By REBECCA BILLS
HE GREW up in the hills of Pennsylvania before a life of violence and crime took hold, but now he is now known as the Machine Gun Preacher.
Sam Childers in his early teens was a shotgunner, an armed guard for drug dealers, and during this time met a stripper named Lynn who later became his wife.
It was during those years as a shotgunner that Sam said he became increasingly concerned about his safety and feared he would be killed, and slowly began to distance himself from that life.
Lynn had returned to church during this stage and Sam also began to re-establish his faith.
It wasn’t long before the village began to call him the Machine Gun Preacher.
Sam currently holds the Mother Theresa Memorial International Award for social justice and his story has been made into the Hollywood movie Machine Gun Preacher.
A special community breakfast will be held at 1 Church Street, Emerald.
Sam will be there in person to talk about his experiences.
The breakfast starts at 6.45am, finishing at 8.30am and costs $7.50.
To book or for more information call 5968 4046 or email info@stmarksemerald.org.au.
