Alfredo believed he was beyond redemption.
In an act of revenge, he had taken the life of another person.
“I felt so horrible after I did it that I was just waiting to get arrested to pay for my crime. Revenge was supposed to make me feel good, but it didn’t,” he said. “I was arrested and convicted and sentenced to life in prison. I knew I deserved that, but I still didn’t feel right inside.”
Although he grew up in a Catholic family, Alfredo had never developed a relationship with God. He strayed from the faith when he was young.
“I would only pray to Him when I wanted something, as if God were a genie,” he remembered. “I broke almost every single commandment as if there were no repercussions for my horrible behavior. The more I got in trouble, the more I would drink just to be able to look myself in the face.”
As he began serving his life sentence, he spiraled into depression and self-loathing, seeing no hope for his future.
“I really thought God would never forgive a person like me,” Alfredo said.
Then, a friend introduced him to Crossroads.
“Just when I thought I was doomed for eternity, I learned of God’s forgiveness, and a serious weight was lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “This ministry has helped me in a way that no other introspection has ever done. I learned that [God] is all-forgiving. In God’s eyes, I am worthy of forgiveness. I learned to forgive myself because I learned that God did forgive me.”
Alfredo eagerly leaned into his studies, finishing Tier 1 in just over two years. He is now working his way through Tier 2 alongside a personal mentor.
“I have been participating in the Crossroads courses for quite a while now, and I’m happy to write that it’s impacting my life more than I initially thought,” he said. “Through these courses, I’m learning to truly comprehend God’s Word and His wishes for humanity. The questions challenge my ability to research the answers in the Bible and learn.”
In a questionnaire he filled out after finishing the course Who Is Jesus?, Alfredo reflected, “This course is helping me to understand my fellow human beings. There was a lesson that had the story of the Samaritan that helped a guy who got beaten and robbed, and a priest passed the victim and didn’t help. I liked that lesson. We as God’s children should always do our duty and help one another when called upon. Studying God’s Word through the Crossroads mentorship program is bringing out the humanity in me that some of us men withhold inside of us because we see it as a weakness. I’m learning that it takes more courage to be the one individual that extends his hand to a brother in need.”
Alfredo has served twenty-one years in prison so far. As he continues to study God’s Word and apply it to his daily life, he sees drastic changes in himself and the way he treats others.
“I learned to value human life because we are all children of God. I forgive those who sin against me just as I want to be forgiven,” he said. “By being able to love myself, I’ve become a better person all the way around. I express my love to all my family who I also hurt by doing what I did. Maybe one day I’ll even get out and reunite with my loved ones, and I can work to spread God’s message of love and unity.”
Many people in prison believe there is no hope for their soul because of what they have done. Will you share the message of God’s love and forgiveness with them? Learn more about serving as a volunteer mentor through Crossroads.