Welcome Home
If you are an ex-offender, welcome home to freedom on the outside! If you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, welcome to reality! We trust you are looking to make a difference in the lives of others as Jesus did when He walked the earth as a God-man doing only the work of His Father in heaven. That should be the desire and goal of every child of God whether giving or receiving; that God would be seen as Provider of all things, physical, emotional and spiritual. We all give and we all receive to the glory of God!
Both groups might ask the same question in reference to the transition from incarceration to community living in the church and society alike. Where do I/we go from here? The odds seem so great and resources so few. Unfortunatey, the Church has acted as though the government should have all the answers when it is our mandate from the Lord Himself, to care for “the least of these” and “our neighbors as ourselves”. For true believers, nothing is too hard for God and our greatest testimonies are of those things accomplished by the grace and mercy of God alone.
Open Arms Transitional Care is convinced of and committed to all things spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ concerning relationship within the Body of Christ. And the one between brothers and sisters inside and outside of prison is no exception. We are committed to extending our hearts and our hands to those in need of aid of any kind as they re-enter civilian life.
More than 100,000 State and county inmates in the state if California will be released this year to an uncertain and unstable future due to the lack of transitional support services available to ex-offenders. Evidence of the former statement rests in a recidivism rate that is as high as 75% in some areas. While there is a “hand up” for many in our society today, this population seems to have been neglected or in many cases forgotten by both secular and religious services and organizations that are available to others who are disenfranchised. While some of those resources are available to all, the greater need is discipleship and practical guidance in a world that many ex-offenders either can’t remember or never knew in our ever changing society. It’s past time for the Church to step up and take responsibility to care for ALL of those that have need in the Body of Christ.
Part of the vision of OATC is to call local Bay area churches to co-labor on behalf of those transitioning from incarceration to civilian life, joining our resources and hearts together to bring restoration to ex-offenders and their families. The process has many facets all based in large part on committed relationships starting before release and continuing on the outside of prison walls. With cooperation, hard work and the grace of God, our experience has shown us that together truly we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us.
