On Tuesday, August 27, 1996, Shawn Hagwood began a journey of learning that would turn his life around. Earlier that week, 19-year-old Shawn made a cross-country trip to visit a friend in Rochester, Minnesota, a quiet, conservative community known for the famous Mayo Clinic. One night, he and his friend accompanied a group of local guys to an apartment complex inhabited mostly by Somalian residents. They were headed there with bats to settle a score with some of the residents for beating up one of their friends the night before. When they arrived at the complex, a group of guys came out to meet them with golf clubs. Things got out of control and a young Somalian kid from the apartments was seriously injured when someone in Shawn's group swung a baseball bat. By the time the police got there, everyone involved had disappeared and the episode was classified as a racial gang crime of white guys against the ethnic residents …

Shawn was definitely part of the fight that summer night, but he never held a bat and was not the person who injured the kid. Still, when the authorities came knocking, the local guys Shawn had hung out with that night used him as an easy scapegoat, since he was from out of town. When the police brought Shawn in for questioning a few days later, it would be his last day as a free man for the next eight years …

Even though Shawn was basically on the fringe of the crime, and the only one put on trial at this time (two were brought to trial three years later and given a much lighter sentence), the jury came back with the verdict: Guilty …

Shortly after entering prison life, Shawn got his first visitor—one of the men from the jury. He thought maybe the man was there to help him get a new trial, but soon discovered he was simply there to be a friend. Though he initially put up a tough exterior, Shawn was happy to have company.

Shawn remembers, "He introduced himself as Dave Stensland, a clinical psychologist. He had driven four hours just to see me and to find out how I was doing. When he stood up to leave, I felt disappointed, but Dave promised to come again soon."

Dave began regular monthly visits. They talked about everything from Shawn's life goals after prison, to Dave's evident faith in God, to how Shawn could cope with the sometimes paralyzing stresses of prison life and his bitterness over the injustice of his sentence.

For seven years, Dave visited Shawn faithfully …

By far Dave's most important influence on Shawn was his faith. "He showed me the peace of someone who is close to God, but in everything he did and said, he was gentle. Because he shared Christ's love with me consistently through the years, I began to open up more to the Lord."

As Shawn studied the Bible with Dave, his life began to change. Through Dave's example and guidance, Shawn finally found peace and purpose. He prayed to receive Jesus Christ into his life.

In the summer of 2003, after seven years of monthly visits, Dave's wife Sandy called Shawn with the sudden and shocking news—Dave was dying of cancer.

The man who had mentored and loved Shawn like one of his own sons had only a short time left on this earth. Shawn recalls, "Although I didn't want to live without Dave, I was so thankful that I had a chance to have him in my life for so long."

A few weeks later, Shawn called Dave to see how he was doing. Sandy told him he was just in time to say goodbye. Dave was so weak that Sandy had to hold the phone up to his ear.

"He couldn't respond much, but I knew he could hear me," Shawn says. "It would be the last time I talked to him and it was a very hard conversation, but I was so glad that I was able to have it. I thanked him for everything that he had done and for being such a good friend to me. I told him, 'I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for you.' And then we said goodbye."

A year later, Shawn was released from prison three years early for good behavior, and Sandy Stensland was there to give him a big sendoff. With tears of happiness she hugged him tightly.

"Shawn, I know Dave would be so proud of you—and I'm proud of you, too," she said. "Your life is going to be different now. Just remember that God has great things in store for you, and He's giving you another chance."

And who is Shawn Hagwood today? Besides being a happily employed software developer, he also uses his story to encourage others who are struggling with life, especially young people …

Because Dave Stensland took seriously Jesus' suggestion to "visit the prisoner" (Matt. 25:36), a young man's life was saved.

Condensed from our sister publication Today's Christian, © 2007 Christianity Today International. For more articles like this, visit Today's-Christian.com.