Spreading the Gospel among Bermuda's prison inmates may seem like a thankless job, but, according to volunteer Eddie Fisher, it has changed him.

"I'm supposed to go to uplift others,'' Mr. Fisher told The Royal Gazette this week, "but it is often reversed and I often receive a blessing.'' The veteran of four May 24 Marathon Derby half marathons will this year run to raise funds for Prison Fellowship Bermuda, a charity that does what it can to minister to prisoners.

"Just recently we've been allowed in to see remand prisoners, people who have not been tried yet,'' he said.

Prison Fellowship visits the more than 300 inmates at Westgate Correctional Facility, The Prison Farm, and at the Co-Ed Facility in St. George's. It also assists their families on the outside.

Mr. Fisher explained the central mission of Prison Fellowship is to minister to that segment of society that may have made mistakes in their lives.

"You have to remember there are innocents there and we all make mistakes,'' he said. "By using God's word -- the Bible -- we try to help them through their life crises.'' He added that if a prisoner's spiritual life is in order, other aspects of a troubled life would fall into place.

This is done through giving spiritual guidance, assisting former prisoners in finding accommodation and employment, and helping them through family crises.

Prison Fellowship's best known fund raising events are its Angel Tree, of which members of the public pin donations to the charity on a Christmas tree, and its Back-to-School programme.

With the loss of income to a family that is certain to follow an imprisonment, Prison Fellowship assists caregivers in buying uniforms and supplies for the children of prisoners.

The local charity has also adopted the international organisation's Adopt-a-Prisoner programme for Churches.

"We try to get one church, or its body, to adopt an inmate and assist us in helping him or her back into society,'' Mr. Fisher explained. "Getting them spiritually grounded would be good and would go a long way.'' One segment of the prison population that gets special attention are foreigners who are convicted here.

Mr. Fisher said although Bermuda is a beautiful country, imprisonment here for foreigners is often difficult.

"We seek them out and try to make the transition easier,'' he said. He added that Prison Fellowship often contacted a prisoner's family overseas.

Mr. Fisher noted that just a year ago he was worshipping at Calvary Gospel Chapel in Southampton when a volunteer asked for others to join the charity.

"I put my hand up,'' he said, "but I have to admit during my first visit I was apprehensive. But I was pleasantly surprised and I received a blessing.'' About his run for charity on Monday, Mr. Fisher said he had not set a target for the amount of money to be raised.

He will be joined by his friends John Pedro, who works at Bermuda Electric Light Company, and Scott Lewis, who works at Arthur Anderson Chartered Accountants.

Anyone can join the fund raising run by calling 234-0923.