The non-profit ministry God Behind Bars gave incarcerated dads the gift of a lifetime for Christmas – an opportunity to spend time with their daughters, whom they rarely see.
The national prison ministry continually works to restore the lives of inmates by building their faith during incarceration and after their release. And through their outreach programs, they are working to reach the more than 2.3 million people in the prison system.
But God Behind Bars does not stop at just saving inmates and restoring their lives; they go as far as helping to rebuild broken relationships between inmates and their children.
And for the first time in history, a father–daughter dance was held inside Louisiana State Penitentiary, which, according to the ministry, is one of the most notorious maximum-security prisons in America.
Angola Prison, once referred to as the most dangerous prison in the nation, became, for a few sacred hours, "a sanctuary of restoration, tenderness, and the Gospel in motion."
The cold, hard prison was covered in drapes, a pink carpet stretched across the floor, and soft worship music echoed through the halls.
Twenty-nine incarcerated fathers lined up in tuxedos and waited for their daughters, whom they had not seen in years.
"They had waited years for this moment. Some, decades," God Behind Bars shared in an Instagram post. "Daughters stepped onto the pink carpet—little girls in bright dresses, grown women with hearts full of ache and hope. One by one, they walked into arms that had longed to hold them. Fathers fell to their knees in tears. Prodigals reunited."
Jake Bodine, Founder of God Behind Bars, said in a statement, "I watched a group of men stand with pride and dignity, shedding every label the world had ever put on them. For one night, they were not inmates. They were Dad."
Leslie Harris has missed many milestones in his daughter's life. During the late November event, he saw his nearly 17-year-old daughter for the first time in 15 years.
"For all these years, he's only seen his daughter in a visitation room. But today that all changed," the ministry described.
The dad told God Behind Bars, "...She always tells me, 'Dad, keep your head up. Keep praying. God's going to make a way.' At this dance, I'll tell her how much I love her and apologize for all the years I've missed. I hope she forgives me, and I'll make it up to her with this dance."
Before the night ended, he gave her a Bible with passages he highlighted, CBS News reports.
"That's really the heart of it at the end of the day," Bodine told the outlet. "Show these individuals who is counting on them, and once they realize the weight of that, they will hold themselves accountable for change."
Two-thirds of parents in prison have never received a visit from their family, and 75% of children with one incarcerated parent are more likely to end up in prison. More than a third of these parents will still be in prison by the time their young children reach their 18th birthday, according to one Department of Justice report.
"THIS IS OUR FIGHT to break the cycle of incarceration for families," God Behind Bars once explained.
The ministry makes it clear that their goal is to spread the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while bringing healing to families.
Assistant Warden Anne-Marie Easely remarked on how important the father-daughter dance experience was for the inmates and their families.
"I am so thankful to God Behind Bars for all they did to make this event possible and such a success. This provided our inmates with an opportunity to restore and build healthy relationships with their daughters despite their circumstances," said Easely in a press release from God Behind Bars.
The night was filled with emotion as families connected over a Thanksgiving meal and left with a gift of a personal portrait of the dad and daughters painted live by a Baton Rouge artist.
The experience will forever be etched into the hearts of the inmates and their children.
"You helped remind these men: they are still fathers. You reminded these girls: they are still daughters. You helped bring heaven into a prison," wrote God Behind Bars. "This wasn't just a dance. This was healing. This was hope. This was holy."
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