I had no idea there were 48,000 federal, state, and local laws pertaining to a returning citizen’s probation or parole. It’s great what Root and Rebound is doing to provide the legal support for reintegration into society. Not an easy transition for someone who has been in prison for 10 or 20 years.

I loved Sophia’s remarks about returning citizens who are coming to church—They ultimately are searching for God. Sure, we need to be welcoming and accept them as they are. Providing that compassion and personal connection is important. And sometimes we can be concerned about how we come across to them. Are we making them feel welcome and so on? These things are important but what means the most to them is finding a meaningful connection with God. This helps to get rid of any self-consciousness about our welcoming them.