INMATES at Ntchisi Prison had a spiritual Christmas period which saw 75 of them getting baptised after a two-week evangelism programme Seventh Day Baptist Church organized.

Evangelism Director for the Church, Winford Kaonga told Malawi News Agency (Mana), that the aim of prison evangelism is to bring the inmates closer to God despite being in prison.

"We understand how the prisoners feel when they are in prison. We want them to know God is always there for them and that they can be saved even within the walls of prison," said Kaonga.

He said inmates needed spiritual revival so that it helps them fully get reformed and re-integrated into the society when they are released.

Kaonga said the two week period of evangelism at the prison was a success because it gave the prisoners opportuni-ties to ask questions about the Bible and understand the word of God hence the big number of baptized inmates.

The Chaplain for Ntchisi prison, George Mphepo hailed the church for bringing the word of God to the prison, saying it would transform and help the inmates even when they are outside prison.

Mphepo said evangelism in prisons helps in strengthening the relationship between inmates and the outside people. He said it also assists the outside people to understand the problems in prisons.

He also urged other faith groups to emulate the same so that inmates shouldn't feel left out in religious matters, but should rather be close to their faiths.

Apart from the prayers, the church distributed food items like goat meat and soap to the inmates.