January 2002

Dear Friend of Damascus Way,

He was a good student and a hard worker.  But Dave Rosen had his first felony conviction by the time he was seventeen.

After his parents’ divorce when he was ten, Dave chose to live with his father.  His dad was an alcoholic and had been abusive, but not understanding the child support laws, Dave thought it would be easier financially for his mother if he stayed with his dad.

Instantly Dave acquired older stepbrothers; soon he acquired their habit of smoking marijuana.  And at 14, Dave was already drinking heavily.  At 15 he had become a heavy drug user.  At 16 he dropped out of school.  Although he learned to work hard at roofing and construction projects, he also partied hard when he was not at work.  And he tangled with the law.

Dave entered a drug and alcohol treatment facility at 21 and managed to stay sober for about a year and even that effort did not last and he eventually spent ten months behind bars at the age of 23.  Returning home, Dave discovered his father had sold all his belongings and had run up a $3,800 debt for him.  He got a job at a plastic cabinet fabrication shop where he stayed for three years before becoming a journeyman roofer.

In time, Dave bought home and nice furnishings, renting extra rooms to friends and relatives.  Through his uncle who dated a woman in prison, Dave met and began a relationship with the woman’s friend, also in prison.  She claimed to enjoy cooking, cleaning and homemaking, and Dave believed her.  They were married shortly after her release from prison.  His new wife wasn’t the homemaker she had promised to be and Dave cooked and laundered for both of them, but his construction business began developing nicely.

Things changed when his wife’s friend came to stay.  She had just left her “associates” – a biker gang to whom she owed $800 – and the gang was intent on collecting it.  At first the calls were polite but they grew increasingly threatening.  Dave warned the last caller to back off, then told the woman she would have to take care of her debt if she wanted to go on renting a room from him.  He thought that would be the end of it.

A couple of days later, at about two o’clock in the morning, Dave awoke to gunshots coming from outdoors.  The gang had slashed tires on all the cars and trucks parked at his address, then shot at or above the roof.  In anger and disgust, Dave said to his brother-in-law the next day, “I should just burn the house down and move out of this area.”  His brother-in-law liked the idea and what began as an angry comment grew into a detailed plan.  They set the scene up to look as if the bikers had returned to pour gasoline inside the house and set it on fire.  Dave went out of town and his brother-in-law did the dirty deed.

One factor Dave had overlooked was his brother-in-law’s unstable personality.  He lit the fire, then sat down in a bedroom and waited to die.  After suffering second and third degree burns over 96% of his body, he fled the burning building.  At first there was no suspicion on Dave since it was assumed the fire had been started as a suicide attempt.  But guilt and misery flooded Dave each time he looked at his burned brother-in-law and within a few months he turned himself in and confessed.

Two years later Dave went on trial.  While he waited, Dave did a lot of soul searching.  He decided there must be a God and attempted to read the Bible.  The words made no sense to him, but he kept trying.  Once in prison – Dave was sentenced to 66 months, but served 44 months, or three and one half years – he asked a pastor for a Bible and some Christian literature.  In the literature he found the way of salvation and prayed to receive Jesus as his Savior.  Now the Bible began making sense to him and he longed for more.  He sought out other Christian men in the prison and attended Bible studies, Christian retreats and began Bible correspondence courses.

While serving his time, Dave was allowed to join the Inmate Community Work Crew based in Fergus Falls, constructing housing for low-income families.  He enjoyed the privilege of leaving jail each day to work on something he knew was worthwhile.  He was even eligible to attend a church in the community where he developed many new Christian friends.

The November 30, 2000 issue of Fergus Falls “Daily  Journal” newspaper featured Dave’s history, his relationship with Jesus Christ, his church and his community involvement.  The article quoted Dave as saying.  “The scriptures show us how God has forgiven us…then we just need to forgive ourselves.”  The candid article stresses his willingness to take responsibility for his mistakes and his openness in sharing his faith.

Through an individual working with the Department of Corrections, Dave learned about Damascus Way and came to us on Work Release after serving his sentence.  As part of a program developed by Damascus Way, Adolfson Peterson Construction and other ministries, Dave lived at Damascus Way and worked as a carpenter during the day.  Graduating from Damascus Way, he was hired by a roofing company, which employs other Damascus Way men; he has even become an on-the-job mentor to those men.

Dave says he is grateful for his time at Damascus Way where he grew more stable in his life and faith.  Today he is confident, knowing God has a special plan for him as he puts his difficult past behind him and starts over.

I want to remind you that we do need your financial support in order to meet the enormous needs of men coming to us from prison each month.  Thank you.

For the men of Damascus Way,

Dick Harden, Director

Damascus Way Reentry Center, Inc.

P.S.  An envelope is enclosed for your use as you prayerfully consider the financial support we need to continue caring for men who come to us from prison each month.  Thanks to all of you who helped make 2001 a very successful year of ministry.