Alabama Village, Alabama: Light of the Village -
the good road

Earl Bridges and Craig Martin travel to Alabama Village, a small community only a few miles outside of Mobile, but seemingly worlds apart. It is an impoverished and often violent community largely ignored by the world around it. But not by everyone... while there, Craig and Earl meet John and Dolores (D-Lo) Eads. John and D-Lo have a community center and church called ​Light of the Village. In their 15 years serving the people of Alabama Village and the surrounding communities they have buried more than 30 of the young people who have been through their program due to gun violence. This is a violent, desperately poor community surrounded by drugs, crime, and few legitimate work opportunities. And yet with the suthe port of Light of the Village program people like Jesse Darrington have a chance at escaping the cycles of crime and violence. The Good Road team follows the life of Jesse as he makes his way through his senior year of high school and out of Alabama Village. Along the way, they meet Da'Cino Dees. Da'Cino is a role model for Jesse who explains what it's like to grow up in "The Village" and why it's important for Jesse to leave. The road out wasn't easy for Jesse though and along the way he loses the most important person in his life, his mother, to the same violence he is trying to escape. Craig and Earl are genuinely worried about what will happen to Jesse during this most trying time. Then, Jesse and the other youth of Light of the Village show true compassion by turning their attention to those even less fortunate than they are. They volunteer and then raise money for a mission trip doing philanthropic work in the poor Mexican border-town of Ciudad ​Juarez​. This is a big moment for Jesse, and after returning home, and with the support of Da'Cino, John, and Delores, Jesse becomes the first in his family to graduate High School, and take the first real steps towards a college education.

Duration: 26 minutes and 16 seconds

Episode Number: 103

About The Good Road:

THE GOOD ROAD is an innovative, inspiring documentary series about two best friends who travel the world meeting philanthropists and change-makers, who have dedicated their lives to addressing global humanitarian issues.

From depressed inner-city neighborhoods, to border camps for refugees, to rural health clinics, hosts Earl Bridges and Craig Martin explore efforts to help Rohingya refugees, stop elephant poaching, end human trafficking, alleviate poverty, and more.

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