Testimonials: Al 2005

Al found himself in jail, product of an alcoholic father, divorced with three young girls. It was his third offense DWI, and fortunately it was several years between his first and third offense so that they only looked at it as his second offense. Then of course there were the charges for bad checks, that due to his memory, he didn’t even think he wrote. It didn’t seem that it could get much worse. His mom had just passed away a few years before and here he was, in the Platte County Jail. On Monday night two men from the Columbus Rescue Mission came to jail to do a Bible study. Al went along with some of the other inmates to get out of the pod. What a night, Al realized he had wronged God (Romans 3:23), but God had paid his fine with His own Son. (Romans 5:8) All that he had to do was put his trust in Jesus, God’s Son, they called it grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9) That night Al’s life was changed, as they ask for those who were trusting Jesus to look up, Al raised his head and looked the Chaplain straight in the eye.(Romans 10:9-11) Al joined the New Life Program at the Columbus Rescue Mission and reestablished relationship with his family, taking them to ball games and even having the girls stay over. Al was growing in faith as a Christian and hadn’t had a drink for over six months. His memory was improving as he learned scripture like James 1:12 and he even spent some time with his ex-wife. Then, some of Al’s old life started beginning to creep back in. He was dismissed from the New Life Program and ended up drunk, writing bad checks and in jail. When he got out of jail he came back to stay at the Columbus Rescue Mission, but again was asked to leave because of drinking. After a short bar from the mission, he would come to eat at the mission, but would come with booze on his breath, and finally was asked to stay off the property for six months. The mission was enabling Al to drink. When the six months finally passed, Al came back and asks if He could rejoin the New Life Program. Once again Al is pursuing his relationship with Jesus.

If you ask Al, he is very thankful for the men coming to jail, the Columbus Rescue Mission and its New Life Program, for their grace and most of all, for God’s wonderful grace.