Jasmine never had a stable life before she went to prison. Childhood abuse and trauma, including the death of her mother, had led her down a path to drug addiction and crime.
Homeless by 14 and pregnant at 16, Jasmine had constantly been in trouble with the police; she regularly found herself in the watchhouse. When she was arrested, Jasmine was using and selling methamphetamine.
“Right before prison I was homeless, couch surfing, disconnected with my daughter, disconnected with my family,” Jasmine said.
A turning point in Jasmine’s life was when she met Debbie, a former volunteer prison chaplain with Inside Out Prison Chaplaincy.
“Debbie was always there. I respected her,” Jasmine said. “I had never felt loved before. I’d never known anyone who would give and not expect anything in return.”
Eventually, Jasmine was able to forgive her abusers and release herself from the prison of bitterness and anger. It took a while for her to trust God, but eventually she felt God’s favour.
Watch of Jasmine and Debbie’s story below: