This is an I-Heart podcast.

This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories, the show where America is the star and the American

people. And to listen to the Our American Stories podcast, go to the I-Heart Radio app, iTunes,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Joe Garman always knew he wanted to go into ministry,

but on his own terms, in his words, God had other ideas.

He first tried his hand at churches, but they thought he looked too young. So he started a youth revival ministry, and through twists and turns, ended up in South Korea doing mission work with his wife, Linda.

Then he was asked to come speak.

There's some incarcerated Americans there.

Let's get into the story.

Well, one day I was in the mission house, mining my own business, I might say.

And there was a knock on the door and it was a military chaplain.

And he had just been to that prison in Tejohn, which was a huge prison.

And he told me that where he was stationed it was just too far to have to come

to visit that prison on a regular basis. The roads were not all that good. So he asked me,

he said this Wednesday I have scheduled a 45 minute teaching session with the prisoners.

Would you fill in for me?

I said yes, but in my heart I said no.

I did not want to, you know, I had 13 churches to oversee in the Bible College and all these youth ministries.

What was I going to do going into a prison?

I didn't want to get tied down in a prison work.

So I told him yes, but as soon as I shut the front door, I leaned against the door,

and I said to Lenda, I will go one time and that's it.

...