From neighbourhood dope dealer to hope dealer

Luke developed an addiction to cannabis when he was just five years old.

Searching for hidden birthday presents in his parents’ bedroom, Luke stumbled across their hidden stash. Each day, he would take a little bit for himself, and they didn’t notice. By seven, he’d added alcohol into the mix, and he was living in addiction by Grade 2.

Luke says he had good parents. They were kind and there was always food on the table. His dad worked hard, which meant he was never at home, so Luke was often left to his own devices.

He became a drug dealer in primary school and was eventually expelled from every school in his region. He was full of anger and started committing violent crimes.

In and out of prison across 18 years, the very idea of ‘God’ filled him with rage and on one occasion, he set a man on fire when he attempted to share the gospel.

Looking back, Luke says: “I didn’t believe in God, but He believed in me.”

One day, when he was alone, Luke heard a clear voice say, “You shall not fear them for I, the Lord your God, will fight for you.” Luke spun around, frightened. There was no one else in the room.

He heard the voice again. Louder this time: “You shall not fear them for I, the Lord your God, will fight for you.”

“Who are you?” Luke asked, terrified. “I’m your Lord,” the voice replied. In that moment, pain, hate and anger left Luke’s body. The King of Glory came on him and his life changed forever.

He spoke with every chaplain who came into the prison and preached the gospel to inmates and prison guards alike.

Luke said his final year in prison was the hardest but also the best. He spent it absorbing God’s word, undertaking bible studies and even handwriting the gospels. He was hungry for God’s word.

Luke’s been ‘outside’ and living free from addiction for seven years now. Today, you’ll find him working full-time for Emmanuel City Mission in Brisbane, feeding and clothing the hungry and homeless.

Through Hope Ministries International he hosts a barbecue in the city every Monday night, going through 32kg of sausages every week! The homeless come for the food and many receive salvation.

Reflecting on his time in prison, Luke said: “Chaplains are beautiful people, true soldiers of Christ who’ve surrendered it all to glorify him inside prison walls.”