Paul Davison, jail minister

The Grenada County, Mississippi Daily Sentinel Star profiles their 2007 Person of the Year, jail minister Paul Davison:

The success rate of his work is low, he said, and also hard to measure. He has
even thought about quitting. It's especially disappointing for him when the
inmates are repeat offenders."Many nights I can't sleep because I'm concerned
for someone in jail. One time I was so worried about a particular person that I
said I was going to quit as soon as he got out. He's been out a year. I can't
quit, so I just try not to worry so much. I obviously need my beauty sleep,"
laughed Davison.Davison said if he's helping others in the jail, it ultimately
benefits Grenada."Most of the people in the prison are from Grenada. That means
they are our neighbors. I'm trying to make our community a better place," said
Davison.He does tell the inmates that they owe him. They are obligated, he said,
to help someone else.He also knows that he may never see the successes until
years later when a person comes to a crossroad and has to make a decision and
says, 'now I remember that old man saying....