We stood for five minutes and now we get another interview, this one facilitated by Jim Meldano (who is much better at doing interviews that Bill Hybels).  This was with Catherine Rohr.  Catherine is the CEO and founder of the nonprofit Prison Entrepreneurship Program.  The PEP takes some of the best “entrepreneurs”, criminals, and teaches them how to use their gifts in legitimate businesses.

Here are the gems from this interview.

First, what an inspirational leader.  This is a woman who has sacrificed much – giving up a very high paying job to serve the prisioners.  Her energy, passion, and commitment was very inspirational to me.  It made me want to visit the prisons.  This is the kind of person I would give money to.

Second, PEP is very clear about who they are and what they do.  There are opportunities they choose not to do because of that clarity.

Third, she made a point about people in the Bible that really made me think.  She pointed out how society judges convicts, but David, Paul, and Moses are all murders too.  Wow!  I guess I had never thought of labeling these people as killers but God’s people who had made mistakes.  I guess it helps me to see the redemptive potential in others.

Fourth, they have a very high success rate.  Only 5% of those who go thought he program end up back in prison.  Nationally, it is over 50% who return.  As a matter of fact, it is so successful that 70% of the people who go through program end up giving back to it as donors!

Fifth, it stuck me when she talked about partnering with and networking with government officials.  I suppose we need to be mindful of that when we do social programs.

Sixth and finally, when to comes to fundraising her best strategy is to encourage people to come and see what it is they are doing.  It is not videos and brochures, but coming to visit.  Based on some of our partnerships, I can see how this is the most effective method.

What a great interview!  Other than the Bono interview a few years back, this may be the best they have done.  It was not profoundly helpful to me and my ministry, but it was inspiring.