Parks grew up in a time where the Ku Klux Klan lynched and burned African Americans. It was a period of absolute hopelessness and despair for black people living in the South. Yet the fearless seamstress believed that, no matter how bleak the situation, hope was never out of reach.

Today, whether it’s sickness, a significant loss, or financial hardship, many people find themselves in seemingly hopeless situations. Edmonton’s Richard Sanders would know. Born in Camrose, AB, to alcoholic parents and a father involved in crime, it wasn’t long before Sanders followed suit. At six, his family moved to Alberta’s provincial capital. Nine years later, after his father moved out, Sanders became the sole breadwinner. This led to him breaking into commercial high-rises in search of cash-boxes, spending time in jail, and trafficking drugs.

Living with a girl named Kathy (who would later become his wife), few knew that she was working the streets while he dealt cocaine. At 16 they became parents, but even that responsibility failed to change their lifestyle. Sanders became abusive to Kathy. He wanted to change but admits, “I didn’t know how because I was so hooked on cocaine. It was just a mess.”

He wanted to change but admits, “I didn’t know how because I was so hooked on cocaine. It was just a mess.”

In 1994, Sanders met his sister’s boyfriend, who said he wanted to score some coke. After obliging him, the boyfriend revealed himself to be an undercover RCMP officer.

Sentenced to the Edmonton Institution for three years on Feb. 1, 1995, Sanders says the only thing that kept him from attempting suicide was his commitment on the outside to Kathy and their three boys, whom they lost to Social Services while Kathy was in jail.

“I felt ... that I was hopeless, that nobody understood,” reveals Sanders. Remarkably, just 13 days later, he was singing a completely different tune. On the afternoon of February 14, a prison chaplain approached the distraught young man and assured Sanders of God’s love, despite his situation.

Sanders had heard that God loved him many times before, but says it took becoming “resourceless and needy” for him to believe it. He chose to receive that love by confessing his sins and accepting Jesus Christ’s forgiveness.

“The tears I cried that day were something of real joy and I went back to my cell with the New Testament and it was the most glorious day of my life, even though I was in prison. It was tremendous to phone Kathy and say, ‘I’m free!’ ”He claims the change Christ made in his life was immediate. “I didn’t have to live in the bondage of wondering where my next cocaine hit would be, or which break and entry I would have to do to pay for that drug.”

Sanders also knows the hope that comes from being in a personal relationship with the God of the universe.“God has each one of our hearts in His hands, and He’s mindful of us and He loves us so much,” he relates. Kathy also accepted Christ as her Saviour, and in 1996 the couple married. Today, at 40, Sanders is the youth pastor for Edmonton’s Shiloh Baptist Church. He also volunteers with various prison ministries, helping to revolutionize lives by sharing the hope Christ has to offer.
Recently, Sanders had the opportunity to convey this hope to William Wharry of Edmonton.

On Saturday, October 22, the 21-year-old was charged with killing a young lady he’d met only moments earlier.

It was Sara Easton’s 18th birthday, and she was walking home with her friends after celebrating when Wharry pulled up beside them. They apparently exchanged words; then, according to Wharry, Easton’s friends chased his car as he drove away.
Upon reaching the end of the block, Wharry proceeded to pull out a handgun and randomly fire three shots. One of those shots struck Easton’s head. Physically sick over what he’d done, the young father-of-one called Sanders’ residence; he knew the pastor’s son from junior high. Sanders advised him to come to the church on Monday at noon.

“I wanted to help him, but I was also disgusted at the fact that he had committed this crime,” admits Sanders. Nevertheless, he adds, “[William] came here and he was broken; he didn’t want people to look at him as a monster, and I told him, ‘Monsters hide in the dark, but you came into the light ... You’ve hit rock bottom and God can restore you.’ ” Sanders would know, having been there.
“I know how it feels to have people look down on you; you just feel different because you know that wasn’t the way it was intended for your life to be — to hurt people or to break the law.”

Sanders assured the young man that even though he’d committed a heinous crime, with God there was hope. “We don’t have the power to change ourselves,” the pastor explains. “We can’t justify ourselves; only God can through His Son’s death and resurrection.” Sanders explained to Wharry that he was standing at a fork in the road; he could either run away and become a stone-cold killer, or honour God by turning himself in. Wharry chose the latter.

“He did not intend to kill anybody that night, especially Sara Easton,” believes Sanders. “He (only) wanted to scare them.” No doubt, Easton’s was a pointless death. In spite of that, Sanders and wife Kathy — who drove Wharry to the police station Monday afternoon — chose to love him instead of passing judgment.
“God sent His Son to die for all of us; that really shows a deep love for all of us, and that’s what we’re to model,” explains Sanders.

“Wharry felt disgusted, like God couldn’t love him after what he’d done, but I just wanted to reassure him that God does love him.” Rosa Parks and Richard Sanders: in both cases their hope was ultimately found in Christ. “God is everything to me,” shared Parks, whose favourite Bible passage was Psalm 23. “When we face any obstacle, any discouragement, that faith is a strong attribute to have.” Sanders trusts the same will be said by Wharry one day.

“Maybe in God’s big, divine picture He’s going to use William through this. In 10 years I’d love to hear William’s testimony about how God allowed him to stand and give a message that God saves lives; God loves me (and) God loves you.”