I’ve learned that inmates are the same the world over!

With a wealth of experience from the UK, chaplain Simeon Sturney is helping churches and prisons in Ghana support offenders too. His new book proved to be the perfect training tool on a recent visit. Chris Rolfe reports

“Prisons systems around the globe might be vastly different, but prisoners’ emotions when they enter and leave them are the same the world over,” says Simeon Sturney.

That’s why, on a recent visit to Ghana, he was glad to use his 22 years’ experience as a through-the-gate chaplain at HMP Bronzefield to train churches involved in prison ministry.

“I ran two workshops called ‘The heart of prison ministry’ in Kumasi and Tamale – cities in central and northern Ghana – for the Church of Pentecost,” he says of the trip taken with friends Andy Gilmour and Terry Lewis.

“They were for church leaders and others who run ministries supporting people in prison or as they come out.”

The workshops talked about Jesus’s heart towards people on the margins who might be going in the wrong direction in life.

“We looked at the heart of an offender and realised it’s probably the same as ours.

“Then we looked at what churches can do for offenders, but also what an ex-offender can bring to their church; how we might be blessed by somebody who’s experienced prison and turned their life around.”

Simeon’s relationship with the Ghana Prisons Service dates back to a visit to the country in 2009. Since then he has continued to visit prisons and help with training.

On this most recent trip he shared from his experience of helping offenders enter or leave prison.

“Policies, procedures, rules and regulations may differ between countries but the fear, anxiety, confusion and uncertainty over what the future holds doesn’t,” he says.

“Where are they going to sleep that night? How does prison work when you arrive? How did they get there in the first place? All those emotions are the same wherever you are, so I could share examples they could relate to.”

Simeon says Ghanaian churches like the Church of Pentecost understand well the need to reach out to prisoners and ex-offenders.

“They will meet ex-offenders at prison gates and take them back to their churches. There are schemes in some parts of Ghana that help with rehabilitation and finding work too, and it’s good to be able to support this.”

The village for accused witches

During his time in Ghana, Simeon had a second and unexpected opportunity to share the gospel.

“One day we were supposed to be visiting a prison, but it was cancelled, so we travelled to a village for accused witches instead, which Terry had visited previously,” he says.

This village, three hours west of Tamale, is home to around 100 exiled women accused of witchcraft, and in some cases their children and husbands too.

“They are accused either by their family or the community,” Simeon explains.

“It’s often because of superstition – a woman says she wishes something will happen, it does, then people decide she’s a witch – or it can be relationship breakdown or even because a husband wants a divorce.”

No greater evidence than hearsay is needed for women to find themselves banished to these villages.

Once there, they are “prisoners without offence”, Simeon says, forbidden from leaving or going out to work, having no ability to clear their names and ending up in desperate situations.

Simeon explains how he, Terry and Andy visited with a relief agency which provides aid for the women in the village and helps release and resettle others with housing and work.

“We took food, soap, water and fizzy pop for the kids,” he says.

The village is in a Muslim-dominated area, but a pastor visits to preach the gospel, Simeon says, meaning several women now attend church.

“I was able to preach in the village, and we also got to pray for the women.”

As a final aside, Simeon says being ordained by Elim last summer proved hugely important during this trip to Ghana.

“I’ve been to Ghana previously as a commissioned chaplain from Elim, but never an ordained one,” he says.

“In a country where titles matter, wearing a clerical collar in the prisons and being called ‘Reverend’ had a huge impact and really opened doors to minister.”

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.