“You can’t mentor others without studying the Bible yourself.”
When Anja and her husband first began looking for a mission opportunity, they wanted something meaningful—work they could do from home, rooted in Scripture, and centered on walking alongside others in faith. When Crossroads Prison Ministries was introduced to them, it felt like the perfect fit.
They signed up as volunteer mentors and began corresponding with students in prison, reviewing lessons, praying over letters, and engaging deeply with God’s Word. Over time, life brought unexpected challenges. When Anja’s husband became ill, they stepped back for a season. But Crossroads was never far from her heart. Years later, Anja returned—serving both as a mentor and as office staff—and today she continues to volunteer faithfully in both roles.
What has kept her connected all these years is the transformation she’s witnessed. “You walk a path with them,” Anja explains. “You see how they begin to think differently—how they view the Bible and the people around them with fresh eyes.”
As a one-on-one mentor, Anja has enjoyed building deeper relationships with students and watching them grow. She’s seen firsthand how the change doesn’t stop with the student. Families notice it too. While working in the office, Anja heard story after story from loved ones who said, “My son is thinking differently now. He’s acting differently.” For her, that visible fruit matters deeply.
The experience has also reshaped Anja’s own faith. “You can’t mentor others without studying the Bible yourself,” she says. “It forces you to ask: Why do I believe what I believe?” Students’ honest, sometimes unexpected questions—about faith, angels, fasting, or the very basics of Christianity—have pushed her back into Scripture again and again. “Some of their questions surprise me,” Anja shares, “and they make me open my Bible in a whole new way.”
Through Crossroads, Anja has learned that mentoring is never one-sided. “You think you’re here to teach,” she says, “but you end up being taught as well.”
You make this kind of transformation possible.
By serving as a mentor, praying for students, or supporting Crossroads through giving, you help create space for real, lasting change—change that reaches students, families, and mentors alike.
Join us today. Become a mentor, volunteer, or give to help bring God’s Word and hope to people in prison.