We get a lot of letters from inmates, and we love and pray for each person who writes out their story to us. But we wanted to share David’s moving story with you today.

“My name is David and I am writing from an Arkansas prison. I love getting to share my testimony and I love telling others I love them. I’ve been in 11 prisons and 17 jails. I’ve been shot with a 12-gauge shotgun, burnt up in a house fire, and molested. It is only by the grace of God that I am alive today. I have been through more than a person can ever imagine, and each day I live by faith that God is going to use what I’ve been through to help others glorify Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

I have so many testimonies that I will not be able to share them all on this letter. The greatest testimony I can ever give is that I am covered by the blood of Christ and will follow him for the rest of my days. I grew up in a very dysfunctional family. There has been so much hurt and pain in my life, that only through Christ can anyone face so much turmoil and find peace. He is the true rock and cornerstone of my life. Before closing this letter I’d love to tell you how I came to know Christ. In 1999, myself and all my family were arrested for insurance fraud and theft of property. My dad taught us to never plead guilty to anything, so I ended up going to jury trial and received a 70 year sentence. At my jury trial, my court-appointed attorney told me he didn’t care anything about me or my case. What he didn’t know (nor did I) was that while serving the 70 year sentence, I would find the greatest friend and defender any sinner could find: Jesus Christ. 

I was being housed at a unit in Arkansas, but I got into trouble and was transferred to a Supermax unit. I remember being escorted down the hall in shackles with an officer on either side of me. I was walked through the two big iron doors, and one of the officers said “welcome to hell.” What he didn’t know was, there in hell my Lord was waiting for me. I was put inside of a one-man cell where I stayed over a year. I started reading my Bible and prayed the Lord would come into my life. I was filled with the Holy Spirit in such a way I started preaching to the concrete blocks. That day things started to change, but the battle had only begun.

I ended up finishing 15 years of the 70 year sentence and was released at the end of 2015. But when I got out, the truth is the devil threw everything he could at me. I was in and out of prison a couple more times. This is where Pando comes in. Once coming back to prison, I was given a tablet. I never dreamed to see something like that in a Arkansas prison, especially just given to me. Once receiving a tablet, I never dreamed to see so many churches and people who care about prisoners. Every time I watch a sermon or testimony I pray one day my voice will be heard.

I pray that the Lord would not let my life continue to fall on the wayside. People used to say that “nothing good could come out of Bethlehem,” just like some people say nothing good can come out of my life, but the King of Kings came out of Bethlehem and He is alive in my life. The new birth in my life says something good can come out of it! 

Before I close, I must say the following: thank you to all the Pando family and churches for y’all’s prayers and love. May the Lord‘s loving hand be with you always.”

-David, Arkansas

Wow. Thanks for making life change like this possible with your support!