July 1999

Dear Supporting Friend of Damascus Way:

From the time he was a young boy, Paul Clipper was an exceptional athlete. He played baseball, basketball, football and soccer every chance he got. Later he became proficient in the martial arts as well. He was born and raised in Stockton, California where several of his relatives also lived. He remembers sitting down to dinner after church with his family and many aunts, uncles and cousins most every Sunday. All the stability of that comfortable little family setting changed when Paul was only 10 years old.

His father developed a disease that left him blind. When his father went to an institution to learn how to live as a blind person he eventually left his wife and family. Paul said from then on his mom was always working to support herself and her children. He was left to his own devices.

By age 14 Paul was smoking cigarettes, using marijuana and drinking alcohol. When a new family moved in next door Paul discovered that the boy his age was a gang member. His new friend trained Paul well in the arts of stealing, purse snatching and burglary. After the two young thieves stole a gun collection from their teacher they became armed robbers. By the time he was age 17 Paul was using powder cocaine. His grades which had been A's and B's had fallen to C's, D's and even failing.

His mom, who knew her son was on the wrong path, advised him to join the military. Paul now felt he had a chance to get away from his old friends and start over in the Army. He applied himself to his training and finished as an honor graduate. At his first station of duty in Germany Paul started drinking again. He remained in the Army for 5 1/2 years and then returned to his mother's home in California.

His mom was so proud of her son in his military uniform and showed him off to all her friends his first day back. Before that day was over, however, an old friend introduced Paul to crack-cocaine. He spent $1500 of his military earnings on that first buy of crack and within 5 months he was broke. He spent the next two years living for the next high. He stole from his family and friends until his mom finally told him he had to leave.

For two years Paul hitchhiked around the country and finally ended up a homeless bum in Texas. He did pray to a God that he barely knew, asking for a job, a place to live and a girlfriend. Three months later he had all three, but when he went to the bank to draw money to pay his bills he couldn't handle the temptation of a pocket full of cash. He spent all his money on crack and was soon back on the street, out of a job and alone.

One day, he walked through the projects where he bought drugs and noticed some people having a prayer and praise meeting. One of the men, Brother Wes, called to him as he passed and Paul stopped to talk. Paul learned that Wes had been a drug addict for 20 years but now was a good looking man with a face that seemed to glow. Paul began to cry. He fell to his knees on the ground and cried out for God to save him. His new Christians friends discipled Paul for many months and he soon became involved in the ministry of evangelism himself.

Within a few years he was appointed to be the director of one of the ministries. He married a fellow Christian worker and worked with "Youth with a Mission" in Wisconsin for a year. Paul felt successful, happy and useful in a singing and evangelism ministry. However, a misunderstanding with his wife sent him back to his old way of handling problems. Feeling sorry for himself, he bought a pack of cigarettes then had a drink. Before the day was over he found himself on a drug binge.

When Paul returned home two days later his apartment was empty and his wife was gone. To this day he has never again seen her. What a horrible consequence for his sin. He left the apartment that day with the intent of killing himself with drugs. He was finally arrested and sent to Minnesota's Stillwater State Prison for three years. Following a fight with a fellow inmate, Paul was sent to "the Hole" where all he had to read was a "Free on the Inside Bible" which he read day and night.

Paul said the Lord spoke to him during those long days and showed him how He was humbling him. He came to the Lord with a broken spirit and surrendered himself and his life. He began attending chapel each week and witnessed to those around him in prison. Even though he was locked up he felt full of peace on the inside.

After an interview by the Damascus Way staff Paul was approved by the Department of Corrections to enter Damascus Way on May 27, 1999. Today he has a full-time job and is attending Shilo Church. He tries to minister for Christ at every opportunity. Paul says God took his life that was a mess and made a message to His glory.

Paul is in the process of finding a place to live and a car for the day he graduates from Damascus Way's 90-day program. When he has had time to mature in the Lord, Paul says, he would love to get back into a music and evangelism ministry for Jesus. He said serving the Lord in that way was the happiest time of his life.

In His service,

Dick Harden, Director