STREAMWOOD, Ill., and ANGOLA, La  – More than 1,000 boys and girls will get to spend a rare and unforgettable day with their inmate fathers at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola Sept. 8, thanks to a joint effort between the penitentiary and Chicago-based Awana, an international children and youth ministry.

The Returning Hearts Celebration, which runs from 8 a.m.–4 p.m., will bring children into a carnival atmosphere at Angola, enabling them to spend a fun-filled day with their fathers enjoying crafts, games and a meal together. About 500 inmates will participate.

Inmates and their children also will have an opportunity to memorize Scripture verses together, the hallmark of the Awana program that emphasizes practical application of the Bible to daily living and runs in thousands of churches worldwide.

“Hope is rising in a place that once was considered little more than a prolonged death sentence,” said Jack Eggar, president of Awana. “We are delighted to bring a spiritual lifeline to Angola inmates and their families, just as we do throughout the world.”

“Returning Hearts is an important step toward reconciliation between inmates and their children. Anyone who has witnessed the joy of this day and the way it bonds families will never forget it,” added Lyndon Azcuna, director of cross-cultural ministries for Awana.

The Louisiana State Penitentiary was once deemed the most violent prison in the nation. Since becoming warden there in 1995, Burl Cain has instituted a number of effective programs at the prison aimed to rehabilitate and restore inmates, and break the cycle of violence that is prevalent among inmates’ children.

“Regardless of circumstances, children need to know their father loves them in order to grow up as emotionally healthy adults that are less likely to repeat the cycle of violence,” Warden Cain said, noting that statistics indicate children of an incarcerated parent are seven times more likely than their peers to end up in prison themselves.

To reverse this trend and bring children and their fathers closer together, Cain contacted Awana in 2003 for help. The result was Awana Lifeline/Angola, a four-part initiative comprised of the Returning Hearts Celebration, Malachi Dads for inmates, Lifeline clubs where their children are located and the year-round Lifeline Handbook program, which enables fathers and their children to work through Awana Bible lessons in tandem.

The Lifeline lessons were specifically created for Angola inmates and their children to help them grow in their relationship and faith – and keep kids from following their dads to prison.

The September 8 Returning Hearts Celebration is the annual culmination of Lifeline/Angola. However, participation in the Awana program is not a requirement for inmates and their children to attend the event. The criterion is good behavior throughout the year on the part of the inmate.

This year also will mark the completion of the first group of Malachi Dads, which teaches Christian inmates at Angola how to grow into Godly fathers, equipping them to spiritually train their kids from behind bars.

In addition to programming, Awana also is responsible for coordinating hundreds of volunteers for the day to help with chaperoning, transportation, games, food service and other tasks.

For more information about Returning Hearts or to volunteer, visit www.awana.org/lifeline.

Awana is an international ministry that helps children and youth grow morally and spiritually by learning to apply the Bible to their lives. Each week, more than a million kids are involved in Awana through 16,000 churches worldwide. Awana is the only organization with fully integrated evangelism and discipleship programs for children from ages 2-18 that actively involve parents, church leaders and mentors. For nearly 60 years, Awana has been a leader in children’s ministry by helping kids know, love and serve God.