Before Lawrence encountered Christ, his life was unraveling. He grew up in a small village in Kenya, and later moved to Nairobi, where he held several jobs and started small businesses. Despite his efforts to build a stable life, he faced hardships that led him to alcohol and substance abuse. “I was hoping that alcohol [drugs] could help me,” he said, “but I came to realize it was making my struggles worse.”
A turning point came when a friend introduced him to a pastor, who shared the Gospel with him. Lawrence surrendered his life to Christ. “He prayed with me and showed me how to receive Jesus as my Savior,” Lawrence recalled. “That was the beginning of my new life.”
Just as things were starting to turn around, Lawrence was falsely accused and arrested in 2021. Though his friend later admitted to being the one responsible, both were charged. Lawrence was convicted and sentenced to twenty years in prison.
Despite this crushing setback, Lawrence was determined not to lose hope. “If not for God, I couldn’t have made it,” he said. In prison, he dedicated himself to prayer and Bible study, praying three times a day—morning, noon, and evening. “I got enough time to talk to God,” he said. “Even though prison is not a good place, it inspired me. It made me who I am today.”
When Crossroads was introduced at his facility, Lawrence enrolled in the first course, Who Are You? The course helped him better understand his identity in Christ and deepened his calling to disciple others. “Crossroads helped me discover who I really am,” he said. “Now, I use that truth to help others.”
Lawrence faithfully prayed for others incarcerated at his facility—by name, seven each week. “I watched many of them be released. I believed that one day, God would also make a way for me.”
That day came in November 2023. After nearly three years behind bars, Lawrence’s conviction was overturned. “Jesus took it over,” he said. “Even in chains, I was free. Now, I get to live that freedom out loud.”
Today, Lawrence owns a barbershop called Genesis, a name symbolizing his new beginning. He is active in his church, often teaching Bible study and mentoring young people. He is also writing a book about his journey.
“Through Crossroads and the Bible, I learned how to walk in a Christian way—and not go back to temptation,” he said. “God does not come in our time. He comes in His own time. I waited patiently, and He opened the way.”
You can help more people like Lawrence discover freedom in Christ.
When you support Crossroads, you equip students in prison with Bible lessons, mentorship, and hope that endures—even behind bars.