Hospital and Prison Department

The Prison and Hospital Department was started in accordance with the biblical concept “I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:36)

The work of the pastor in charge is to preach the gospel, to pray for the sick and to do counselling to the prisoners. Another responsibility of the pastor is to teach the prisoners how to be self-reliant. Once they leave the prison, they can do work on their own. The third task is to help the prisoners by giving them clothes, soap, hygiene products, bibles and hymn books.

This service provided by the province started in 1999, and the current pastors are Rev. Stephano Ngondya who has served for 14 years and Rev. Ambukege Mwaihoba.

The prisons served by the pastors are:

• Songwe (357 prisoners)
• Ilembo (270 prisoners)
• Mbalali (102 prisoners)
• Ngwala (65 prisoners)
• Ruanda (1500 prisoners)
• Mkwajuni (20 prisoners)
  

Success

The gospel of Jesus has been preached to the prisoners, whereby people with other religious backgrounds have been converted to Christianity.

Challenges

•  The prisoners do not have enough blankets, bed sheets, soap and bibles. 
• Lack of means of transport for the pastors who are in charge to perform their duties. The good means of transport should be a vehicle. 
• The distance to the prisons, for example Nguala prison is 258 km from Mbeya.
  

Expectations

Our expectation is to make sure that the prisoners become good citizens to serve the nations and the church as well.

Recommendation

We recommend that most Christians should give support to prisoners in terms of clothes, shoes, blankets, soap and hygiene products.