(view original Press Release here)

Rockville, Ind. – The incarcerated women of Rockville Correctional Facility’s Purposeful Living Unit Serves (PLUS) attended a Global Leadership Summit (GLS), where they saw the story of Rebecca Bender, author of “In Pursuit of Love: One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant.” These incarcerated women were inspired by Ms. Bender’s story that they organized a fundraiser that raised $595, which they donated to the Rebecca Bender Initiative.

The Purposeful Living Unit Serves (PLUS) is faith and character-based housing program developed by the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) to provide an immersive, supportive community experience allowing offenders to explore and choose alternatives to criminal thinking and behaviors through an emphasis on spiritual, moral and character development. The Rockville Correctional Facility (RCF) PLUS Program offender participants are housed together in a single dormitory where they receive programming guidance throughout the workday, and on weekends, and where they are held accountable for their behaviors by not only staff but their cohorts in the program.

Part of the RCF PLUS curriculum includes attending a viewing of the annual Global Leadership Summit (GLS), a symposium created by the Global Leadership Network. The Summit is a two-day event broadcast worldwide to hundreds of thousands of people to achieve a vision of Christians and churches maximizing their full leadership potential to impact the world.

"In Pursuit of Love: One Women's Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant", tells the story of Rebecca Bender’s journey. Rebecca went from a comfortable middle-class childhood through teen pregnancy with the baby’s father jailed, through a series of manipulative boyfriends who trafficked her for sex. Rebecca’s story hits home for many incarcerated women, those who have experienced a similar path leading to criminogenic behaviors to include substance abuse.

RCF Chaplain Jeff Deakins said, “I cannot begin to express how proud I am of the ladies and the ‘spirit of giving’ that they demonstrated. It is a clear indication their hearts are changing, and their minds are becoming more concerned with the things that have lasting value and purpose!"

Men and women are able to experience The Global Leadership Summit in prison because of the generous support of our incredible donors, volunteers, church partners and corrections staff. To learn more about how you can be part of this movement, go to GlobalLeadership.org/Prison.