Today, we alert you about a prison minister who needs a car. Before we get into the details, I want to offer a preface. If you have been following OneNeed for a while, you’ve noticed that we rarely send out alerts asking for a vehicle. We don’t operate with strict rules, but the reality is that providing a car is rarely the appropriate response to someone in need. Being a car owner is more than about “getting the car.” The ongoing upkeep and expenses, in most cases, are too much for the person requesting the car. I would describe it as an unsustainable solution. All that being said, I am excited about sharing a unique opportunity to help a man continue to walk, and drive, through doors that are opening for his ministry.

This prison minister was raised by his loving grandparents. He was a rebellious young man who was involved in many fights and altercations while growing up. In his twenties, he was in a bar fight that left him with over 200 stitches in his head and face. While he recovered, he got hooked on pain pills, leading to a 20-year battle with opioid addiction. He spent most of the past 15 years in and out of prisons and involved with gangs. In his role as an enforcer for the gang, he was valuable both inside and outside the prison walls.

He told me that he resisted the call of God for many years. But several years ago, he began to pray while in prison. He sensed God telling him that if he laid down his life, God would save him and use him to help others. My friend and OneNeed CEO, Lance Osborne, likes to say, “We’re just a bunch of redeemed outlaws.” This man embodies that description as closely as anyone you could imagine. His story is a good reminder that God can save anyone.

After his decision to follow Christ, he knew he had to renounce his affiliation with the gang. He also understood that it could lead to threats against his life. In faith, he spoke to his gang leaders, and they let him out of the gang without putting a price on his head. Then, at his next parole hearing, a judge released him to an 18-month men’s discipleship program called A Better Way Ministries. He has completed the 18-month program, and A Better Way has offered him a one-year paid internship.

Even though he is still on parole, he has been given permission to go back into the prison system to minister to other inmates, which is extremely rare. His biggest challenge right now is transportation. The prisons where he ministers are located several hours in different directions from where he lives. Relying on others for transportation is almost impossible. His program director at A Better Way told me they have found a used car that costs $8,000. With the help of others, they have raised $3,000. We want to provide him with the remaining $5,000 so that he can buy the car. I wish each of you could hear him tell his story. I was struck by the kindness, humility, and gentleness of this once violent, angry man. Please pray for his ministry, and for the restoration of broken relationships with his children and his grandmother.

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