From Gangland to Promised Land

Mr. John Pridmore's flabbergasting speech at the Wandsworth prison, where I work as a volunteer in the Catholic chaplaincy, was a bold reminder to the inmates that God loves us as we are. He spoke with lot of conviction that Jesus is the healer who loved him through out his life but he went on to say how he failed to recognize this love. Parents divorce at the age of 11 shattered him completely and went out to find meaning in life but taking a path of Gangster which ruined him to some extent until at last he realized there was emptiness and a strong sense of fear in his heart despite being a powerful gangster both in the US and in London.

As he was going his way as a gangster he was told to attend a catholic retreat which transformed his life completely. Now he was a new person who was once looking for meaning in life out there committing crime became a disciple of Jesus and this resonated in his address to the packed prisoners at the prison chapel. He also spoke of the importance of the Mass and the confessions. Confessions is the another significant life changing event in his life. He spoke to a catholic priest for an hour and he felt how sorrowful and how sinful he was. This sorrow of sin wrapped his life with fear and insecurity. Confessions did change his life and his lifestyle.

His story about the chicken and golden eagle mesmerised the spectators completely. Golden eagle is supposed to fly high in the beautiful blue sky but it remained as chicken pecking the dirt down below. In the same way Jesus created us to be somebody but often we tend not to choose this somebody and this will see our demise. He convinced the inmates that they all can be golden eagles, but they have to decide, no outside persons can decide for them.

John Pridmore is the author of best selling book 'from gangland to promised land' is absolutely a masterpiece of his own life story. I was thrilled to read the story of his life which of course scary and hard to read indeed. His second book 'A GANGSTERS GUIDE TO GOD' is also in the market. He is goes around the world as envoy of Jesus to spread the kingdom of God and try to inspire the prisoners around the world to change their life style as he himself has done.

I think this is indeed an excellent act of charity. As Jesus said 'you visited me in the prison', 'I have come to set free the prisoners', may his work of charity and compassion to the inmates might yield much more fruits. I wish him all the very best in your mission to bring good news and God's kingdom on earth.
http://www.johnpridmore.com/