“God is able,” Gayle says. Over the phone, her voice is clear and certain, despite the patchy cell reception. “I’ve had lots of hard things in my life,” she explains. “Volunteering helps me refocus—I think of my match and her whole life is prison. It’s heartbreaking, but there’s something I can do. I can reach out to her. I can pray.”
Gayle Macnab has served with M2/W2 as a volunteer for two decades, first as a board member and then as an in-prison mentor. Recently, Gayle became a volunteer in the No One Leaves Alone (NOLA) program, where she’s working with a case manager and other volunteers to mentor a recent parolee.
In addition to her volunteer efforts with M2/W2, Gayle escorts prisoners to appointments and, in the past, has spoken about restorative justice in prisons. In these experiences, she’s discovered how God uses her.
“I went to share my story with inmates. As someone who has been a victim of crime, I spoke about empathy and described what victims need and want from those who committed the crimes. Before I went to the first session, I said, ‘Lord, let this impact somebody.’”
“God gave me the ability to care for those men,” she says. “I wanted them to be green and have horns, but I saw a group of hurting men.”
Mentoring In Prisons
While Gayle has been matched with a few different women through the years, she has been meeting with her current match, V, for almost a decade.
V is serving a 25-year sentence at Fraser Valley Institution in Abbotsford, BC.
“When I met V, she was in maximum security. I got to know her one-on-one,” Gayle says. “Now that she’s in the medium house, we meet in the gym as a group. Each pair has its own table, but I get to see V interacting with others.”
Gayle describes V as upbeat, someone who’s always helping out. “She laughs a lot and has a good sense of humour.”
“Every now and then, I encourage her to slow down, and take time for herself and her relationship with God.”
When she sees V heading down a path that might lead to trouble, Gayle nudges her in the right direction. “I’m a straight shooter,” she says. “I’m honest with her, and she knows that I respect her and really care for her.”
Volunteer Nights on Hold
Due to the pandemic, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has suspended volunteer visits, so Gayle hasn’t met face to face with V for over a month. They’ve spoken on the phone, though, and Gayle is always happy to hear from V.
How is V dealing with the pandemic? “She seems to be handling it well,” Gayle says. “She keeps herself busy: beading, crocheting, even sewing facemasks.”
For Gayle, staying at home has been frustrating. “Volunteering helps me feel like I am contributing.”
“At least I can go for a drive or talk on the phone,” she says. “We think this COVID thing is endless, and it’s only been a couple of months. V’s sentence must seem endless.”
As we all look forward to resuming our normal, pre-pandemic lives, it’s encouraging to know that Gayle and others like her are thinking about the well-being of those who are often overlooked.
What are her motives for volunteering? “Because I can,” she says. “I’m able to love these women, and this is a way to reach out and care for them.”
During National Volunteer Week, we are shining a light on our volunteers, like Gayle, whose hard work and dedication help form the foundation of our organization. Thank you, volunteers!
Thinking about volunteering? Give us a call. Right now, close to 200 incarcerated men and women are waiting to join our in-prison mentorship program. In addition, our NOLA program needs volunteers to mentor people who are transitioning from prison to the community.