MORE than 100 men and women jailed in Caribbean and Latin American prisons were freed this Easter season.

Food For The Poor, in a recent release, said it paid the fines of 113 inmates in four countries during Holy Week, including the fines of two women at Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre in Portmore, Jamaica, the only female prison on the island.

When the two women were called into the prison warden's office, they thought they had done something wrong, but instead were told they were free to spend Easter with their families because Food For The Poor had paid their outstanding fines, the release said.

“I prayed for God to provide something new for me and my family, something different for us to start over… a new life,” one of the women said through streaming tears. “I believe, with all my heart that Food For The Poor coming here today to pay my fine, is a direct answer from God. Even last night, I prayed and I said, 'God, free me please' and today, I am a free woman.”

In Jamaica, five non-violent prisoners were released from the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre, Richmond Farm Adult Correctional Centre, and the Black River Police Station. Each was given words of encouragement, a hot meal, personal care items, and money for transportation home, the release said.

Food For The Poor's Prison Ministry Program, which started in 1998, has helped to free, train and to reintroduce non-violent prisoners back into their communities as productive citizens.

“Over the last 20 years, Food For The Poor has paid the fines of thousands of inmates with the compassionate generosity of our donors,” said Food For The Poor President/CEO Robin Mahfood. “Many of these men and women are deserving of a second chance, because the crimes committed are considered petty. They spend months, even years, locked away because they cannot afford to pay a fine that would set them free. Some may wonder, is the prison ministry a waste of time? I say no! If only one life is transformed then it was well worth the effort, and that is what God has called us to do.”

In Jamaica alone, more than 7,000 former inmates also have benefited from the “Fresh Start Program” that provides assistance with profitable jobs, such as welding, carpentry and farming. Those newly released are given a source of income and are discouraged from repeating their offences, the release said.

Two young brothers who previously had their fines paid for by Food For The Poor started a car-washing business. Food For The Poor-Jamaica staff and even local police officers are some of their most loyal customers. The bothers are very thankful for the second chance they were given, the release said.

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organisations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. The release said this interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicine, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance.