A Miracle in Prison
Renovare Music performing “The Way of Peace” for the women of the Northeast Reintegration Center.
Happy New Year! We are so grateful for all of the many ways that you stood alongside us throughout 2024, and we look forward to all that God has in store for us in 2025.
We’d especially like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to those of you who contributed to our year-end campaign! It’s because of your generosity that we are able to do what we do.
Thank you for joining us in bringing hope and healing through music!
December was a whirlwind month for Renovare with almost 20 concerts and events. This included zipping around Northeast Ohio, instruments in tow, performing our Christmas concert “The Way of Peace” for multiple audiences.
Not long after performing three concerts (in one day!) at the Mansfield Correctional Institution (MANCI), we were so grateful to receive a letter signed by multiple residents there. This letter detailed what the author considered to be a miracle following his concert experience with us. We can’t always know how people receive the music that we share, but this letter was a sweet reminder to us that music is truly healing.
We thought we’d share a portion of this letter with you today:
To the wonderful women of Renovare,
The other night, I was privileged to attend your concert at Mansfield Prison. It lightened the otherwise heavy heart of mine. I enjoyed it a great deal.
However, it was after I left that I witnessed the miracle. I have been at MANCI for 13 years and I am used to seeing crowds of inmates moving to and from chow and rec and church and events such as your concert. Mostly quiet, dour, and crabby is how I would describe the mood. If they do get rowdy it’s generally peppered with vulgarities or hate.
Yet that night I witnessed something that I had NEVER seen at MANCI before, the crowd (not just individuals, but all that I saw) were laughing, ebullient, giddy, singing carols all the way back to our pods. The whole crowd was joyful. It was like watching a bunch of little kids getting out of school for Christmas break. There were smiles on every face I saw.
It brought to my mind several quotations from the Bible. Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver or gold.” And surely if for no other reason you all have earned a good name in heaven for that night’s concert, for the joy you have brought into our hearts.
Renovare Music performing “The Way of Peace” at the Mansfield Correctional Institute.
Letters and stories such as these fill our hearts with gratitude and determination to keep pursuing God’s heart for His people in Northeast Ohio. We hope you are also encouraged to hear this story, which conveys just a piece of the impact your support is making.
Thank you for coming alongside Renovare’s mission, whether through your time, talent, treasure, or testimony! We are so grateful for you.