Dude!
Respect! :-)
I used to go into prison myself, along with my wife to teach literary skills to prisoners on remand.
These kids were in there mostly for having lives that suck. Many could not even write their own names, but they desperately wanted to.
You have a special gift to give those that you visit inside - the gift of hope. They know where you were, what you were, and they can see where you are now. They know the journey is possible, they just have to get on to the path and head towards the light.
And in the darkness, you are their guiding light.
Well done @pappa-pepper. With every post you put up, I'm even more glad I followed you.
Excellent to hear!
We used to have a GED program there too, where the inmates could get the equivalency of a high school diploma and finish learning the basic skills taught in high school.
Also, as you pointed out, that changed life of mine sure did give those guys a lot of hope... in fact, I was with a few released inmates last night before we left town.