Benny Wiggins received a life sentence for murder, but his life was transformed through faith.,,,
An ex-offender has told how finding his Christian faith pulled him back from the brink of suicide, addiction and depression.
Benny Wiggins, who was born in Enniskillen, said a life of drugs, alcohol, crime and prison left him on the verge of taking his own life. But the help of prisoner support charity Prison Fellowship transformed his situation.
Benny was having suicidal thoughts by the age of 19. A childhood of lawbreaking, foster care, children’s homes and young offenders’ centres had led to homelessness in England.
“I was living in squats and cardboard boxes, drinking, taking drugs and suffering from depression. My life was very, very dark,” he said in a video interview with Brookeborough Elim church.
Then Benny received a life sentence for murder.
“I went to prison around 1991 and just felt that’s where I belonged.”
He was released after 19 years but utterly institutionalised. He couldn’t cope with the outside world and racked up two further sentences.
“All I wanted was to get back to my cell because life was so meaningless. I didn’t want to live.”
After 24 years inside, Benny received a visit from Prison Fellowship in Belfast – a charity which supports prisoners and victims. He was offered a job and, through that, heard teaching from the Bible.
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“I heard a guy talking about things like John 3:16 – ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son’ – and Romans 10:13 – ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’.”
Benny mulled this over. In his hostel in Portadown after being released, he read his Bible. In 2016, he was invited to attend Bethesda church in the town and was amazed to hear the same Romans and John verses being taught.
“The pastor started speaking about God’s love for us and Jesus dying on the cross. I knew then there was something missing in my life and that I needed Jesus.”
Benny didn’t want to return to prison, to keep taking alcohol or drugs, and needed help with his depression.
“I got on my knees and told God how sorry I was about the people I had hurt and that I wanted to change my ways. I asked him for help.
“The next thing, my depression was gone, my suicidal thoughts were gone, my desire for alcohol was gone. My institutionalisation was gone. Only Jesus could have done that.”
Benny’s life turned around. In time, he completed a three-year course in Christian theology at the Irish Baptist College in Moira.
Today, he loves sharing his dramatic story.
“God wants me to tell about where I was and where I am now. He’s given me a new heart. He’s changed me and broken the chains that held me for years.
“The peace I have in my heart is amazing. It’s because of Jesus that I am where I am today.”
