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John's Story

John's life was turned around when he was unexpectedly met with forgiveness while in prison.

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Prisoners | 2:13

John's Story

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John's life was turned around when he was unexpectedly met with forgiveness while in prison.

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00:13

Eight weeks ago, I was released from Rochester Prison,

00:17

having spent 30 years of my life in custody.

00:20

My own journey started as a young man

00:23

when I tragically got involved in a robbery

00:25

with devastating consequences.

00:28

Then going to court and seeing the impact

00:30

that had on the victims family, my own family,

00:33

my son at the time, my ex-wife

00:36

led me down the path of self harm,

00:39

addiction, anxiety, depression,

00:42

a lot of guilt, a lot of shame, a lot of remorse.

00:45

I just couldn't get out of the dark hole

00:47

and just went deeper and deeper down, and down, and down.

00:50

And then, I came to Rochester

00:52

and I learned about the Sycamore Tree restorative justice.

00:56

Put my name down for it,

00:58

I waited about nine months to get on the course, ten months.

01:00

And when I got on the course it had,

01:03

I'd say, a life changing effect on me,

01:05

because I was able to see the victims of crime

01:08

face to face, firsthand

01:10

and to see they were able to forgive people

01:14

who'd committed devastating acts against families,

01:17

their family, and sometimes themselves and all that.

01:19

So, that was a healing process, myself.

01:21

Then knowing if people like that could forgive

01:24

people like myself, well I could, possibly, forgive myself.

01:28

And it, sort of, made me turn the corner

01:30

and start to feel better about myself and more positive.

01:34

And, in Rochester, I also became a born again Christian.

01:37

I attend church outside now,

01:38

as well as, AA meetings and all that like.

01:41

Rochester, most definitely, was life changing for me,

01:43

the support I got there.

01:45

I'd hope to come back to Rochester in the future

01:47

and be a facilitator and to empower other men

01:50

to make the changes in their life

01:52

that I have done, myself.

01:53

And, to get to where I am now, as a free man.

September 2017
From
Prison Fellowship
Topics
Prisoners