Volunteers Prepare Over 6,000 Gifts for Prisoners

Andrews University faculty, staff and students volunteered alongside members of the community at Christmas Behind Bars in Johnson Gym. (Photo by Nicholas Gunn)

On Oct. 27, over 500 Andrews University students, faculty and community members gathered for the third annual “Christmas Behind Bars” service event. During the project, which took place on the Andrews University campus, volunteers packed thousands of gift bags with snacks, inspirational literature and messages of encouragement for incarcerated individuals. This year’s program marked a milestone as volunteers worked to prepare over 6,300 packages destined for inmates across Nebraska’s state prisons. The impact of the event went beyond providing treats; it offered a message of hope and connection for those spending the holiday season behind bars.

The vision of Christmas Behind Bars is rooted in the personal journey of its founder, Lemuel Vega, who now serves as the volunteer coordinator. Vega, who struggled with drug addiction and spent time in prison himself, found faith through an Adventist pastor’s visit to his hospital room. Reflecting on his own transformation, Vega shared, “I got down on my knees and said, ‘Dear Jesus, please help me. I want to quit, but I can’t.’” His journey eventually led him to establish Christmas Behind Bars almost three decades ago, beginning with 350 packages for inmates at a local county jail. Since then, the project has grown exponentially, delivering thousands of packages each year across multiple states, including Indiana, Kentucky and Alabama. Vega explained, “Today we are packaging over 6,300 packages. Every inmate in the state of Nebraska will receive a package; their lives will be touched and encouraged for Christ because of the effort right here at Andrews University.”

In its early years, Christmas Behind Bars was sustained by contributions from Vega’s grocery business, which he operated out of his van. The ministry’s growth required overcoming numerous challenges, including resistance from prison authorities. Vega recounted one particular story where persistent prayer led to a breakthrough: “The warden didn’t want the packages. Every morning we would pray. We said, ‘Lord, we know you can make a way, but not our will. Thy will be done.’” When a new warden took charge, doors finally opened, allowing the program to expand to thousands of inmates. The project has since become a nationwide initiative, operating solely on individual donations.

The annual event at Andrews University is a testament to the University's commitment to fostering service and community involvement among its students. Teela Ruehle, director of Student Missions and service projects at Andrews, shared her excitement about the event, describing it as “one of my favorite projects.” Ruehle sees the event as a powerful opportunity for students to experience the importance of service. She noted, “It’s huge for every person to experience serving. This is a way to open their eyes to volunteering, and let’s be real, God called us to serve.” Ruehle emphasized the emotional impact that these packages can have on recipients, explaining that each bag contains a message that can “open their eyes to the love of Jesus Christ.”

Esther Knott, director of the InMinistry Center at Andrews University’s Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, was instrumental in securing funds and organizing this year’s event. Knott helped raise $8,000 from various sources, including the North American Division’s Compassion Fund, campus ministries, and local churches like the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church and Pioneer Memorial Church. Knott recalled, “It was the challenge of getting people to come originally; we were concerned that we wouldn't have enough people.” Nonetheless, more than 500 volunteers came together to support the cause, each wearing name tags that fostered a sense of community as they worked side-by-side.

Knott also initiated a collaboration with Christmas Behind Bars earlier in the year, during Andrews University’s annual employee Fall Fellowship. The University provided over 300 Andrews Study Bibles for individuals at a women’s correctional facility in Illinois. At the event, employees and their families wrote scripture passages, references for readers to look up, personal notes and signed their first names in the Bibles, which were included in care packages. Knott also had the opportunity to help Vega distribute the Bibles to women at the correctional facility. “One woman said that she hadn’t had a Bible for 10 years,” she recalled. “She lost hers when her house burned down.”

Beyond meeting a logistical need, these events have had a lasting impact on those who participated. Knott observed that service events on campus provide a unique opportunity for community building; for example, offering faculty a chance to work with students in a new way beyond in the classroom. “As a faculty member on campus, when my seminary students are here, I get to see who steps in because they see a need,” Knott shared. While working together, volunteers get a glimpse of the profound impact their efforts have, not just in the moment but also in the lives of those who receive these packages.

For many students, Christmas Behind Bars is a first step into the world of volunteerism. Ruehle highlighted the significance of this experience, noting that “a lot of our students come here and they haven’t volunteered before, and this is a great way to just open that door and realize you can do something to impact others, no matter how small.” She explained that what may seem like “just putting candy in a bag” is actually “bigger than that.” Each package represents a message of care and compassion, potentially touching the life of someone who feels forgotten.

As volunteers packed bag after bag, the atmosphere was filled with joy, purpose and the spirit of the season. While the event concluded in just a few hours, the message of hope and compassion sent out in each package will resonate in prisons throughout Nebraska. Through its partnership with Christmas Behind Bars, Andrews University has helped spread a message of love and grace to those who may need it most.

In the words of Vega, “There’s lots of ways that people can be involved all throughout the year, but we focus here at Andrews this time of year.” With a vision rooted in personal transformation and a mission powered by faith, the Christmas Behind Bars project offers hope, even to those in the most difficult circumstances.