‘I started to think about my future’:
healing the lives of young offenders

SAMBIR, Ukraine — Fifteen-year-old Dmitri’s voice is filled with emotion when he talks about his past and his hopes for the future. “The Bible gives me a lot of hope,” he says.

A young offender in a children's prison. Ukraine. Photo: UkBS (UKR04DJ-24.JPG)

“When I was free I did not know about the Bible. Many people wanted me to read the Bible, they gave me all kinds of spiritual books but I refused. The main thing in my life was my friends. Because of my friends I am here now.”

New strength

By ‘here’, Dmitri means a children’s prison in Sambir, 65 kms from Lviv, where he lives with 250 other youngsters, aged between 14 and 18. Like his fellow inmates, Dmitri has regrets about his past and often feels anxious about the future. But recently, he has discovered a new strength through reading the Bible and praying.

“The Christians came here and I prayed with them. I asked the Lord for everything to be good in my life. I started to think about my future, what will happen next to me. I would like everything to be OK in my home, and now I trust and hope that when I return home, I will be OK.”

Across Ukraine there are many thousands of children and teenagers like Dmitri, who have found themselves living in correctional facilities. Most of them are orphans or come from dysfunctional families. Life in prison is undeniably tough for these children, with few books to read and little moral guidance. Churches and other Christian organisations are working in children’s prisons, but their need for Scripture resources is enormous.

Shattered lives

That is why the Ukrainian Bible Society, with funds from O-21, is working to help rebuild these shattered lives. Over the past two years, in close co-operation with local churches, it has distributed 50,000 copies of the Portion, Jesus and His Life, 15,000 copies of The Children’s Guide to the Bible, and 20,000 copies of the Ukrainian New Testament for the older children. And the effects of this work are already being felt in children’s prisons across the country.

Seventeen-year-old Michael, one of Dmitri’s fellow inmates, has regrets about what he has done but feels that he has learned a great deal from reading the Bible during his time in prison:

“My mother was a strong believer, despite the fact that she was the only Christian in our family,” he reflects. “When we read the Bible here in prison we start to understand that our life at liberty was not correct. I now understand that my behaviour was wrong and, when I am released, I would like to start a whole new life. Reading the Bible helps me to survive this place.”

Vladimir, 16, has taken the Bible’s message to heart and has a strong message for other young people who may be tempted to do wrong:

“God himself teaches us through this book about what is good and what is evil,” he says earnestly. “I would like young people to read the Bible more often and do everything it says because then they would not make mistakes in their life.” (WR 387/10 - 8/9.04)