northern Lights issue #561)