Judah's Freedom

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Judah Wilkerson came to prison a child but walked out of Algoa Correctional Center a man on Monday, June 7, 2010.  That’s the difference he sees in himself after having completed the IFI program.

Judah claims that the most important thing he takes with him from the IFI program are the lessons he learned.  He has learned to think and act like a man, no longer like a child.  He found that his childishness was the root of his poor choices.  Judah came to realize he was holding in a lot of personal issues that needed to be confronted.  He states, “I have seen the truth, and the truth has truly set me free from all the pain and suffering that I caused myself and others in the past.”

The IFI program initially appealed to Judah for its potential to take the prison out of him and restore him as a new man.  His desire to change came when he found out that he was going to be a father.  He realized that he needed to get his life together to be the father his little girl would need.  Where his father had failed him, he desired to take that bad experience and learn from it.  He began making little changes in his life based on what he learned in his classes and read in his Bible, and he shares, “I let God come into my life and he started to change me piece by piece.”

Judah left the prison a young man full of potential in his new life.  Confidently he proclaims, “God has given me a future and a hope.”  Within two weeks of his release he established himself in a Christian home, acquired a job, and connected with a mentor and a church. Most importantly, he has reconnected with his three-year-old daughter who was born while he was in prison.

Judah addressed an event hosted by IFI, sharing how the IFI program prepared him to be successful and continues to help him in his new journey outside of prison.  He is grateful for all of the practical teachings that he is now able to put into practice as he works to restore his family and be the responsible, loving father that his family needs.