March 2026 Newsletter
VERSE OF THE MONTH
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
Paula’s Perspective
Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa as part of a mission team, and it was a life-changing experience. One day, we visited Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years of incarceration.
Standing next to his small cell, walking through the yard where he spent his time outdoors, and hearing about prison life from a former Robben Island inmate who served as our guide was incredibly powerful and eye-opening.
I had a moment to talk with our guide about our Cards For Prisoners program. He smiled and told me that he used to receive mail while he was incarcerated at Robben Island, and that those letters made a difference for him. He also showed us a display that included some of the letters inmates had received over the years. I’m including a few pictures because it’s hard to fully put the experience into words.
Cards and letters truly make a difference. If you have a pen pal, take a moment and put a note in the mail today. If you don’t have a pen pal yet… what are you waiting for?
With gratitude,
Paula Creswell
Executive Director
Tangible Hope Ministries
Tangible Hope Ministries recently received a $50 donation. The difference with this donation is that it was sent to us through the Michigan Department of Corrections; one of our pen pals on the inside sent it!
You may not realize what a sacrifice this is for an inmate. IF an inmate has a job in the prison, they make around $30 a month. Pennies an hour.
This means so much to us, and we let him know that! He included a note that said, “I believe in what you are doing. Keep up the good work. You’re making a difference. Enclosed is my show of support. God bless and take care.” ~M.H., prisoner at Lakeland Correctional Facility
Would you consider matching his donation? I told him I would challenge our supporters to do so. Make a note with your donation that it is to match our donor on the inside. We will let him know how much was donated by his generosity!
Tangible Hope Ministries would like to thank Heritage Christian Reformed Church in Byron Center, MI, for welcoming us on a Sunday evening last month and allowing us the opportunity to guide their congregation as they signed and mailed letters to our friends on the inside who need encouragement.
Seeing so many people who care enough to take time out of their weekend to encourage someone behind bars is heartwarming and means so much to each inmate who receives it.
If you are looking for a church where you feel welcome, at home, and where you have a variety of opportunities to serve and volunteer, this is the church for you!
Your congregation can join us and become a Tangible Hope Church—walking alongside those often neglected and forgotten in our society. E-mail paulac@tangiblehopeministries.org for information on how your church can become involved.
pen pals on the outside
“I look forward to the letters I receive. He does not write every month, but it makes his letters all the more meaningful”.
~Kate
pen pals on the inside
“Getting Cards from you has made me smile, laugh, and grow over the years. Every inmate needs this program. Thank you for this program, it changes lives!”
~Inmate at Kinross CF
PEN PAL GUIDELINES (and why we have them.)
Each month we will share one of our guidelines and the reason for it. We want to clearly communicate with you the importance of maintaining these boundaries.
Guideline
“I will remain anonymous with my pen pal and not provide my last name or any personal information about my family, including pictures.”
Reason
We provide a safe way to communicate with inmates. However, if you provide additional information to them, even though they don’t have internet access, inmates may have their family or friends Google information for them. That would make it easy to piece together family connections and locations. Avoid specifics about the company you work for, the church you go to, the restaurants you frequent, and upcoming plans. Avoid using family names. Because our return address is Grandville, MI, most inmates assume that is where you live.
It’s okay to provide pictures of scenery, and photos that do not include people.
Michigan prisoners only receive a black-and-white copy.
With AI capabilities, having a picture of a person can ultimately supply personal information or be used inappropriately.
If you have any questions or want more clarification, please email me at paulac@tangiblehopeministries.org
