“I was shocked when my daughter walked into the county jail to visit me,” James shared. “I had been arrested for possession and Tiffany was living in Germany with her husband who’s in the Air Force,” he said.” “But here she came on a Sunday afternoon.” That was a turning point for him. “I just had to sit back and listen to what she had to say,” James shared. “She kept asking me ‘why?'” James and Tiffany talked about him coming to the Jimmie Hale Mission. “Just see if they can help,” she urged her dad. Later, James had work release and was cleaning bathrooms. “I hit my knees right by the latrines and prayed to God,” James said. “God, I give it to you.”
Even when the judge showed mercy and let James come, it wasn’t easy for him to get here. He walked from Enterprise to Dothan, where he could take the bus to Birmingham. It was storming in Birmingham but he still walked the two miles to the Mission. Since coming to the Mission, James has been true to his word, taking every advantage of the programs and services that your support makes possible. He graduated Phase I and II, received his certificate from the learning center, and even works in the learning center now, mentoring others. He is growing spiritually and has become a member of 23rd Street Missionary Baptist Church. He’s only three classes away from completing his Bachelor’s degree.
Reunited with old & new family
Since accomplishing all this, it had been a year since James had last seen his daughter. One Sunday a church member came to take him to church. Once there, he was in for the surprise of his life to see his daughter walking up tom him! “I was at a loss for words! I hadn’t seen her since I was in jail; I had to fight back tears,” James said with a huge smile.
During that year, Tiffany and her husband had welcomed baby Monica, and James got to meet his granddaughter for the first time! Your support reunites families, just like James’.
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