SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On Wednesday afternoons inside Puerto Rico’s Guayama 1000 correctional facility, the atmosphere is shifting. Where concrete walls and razor wire once seemed to define the future of the men inside, Bibles now open and voices rise in prayer as part of a new discipleship effort led by the Baptist Convention of Puerto Rico.
The initiative, called Project M419, takes its name from Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 4:19: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It is the latest step in the Convention’s commitment to bring the hope of the gospel into every corner of the island – even the prison yard.
A Gospel response to deep need
Launched earlier this year under the leadership of executive director Luis Soto and in collaboration with pastor Jorge Santiago of One Church in Comerío, Project M419 is designed to meet a profound spiritual hunger. While rehabilitation programs already exist in Puerto Rico’s prison system, Soto and Santiago saw a gap that only the Gospel could fill.
“The goal is not just to reduce recidivism or prepare someone for release,” Soto explained. “It’s to help men discover new life in Christ, to walk in discipleship, and to build communities of support that reflect the Kingdom of God.”
To make that vision a reality, four groups of volunteers – each with three teachers – have committed to weekly discipleship sessions. Every Wednesday and Friday, 100 inmates gather for two hours of biblical instruction, fellowship and mutual encouragement.
Lives changing
Though the project is only months old, signs of transformation are evident. In the coming weeks, 30 inmates from Guayama will step into baptismal waters, testifying publicly to their new faith in Christ.
For Soto, those moments are a reminder of God’s relentless grace.
“Seeing men, despite their great sins, find life and purpose in our great Savior, Jesus Christ, confirms that the Gospel is truly the power of God for salvation,” he said. “His grace is greater than our sins.”
Santiago agreed, emphasizing that prison walls cannot keep out the love of Christ.
“Jesus taught us that no one is too far to be reached by His love,” Santiago said. “Project M419 allows us to go where few are willing to go and plant the seed of the Gospel that can eternally transform a life.”
Beyond Guayama
While Guayama is the starting point, the vision is much broader. Leaders hope to expand Project M419 into every prison on the island including women’s and youth facilities, establishing a culture of discipleship among the incarcerated population.
That expansion will require the support of churches and ministry partners. The Convention is inviting congregations to provide resources – Bibles, discipleship manuals, Christian literature – that will help strengthen the work and equip inmates to grow in their faith long after their sentences are served.
Light inside the walls
For now, as Wednesday turns to evening and volunteers file out of Guayama, the echoes of Scripture and prayer linger behind them. Inside those walls, men once defined by their crimes are beginning to be known as brothers in Christ.
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