Second Chance is the film which helped to bring Adrian Whitelock up from the pit of prison of drug addiction. “The film is definitely inspiring ,” he said. “It makes you realise that anything is possible.”
In many ways, life for Adrian is now good. He has a caring family, and goes to Elim Community Church in Carlisle. A couple of years ago, however, his world was anything but peaceful.
“I have quite a troubled background,” he admits. “I used to be a drug addict, and it landed me in prison.”
His father is a Christian, and after Adrian’s release, the church reached out to him, and he agreed to go on a discipleship course. As a follow-up the church put on an evening meal and showed Second Chance, a collection of testimonies from the UK. These include the story of Brian Sumner, a world-class skateboarder who divorced his wife, and then remarried her after a life-changing encounter with Christ. The stories are woven through with a Gospel message from Billy Graham.
“The film came at just the right time,” said Adrian. “There was a lot I didn’t understand at first, but I took a copy home and watched it a second time.”
The film enabled him to take a huge step forward in faith, and eight weeks later he was baptised.
“Coming to faith is an amazing thing,” he said. “It’s the best gift you could ever give anybody.”
At the same time he emphasises that the journey has not been easy. After coming to faith he spent several weeks in hospital with septicaemia from a leg ulcer.
“The hardest thing was to understand the Bible,” he said. “I hadn’t read it before; in fact, I didn’t really read books at all.”
Adrian found the Living in Christ booklet that goes with the My Hope films really beneficial. “There were times,” he said, “when I would ask: ‘What’s the point?’ But then I would open Living in Christ and it was fantastic. Something inside filled me up with power.” The booklet has also showed him the best way to read the Bible; he says he is ‘concentrating on Jesus’.
He is now going on strong in his faith: reading a daily devotional and attending a mid-week Bible study group as well as church on Sunday. He has even been to apologise to a neighbour whom he upset earlier on.
“We are building the relationship with him,” said his pastor, Peter Wright. “Adrian is now beginning to ask what he is going to do with the rest of his life.”
Second Chance is a film which has transformed many lives; you can watch it online and download it here.