One of the greatest privileges of serving the men and women who take The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) classes is hearing the amazing ways God has worked in their lives. Here is one such testimony from Kevin, who recently graduated from our Prison Fellowship/TUMI program. His story demonstrates the reason we do what we do.
My Grandmother used to tell me about the love of Christ, saying, “Whenever trouble comes your way, there’s room at the foot of the cross.” I never understood why she kept saying that, but it was a seed from God planted in my heart. When I ended up in prison, I could hear my grandmother say, “Son, there is hope at the foot of the cross.”
When she was 95, she visited me and said, “Kevin, your life has been a journey and you have tried all that this old world had to offer. Why don’t you try Jesus? There is salvation at the foot of the cross.” As a result, I gave my life unto the Lord. My grandmother smiled, and shouted, “Thank you Jesus!” Two weeks later, she went home to be with the Lord.
I began to search for the Lord, but at every step there were setbacks. I enrolled in Bible college, and the federal grants were pulled. I tried another school but I could not afford it. Then my mother died. I remembered my grandmother saying, “There’s healing at the foot of the cross.”
I was transferred to another prison and was interviewed by Prison Fellowship for admittance into TUMI. They said there may not be any room left for me in the program. I heard my grandmother say, “There’s room! There’s room!” So I told them, “There has to be room for me. There’s room at the cross for me, so there must be room for me to be in TUMI.”
My graduation from TUMI has reminded me of what my grandmother told me: “There is room at the foot of the cross.” Thank you for equipping me, and allowing this clay on the potter’s wheel, to reach out to those who need to hear: there is love, peace, hope, joy, salvation, and healing at the foot of the cross.