[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H5217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WELCOMING THE REVEREND JOHN I. CAPLES, JR.

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Kirk) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I am very honored to have welcomed Pastor 
John I. Caples of Jesus Name Apostolic Church to open the House today.
  I first really got to know Pastor Caples after the murder of Jarreau 
Patterson and David Mackins, just 16 years old. It was Pastor Caples 
that brought together the families of the murdered with the families of 
the murderers that ended a cycle of violence in my community.
  He helped restart an athletic program. And with assistance from the 
wider community, he built a basketball court in just 8 weeks to relieve 
some of the tensions of the community. He then started the Family First 
Center, first in a basement, now three stories tall, reaching out to 
help at-risk youth turn away from violence and gangs, but especially 
despair, saving one heart at a time.
  Pastor Caples tells us that the government can't do it all, but it 
can change one heart of one child at a time and make the most 
difference. He is one of the men I admire most whose ministry saves 
lives. He changes hearts. And most importantly, he returns the soul to 
a community that is in need of a very big heart with hope.

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