As a Malachi Dad, I solemnly pledge to glorify God and build His Kingdom by prioritizing the raising of godly children, first in my family, then in influencing of other men to do the same to theirs. I firmly believe that my transformed life in Christ – my life of integrity, pursuit of this vision and the pursuit of godly character – will allow me to impact my children, family and others toward this end. I will practice a life of daily discipline and dependence on God through prayer and the study of God’s Word for the wisdom in how to nurture my children in the admonition of the Lord. I will pursue this endeavor for a lifetime, whether my children are in my home or not. Finally, I believe that my end goal is not only for my children to walk in the Lord, but that this God-given vision would impact multiple generations to come. So help me God.
This is the pledge of the participants in the Malachi Dads Program initiated by Lyndon Azcuna of Awana Life Ministries. Azcuna visited the office of Prison Fellowship Philippines last May 28, 2009 and presented the programs he started at Angola Prison about four (4) years ago. Angola Prison is described as one of the toughest prison facility in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America.
Driven by the theme from Malachi 4:6, the Malachi Dads Program of Awana Lifeline Ministries hopes to bring home to the hearts of men (and women) forgiveness and reconciliation. In its brochure back cover, it quotes an inmate Randy Finch.
It’s hard for me to come up with words to say thank you because as you’ve already heard, among the guys here, that his father, my father, his father (pointing to fellow inmates) have all been in prison. That’s generational!
But what’s happening here is actually going to stop our sons from coming to prison – and their sons and
their sons. It’s a horrible cycle, but it’s actually going to stop here. I can say thank you a million times but
you’ll never really grasp what this means to me and my son.”
Here is an invitation to break the cycle of crime. It’s about time.
I want to say thank you for the Malachi Dads program. My husband just got involved with this prison ministry last Fall 2009 and it is blessing him as much as it is blessing the prisoners every week and me also by the testimonies of prisoners being reunited with their children and even marriage relationships being restored.
Blessings to all
Cherie