Circle of Love Inside

Circle of love as the name implies, is a beautiful program that cares for the neglected, sick and lonely, sad people through small gestures like letters and occasional visits. Hundreds of people have benefited from this caring program. Like Amma often says, “We are all links in the chain of life. Just as the left hand would reach out to the right when injured, we should rush to offer help to the distressed.” The Circle of Love program recommends a simple and easy way to accomplish this task of comforting the distressed – a caring letter.

The impetus to expand this program to prison outreach started within the prison walls. In 2002, Themba Kelley, a prisoner incarcerated on Rikers Island in New York, wrote a heartfelt letter, reaching out for help, to the M.A. Center. Themba had met Amma previously in New York City. The responses he received which included letters from Br. Dayamrita, books and photographs of Amma made a tremendous impact on him. Themba dreamed of a program that would bring Amma’s love to many inmates in the same way. He wrote, "There is some man or woman, some child of Amma, who is in a prison cell right now, longing to see Amma’s face. There are thousands, if not millions, of Amma’s children in prisons and jails worldwide…..” Themba requested M.A. Center’s help with other inmates, one of whom was a man named Michael, who was facing life in prison at Winnebago County Jail, Rockford, IL. The coordinator of Circle of Love Letters, Aikya Param, immediately sent an encouraging letter and a photo of Amma. The following is an excerpt from Michael’s response:

"I thank you for the card with the picture (of Amma) in it. Since I’ve been here, my father died and my aunt. I found out that my mother and grandmother have cancer. Through all of this, I still feel good because of Amma…...

……There was a time when I was scared to do any time in the joint. But now I look at myself as a leaf. Wherever God blows me is where I will be. It doesn’t matter to me that much any more whether I go home or I don’t. I just want to give love to everyone for the rest of my life."

Michael’s experience gave the model for the Circle of Love Inside program. As more volunteers joined Aikya’s lead, Circle of Love Inside Letters reached about 110 inmates during its first year. The group of volunteer letter writers hailed from different parts of the world; including U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and Australia. They reached out to prisons of Arizona, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Utah and Texas. These recipients represented diverse ages, cultural and religious backgrounds.

Through the generosity of the M.A. Center, the program has donated 95 books to individual prisoners and family members, 25 to prison libraries and 5 to prison chapel libraries. In addition, as a gift from M.A. Center, Circle of Love Inside donated 75 music CDs to the California prison chaplains at their annual convention in late 2005 through The Voices of Angels Foundation.

Many recipients of the Circle of Love Inside have written to us. View glimpses of hope in their lives.

For people in prison, letters, visits and television are their only contact with the world outside. Besides reading, these also are the only breaks in the monotony of prison life. Some have no friends or family outside and receive no mail or visitors for years at a time. For them, Circle of Love Inside letters, books, and visits prove that someone could still accept and love them regardless of their past. Aikya says, “Just as Amma’s love does for those of us outside prison who can receive her hug, Circle of Love Inside volunteers’ love and acceptance allows the beauty within each brother or sister who is incarcerated to grow. Love has a universal appeal. Most prisoners are amazed that anyone so loving and giving (referring to Amma) is alive in this world today. The African-Americans appreciate that, like them, Amma was mistreated because of her dark skin and, even so, became a world-renowned humanitarian and saint. Many of the prisoners were themselves abused in their childhood, and they are inspired by Amma whose rose above her own abusive childhood. Some of them don’t have any spiritual or religious background, and they badly want to know more, and others feel that the letters and visits make them feel that someone cares and that their life matters. Some of the Muslims are delighted to have someone who will talk to them about God and spirituality without judging them with prejudice."

Aikya says that the program has been successful due to its enthusiastic volunteers. Many of her colleagues have shared the benefit of their experiences. Laura M. from Ireland said “The friendship I have developed by writing to ‘someone inside’ has given me a greater understanding of the meaning and effect of love.” Margaret from Redding, CA wrote “…. I have more of a sense what being confined means just because of all the red-tape of getting in to see a prisoner….Visiting has stirred up my own desire do more with prisoners -- perhaps, as a chaplain, I am privileged to share in the lives of these prisoners, to receive much from them, and to give prayerful support.”

For more information about how you can become a Circle of Love Inside volunteer, letter writing guidelines, please contact Aikya Param at circle.of.love.inside@gmail.com.

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