Victims of brutal crimes, murder, rape, assault, severe spousal abuse, go each week into Texas prisons to meet with inmates who perpetrated such crimes against others. These unlikely communicants share their stories with one another and work through a biblical healing process. After twelve weeks, the victims have gained a measure of healing, and the inmates change, some to a modestly different view of life but many into new and different human beings who are much less likely to return to prison than other inmates. Amazingly, people in both groups go beyond their mistrust and fear to establish a bond of peace and love.
These victims and inmates are brought together by the Bridges to Life restorative justice program, founded in 1998 to connect communities to prisons in an effort to reduce recidivism and effect a consequent reduction in crime. This program generates lessons that will bring peace to people who have hurt one another and need to make amends as well as inmates who are not able to participate in the actual experience. Restoring Peace: Using Lessons from Prison to Mend Broken Relationships shares this healing message.
This unique book uses stories from the Bible, victims, and inmates to present a faith based journey of peace involving responsibility accountability, confession, repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restitution. It speaks in simple, clear language, and each chapter ends with a "Personal Application" section comprised of a series of probing questions that will help readers apply the lessons from prison to their own lives.
