Walking out of jail, Richard went in search of the Salvos
“... my chains are broken, I have been set free.”
BY LERISSE SMITH
Richard Smyth has not forgotten the fateful day he walked out of jail with only a few clothes packed tightly into a bag.
To call it a humbling experience would be an understatement.
He had lost everything. Now, he was faced with the daunting task of rebuilding from the ground up. This was far from the life he had imagined for himself.
“I lost everything,” says Richard as he reflects on the most difficult chapter of his life from his Sunshine Coast home in Queensland.
“I lost my house, work, being present and engaged with my four children while in jail, my trucks, cars … just everything.”
Fast forward eight years, and Richard is now in a completely different place thanks to the Salvos, who provided both practical and emotional support after his incarceration. It helped transform his life from turmoil to renewal.
Now a content man, Richard and his wife, Jess, whom he met through the Salvos several years ago, have a blended family of 14 children, including those from previous relationships. Seven of them, including the newest addition, a two-year-old boy, live at home.
Richard cherishes precious moments with his large family, saying that if his kids are happy, then he is happy. His unwavering faith in God is also a great source of strength and purpose.
Yet, the lonely days spent behind bars remain fresh in his memory, along with hard-learned lessons from a past shaped by drugs and alcohol that ultimately led to his two-year sentence in jail.
“I made a promise to my kids they will never see me again in prison.”
And key learnings from hard lessons learned now drive Richard to share his personal testimony with his friends at the Caloundra Salvos’ Just Men group.
He treasures the safe and confidential space where men can be authentic and express emotions and life experiences without judgement or discrimination.
“I think it’s pretty special that we can go in and as a group of men just talk really openly and honestly about all different sort of life subjects,” he says.
“We unpack what went on in church on the Sunday and discuss what the sermon was all about. Maybe not in a super spiritual way, but just in a very real way. There are also some men who have attended the group who have been in jail, too. I thought the answers in life were drugs and alcohol, but I never found it and never had any direction in life. But I found purpose with God and the Salvos and now have direction in life.”
Challenging year The camaraderie within the group has also served as a vital lifeline for Richard, helping him navigate through some personal challenges – particularly in 2024. It wasn’t a good year.
In the space of just 12 months, he had a major triple bypass operation, broke his back, farewelled his beloved mother after she passed away, and suffered a stroke at Christmas. Then, just a few weeks ago, he survived being bitten by a poisonous snake.
“I am like a cat and have used up many lives,” he says.
“It’s not my time to go. I believe I am alive because there is someone looking out for me. I should not be alive; even the doctors cannot believe it. They would not have operated on me with my triple bypass if I did not have young kids. In the past, I also had a heart attack at 5am in the morning and still kept working before going to hospital after 9am, and I am still here today! God has a purpose for me and has kept me here for a reason.”
Furthermore, Richard believes his life purpose is giving back – not only to his fellow mates at Just Men and those who join the group but also to the Salvos in general. He still vividly recalls how the Salvos hugely impacted his life while in jail with a self-care pack. It touched him in a profound and meaningful way.
“I just couldn’t believe they would do that for me,” he explained. “And so, I said to the prison chaplain, ‘How do you get involved with the Salvos?’ He told me that once I was released from jail, to go and see them.”
And he did. His new life then began to unfold.
After having an appointment with a social worker and joining the Doorways program, Richard volunteered with the Salvos to give back for the “invaluable help” he had received.
As a professional landscaper, he volunteered to work on the large grounds of Caloundra Salvos, where he met a friend who talked about the church. Richard’s daughter then encouraged the family to attend the corps, and the love and acceptance Richard felt from the community led him to give his life to Christ.
He then went from strength to strength, meeting his wife at Salvos Connect, finding employment, and joining Just Men two years ago. His girls have also become Junior Soldiers at the church.
“My bad mistakes and poor decisions led me to me being in prison,” he says.
“I had to own my mistakes, and when I started going to church, I had such a big burden and guilt. But going to church, and I get emotional just thinking about it, some songs really touched me with words from the hymn, ‘Amazing Grace’, such as ‘my chains are broken, I have been set free.’ And I had four big reasons why I needed to change, too – my kids. I made a promise to my kids they will never see me again in prison.”
Equally significant for Richard has been belonging to the Salvos community, where he formed meaningful friendships, particularly with his fellow members of the Just Men group.
“To be open and honest with people takes a bit of trust,” he says.
“But at Just Men, we all pray for different things, and if anyone wants to pray for someone, it’s pretty special. I like welcoming new members into the group and will bring some friends along where the Salvos make them feel welcome, too. It’s a great place to be – and I look forward to being involved for a long time to come.”
