Two of those parents were Rudolpho and Joseph.

For Rudolpho, it had been two years since he spent a Christmas with his kids. The night before the event he said, "Tomorrow means everything to me because we will be able to see each other, embrace each other, and talk to each other. I know I need it but he needs it more than me." When the doors opened, his son did not hesitate. He ran. They held onto each other like they were making up for every lost day.

And then there was Joseph.

He had not seen his son in ten years. His boy was one the last time they were together. This was their first Christmas. Joseph said, "This day is a blessing because I have been praying for this opportunity and I know not everyone gets it." Their reunion stopped the room. A decade of distance dissolved in a single embrace.

Moments like these remind us that the momentum is not slowing down. Families are being restored. Hearts are softening. Hope is taking root inside the walls.

Reunification is also about the future. Children with an incarcerated parent face higher risks of struggling in school, battling depression, and repeating the same cycles of brokenness. When they see their parent healed, present, and emotionally connected, even for one day, it rewrites something inside them. It reminds them they are loved and not forgotten.

When a parent holds their child again, something shifts. Shame loses power. Identity returns. Healing begins in both directions. These moments are not just memories. They are prevention, restoration, and legacy change.

Thank you for standing with us as we keep showing up for the ones the world often forgets. God is moving, and the long-term impact of these reunions will outlive all of us.

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