Online Reporter
Nothando Zondo and Ronald Sibanda
THE visit arrived not with fanfare, but with warmth — and for the inmates of Filabusi Prison, that made all the difference. This week, the Assemblies of God Church brought colour and consolation into the grey rhythms of incarceration during Prisons Family Week, conducting a church service and presenting maize and refreshments to those serving time. For a few precious hours, the walls felt less rigid, the silence less heavy.
Beyond the donations, the visit carried something far less tangible but deeply restorative. It drew the incarcerated closer to the communities they rarely touch, helping to rebuild fractured bonds and reaffirming the core purpose of Prisons Family Week: rehabilitation through interaction, dignity through inclusion.
Filabusi Prison public relations officer, Correctional Officer Godknows Sebata, explained that the initiative is held twice a year to allow inmates space to reconnect — not just with relatives, but with society itself.
“Prisons Family Week reconnects inmates with society, and church visits make a huge difference, especially for those without visitors. Some inmates are from far-flowing areas, and their families can’t visit due to distance or anger issues. Church visits bring relief,” said Correctional Officer Sebata.
He described the impact of such outreach as quietly transformative. Spiritual nourishment, he said, restores hope and renews faith, reminding inmates of a connection beyond steel doors and sentencing records. In those moments, men and women find strength to endure their time and imagine a life beyond it — one that leads back to family and community.
Assemblies of God pastor Phuthela Sibanda echoed that sentiment, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to walk alongside inmates, even briefly.
“This is part of our church’s purpose – to bring Jesus and basic needs like toiletries and food,” said Pastor Sibanda.
Among the congregants that day was Filabusi Prison inmate Methembe Ndlovu, serving time for assault. For him, the service was more than a pause in routine — it was a quiet reckoning.
“The word shared calmed my worried mind, reminding me prison isn’t the end. I have the power to change my life for the better upon release,” said Ndlovu.
Another inmate, 22 year old Nkululeko Moyo, incarcerated for theft, spoke with equal openness, connecting the visit to the weight he carries daily.
“I’m grateful for the church’s visit – it helped me forget my worries. I left behind a daughter, an unborn child, and an unemployed wife. I get frustrated thinking I can’t provide for them. Since my family from Nkayi hasn’t visited, such gestures remind me that people care,” said Moyo.
As hymns filled the air, the prison yard slowly transformed. Inmates danced, laughed softly and interacted freely with church members. For a few hours, numbers were replaced by names, offences by faces. Filabusi Prison is home to about 62 inmates, most serving sentences for assault and theft, each carrying stories heavier than their uniforms suggest.
Assistant Principal Correctional Officer Sithenjisiwe Chikovore said church engagement has become a familiar and valued part of prison life, woven into broader rehabilitation efforts.
“These projects help inmates earn a living and connect with family upon release. The money raised from these projects is used to assist discharged inmates with transport, basic needs, and phone recharge to stay in touch with loved ones,” said APCO Chikovore.
Prisons Family Week, she added, helps mend fractured relationships and soften the emotional terrain of incarceration, leaving inmates mentally refreshed and better equipped to cope.
That spirit extended beyond Filabusi. At Plumtree Prison, inmates could not hide their joy as smoke rose from braai stands and shared meals replaced silence. Music played throughout the day, and for once, inmates chose what filled the air.
Carlton Ngwenya (38), serving a five year sentence imposed in October 2025, spoke candidly about longing and relief.
“I feel at ease because this family week has brought me close to my family. Interacting with them has made me happy. I was sentenced to five years in October 2025, and I’m only left with two years and eight months. Meeting with my family keeps me close to them – it shows I am still loved out there,” said Ngwenya.
His wife, Pretty Moyo (24), laughed softly as she reflected on the difference the day made.
“I visit my husband every weekend, but today things are different. Every time I have visited him before, there would be a security fence between us,” she said, giggling. “But today I am interacting with my husband without barriers.”
Visitor numbers have risen sharply during the week, averaging nearly 47 per day. Refreshments, fresh food and music have created an atmosphere that feels closer to reunion than incarceration.
Family Week, which runs until April 12 from 9AM to 3PM, is being observed at Beitbridge Farm Prison, Beitbridge Prison, Plumtree Prison, Gwanda Prison, Gwanda Farm Prison, Filabusi Prison, Kezi Prison and Esigodini Prison — small windows of humanity opening across high walls, reminding all involved that connection remains possible, even behind bars.
