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We Care celebrates 40 years
For 40 years, the We Care Program has been ministering to incarcerated men and women.
To mark the anniversary, the staff held a series of events over the weekend, including a reunion of former and current We Care personnel.
The public was invited to a Saturday afternoon service celebrating God’s faithfulness over 40 years of ministry. Everyone was invited to attend We Care’s open house that evening. At the open house, We Care President David Landis presented a new historical display showing a timeline of the organization as well as recognizing several of the people who have been instrumental in We Care through the years.
Landis said 288 individuals have served with the We Care program since 1970.
Arlin Schrock was the speaker for the afternoon service. Schrock worked at We Care from 1974 to 1987 and from 1990 to 1996.
Landis introduced six former inmates whose time behind bars totaled 73 years. Each man talked about how much the We Care Program had meant to them, and each man encouraged those involved in We Care to keep on keeping on.
As one former inmate said, “You may not think you’re doing any good, but you got to keep on. Somebody’s listening.”
Another said, “Be steadfast and unmovable.”
Yet another said, “All you guys going into the prison, everybody’s watching your life.”
Speaking of the We Care chaplains, one former inmate said, “They came in prison with open hearts and open minds.”
Through all the services, the memory of Martin Weber was prevalent. Weber founded New Life Foundation in 1970 to serve men in prison. New Life became We Care in 1983. Thousands of men and women have heard the gospel, the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ, through the vision of one man.
“ … I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:36b (NIV)
Pictured at top, the new historical display may be seen at the We Care Program headquarters, 3493 Highway 21.
Above, Arlin Schrock brings the message Saturday
afternoon.
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