Productivity behind bars

MANILA, Philippines - Prison bars did not impede growth when Operation Blessing Philippines (OB) turned Parañaque City Jail into a school of productivity for 67 detainees who participated in OB’s month-long Mobile Out-of-School Training (MOST) program.

MOST trainers provided students with new livelihood skills in dressmaking, cell phone repair, and refrigeration and air-conditioning repair. All the MOST graduates received their certificates of accomplishment and starter kits.

“OB helped me realize the importance of education. It is not too late to make up for the years I wasted,” said Roman Abari, 43.

Roman finished high school after seven years but was not able to pursue his education further because of drug addiction. He is now detained for drug pushing.

“I will not let this opportunity slip away,” he said.

“We are grateful to have this rare opportunity to serve the Lord here at Parañaque City Jail,” said Ron Oates, operations director of Christian Broadcasting Network’s (CBN) WorldReach center in Asia.

“If we can help some of the people here learn new skills to help them when they get outside, then I think this is going to be a very successful program,” he added.

“I think the ministry of OB is very constructive. It really helps to bring people out of poverty so that they can put biblical principles on how God wants them to view life and to keep them from coming back to a place like this,” said Terry, wife of David Pentecost, board member of the CBN, during their visit to the Parañaque City Jail.

“MOST encourages our prisoners to be productive, and it lessens their boredom while in jail. OB has developed their confidence by the time they join mainstream society,” said Col. Daniel Dequito, Jr., an administrator at Parañaque City Jail.

MOST is just one of the many programs of Operation Blessing Philippines, the  humanitarian arm of CBN Asia.