THIS IS NOT THE PLACE YOU LOOK TO FIND YOUR FUTURE. NOT IN PRISON, AND CERTAINLY NOT IN RUSSIA - THE COUNTRY WITH THE LARGEST PER CAPITA PRISON POPULATION IN THE WORLD.

UNTIL JUST A FEW MONTSH AGO, ALEXEI TRETYAKOV WAS AN INMATE HERE ... PRISON NO. 2, IN THE CITY OF EKATERINBURG, A THOUSAND MILES EAST OF MOSCOW.

IT WAS IN THIS NEARLY FORGOTTEN PLACE THAT ALEXEI SAYS HIS LIFE WAS TRANSFORMED WHILE SERVING A SENTENCE FOR ROBBERY. THROUGH THE HELP OF A UNITED METHODIST PRISON MINISTRY, ALEXEI FOUND HOPE WHERE NONE EXISTED.

Alexei Tretyakov, Ekaterinburg, Russia: “I was able to find some strength in my soul and really understood, in order to have a normal life, I don’t have to commit crime anymore.”

NOW ALEXEI EAGERLY RETURNS TO A PLACE HE COULDN’T WAIT TO LEAVE … WANTING TO HELP OTHER INMATES.

Alexei Tretyakov: “If you took a week, in seven days, at least five days spent here in the prison. I come here to communicate with people. It has great meaning, because maybe now I’m an example of hope to these people who are here now. And they begin to think that they don’t have to commit crime anymore.”