Prison Chaplain Says Listening to Inmates Offers us all Lessons for Life

Prison chaplain Lyn Turner thought it was a prank when she made the King’s Birthday Honours list but, since accepting its legitimacy, she’s used the recognition to highlight the value of lending a non-judgmental listening ear.

Volunteering across the areas of international aid, disaster relief and inmate support for women’s prisons, Lyn spends a lot of her time listening to people who might otherwise be overlooked.

“I heard a work colleague speaking bad about people in prison,” Lyn told Hope 1032.

“I remember thinking, you know, God loves these people as much as He loves us on the outside.”

That conviction led her into prison chaplaincy, where she says every day is different.
“Chaplains listen to inmates and everybody’s got a different story to tell,” Lyn said.

“We go into prisons accepting the people where they’re at and not judging them. We see inmates through Jesus’ eyes as people God loves and not as criminals.”

Rather than discussing the offences that brought them to prison, Lyn says many of the women simply want to talk about the families they miss.

“A lot of the women there want to just talk about their kids,” Lyn said.

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“We see inmates through Jesus’ eyes as people God loves and not as criminals.”

“It’s just talking to a non-judgmental person about how they’re feeling.”

Whether in the context of chaplaincy or everyday life, Lyn’s seen how that kind of acceptance can have a lasting impact.

“Coming alongside folk who are disadvantaged or struggling and helping them, showing that people genuinely care, can be life changing for them,” Lyn said.

“It gives them a new optimism for the future.”

One of Lyn’s greatest joys is seeing women discover hope during their time in prison.

“When one of them acknowledges that God brought her here [to] allow her time to seek God, that’s pretty amazing.”

Understanding God’s forgiveness can also help women forgive themselves.

“When they realise that God can forgive them, then they can forgive themselves more easily,” Lyn said.

Knowing the role women have in their families, Lyn believes that if you can “save a woman while she’s in prison, you’re saving a generation”.

“I just hope that by my being a recipient of this award, it’ll be an encouragement for others to serve in their communities wherever they’re able,” Lyn said.

Listen to the full conversation in the player above.

Feature image: Supplied