When Bill Root took a group of prison inmates through ReFrame last spring, he found the material connected with them in a way he never could have anticipated.
A retired consultant and Prison Fellowship volunteer at the Coyote Ridge Correction Center in Southeastern Washington, Bill runs a year-long program designed to prepare inmates to re-enter society. “After 10 months of the Seven Areas of Life Training and re-entry planning, ReFrame was an absolute perfect conclusion to preparing these men for having a successful life in society,” he says. “The guys saw clearly how their unique stories are a part of God’s story and how they are empowered to be a blessing to the particular communities they are going back to.”
Bill first encountered ReFrame when friend and Regent alum Dan Wodrich (ThM ’04) brought him to the Vancouver “ReFrame in a Day” event in fall 2013. Bill was profoundly encouraged by the depth and content of the course, but it didn’t occur to him that ReFrame might be useful in the context of prison ministry. This past year when he found himself in need of additional curriculum for the latter part of the program he decided to give ReFrame a test run.
Bill believed strongly in the value of the content of ReFrame but was sceptical of whether the content would connect with the diverse ages and educational backgrounds of the inmates. Much to his surprise, their rapt attention to the material was overwhelming.
“I had never seen them so engaged, ready to take notes, and hungry to understand.” One participant who had an extensive history of gang involvement and tended to be disruptive and confrontational had a particularly meaningful experience with the material.
“He was captivated, and hungry to learn. I’ve never seen him so attentive. His insights and questions clearly showed he got it.” Bill reflects that ReFrame was unexpectedly ideal for his context.
“These guys were challenged to re-think their vocation in light of their identity as ambassadors for Christ; they came away with a profound new sense of purpose. They are ordinary guys ready to do extraordinary things with the power of God.”
