Prison Stories: "Bored - so he came to Alpha"Ed, like so many other prisoners, found the tedium of prison life boring beyond endurance. So, he signed up for as many programs as possible. Every one was full, as last resort he put his name down for Alpha.
At the first session we went around the group asking each person why they had signed up and what they hoped to get out of the the course.
When Ed's turn came to speak, he said: "I don't have any expectations, I only signed up to relieve the boredom of being in this place. What's more I k...
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| Prison stories: A young Iraq war veteran's story
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Grief and loss
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S was a 19-year old when we met him at Alpha in prison. He served 9 months in Iraq, his story is sad and deeply moving. He told me: "I struggle to sleep, because I have vivid flashbacks of my time in Iraq. I am plagued by pictures of the bloodshed I saw in Iraq among civilians, US servicemen and especially of some of my friends who were killed and maimed in front of me."
I was moved and troubled by this deeply wounded young man's story The next week he was transferred to another prison, I never saw him again. I still sometimes pray for him that the Holy Spirit will open his heart to Christ so that he can experience God's love and forgiveness in Christ and that he will be freed from the nightmares that plague him.
He told me that when he got back to the USA he began to use drugs and drink heavily in an attempt to blot out these memories. He was stopped for a DUI and found to be in possession of cocaine and marijuana, foolishly he resisted arrest, and was sentenced to prison.
One of his biggest struggles is believing that God can forgive him for shooting and killing people, even though it was in the line of duty. It was a great joy and privilege to pray with him and to tell him about the depth and fullness of God's love and mercy.
After speaking with him, I prayed with him and gave him a Bible, the booklet "Why Jesus?" and a copy of the "Purpose Driven Life".
Please pray for this young man, and the many military men and women who are living with the trauma of war.
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