Second chances aren’t always easy to come by in this world, but it proved exactly what former inmate Karla Trott needed to get her life back on track.After getting into a bad relationship and stealing from her employer, Ms Trott found herself in prison and at the end of her rope.She decided she needed a relationship with God to repair her life and threw herself into various ministry programmes at the Co-Educational Facility.One that particularly resonated with her was Prison Fellowship Bermuda led by Edward (Ice-Water) Smith.“I waited for them to come every week on Tuesday mornings and it didn’t come around fast enough,” she said.The mother-of-two recently released ‘Spiritual Jackets’, a collection of poetry about her life and time of incarceration.She also runs an at-home bakery and teaches new Christians at Agape Faith Kingdom Ministries.The 44-year-old shared her story as part of a panel discussion at Allen Temple this weekend as the Island prepares for next week’s observation of Restorative Justice Week.Restorative justice aims to repair the harm caused by crime. It allows victims to take an active role in the healing process and encourages offenders to take responsibility for their actions.In partnership with groups like The Coalition for the Protection of Children and PFB, Restorative Justice Week will feature a series of events that aim to get the community to consider less punitive ways of approaching crime and other social issues.This includes educating people about what restorative justice is, highlighting instances where it is already in practice and providing activities and training to help the community better understand the movement.Ms Trott said: “You hear a word like restorative justice and you think ‘what’s that?’ but Galatians 6.1 says those who live by the spirit are called to help those living in sin.“People get lost because no-one wants to help. We are not a second-chance society. It’s not the norm.“There are many businesses around here who take the chance on hiring people or who specifically look for people who they can help and it’s a great thing, but not everyone feels that way.“There are consequences to sin and those may never go away, so while God has forgiven me and I am set free, the community might not view it in that same manner.“We label people thief, inmate, ex-con. Those [labels] can remain with people but it’s the responsibility of society to give people a second chance.”Ms Trott first ran into trouble when she stole money from Bermuda Realty Company Ltd to make ends meet.Over a four-year period she took more than $100,000 from her former employer/ She was caught out in May 2006.She said her bad choices began after she got into a tumultuous relationship.At the time of the theft, she was using the money to pay for her children and cover debts being racked up by her then boyfriend, who unbeknown to her was a drug addict.“My ex had no knowledge of what I was doing [when I stole] so I can’t blame it on him.“When you are in a relationship and money disappears out of the house or items disappear and there’s no money for food and rent you become desperate.“My theft was not based on greed, it was based on survival,” she told The Royal Gazette. “I was afraid to talk to anyone and ask for help because I knew they would just tell me to leave him.”At that time she believed she could “save him” and even went to support group meetings to get information on how to help.But in the end it almost destroyed her life: “I had good intentions, but it was just misdirected,” she said.The theft landed her in jail for six months, but she had accepted God into her life even before she got caught.Ms Trott was invited to church with a work friend on May 14, 2006.She said: “Everything was falling apart at that point. I just felt a draw to the Lord that day. I had been to her church before, but that day I knew it was time.“I have been through a lot of things in my life [like the death of my father at age 15], but I have gotten through them. I would consider myself a problem solver, but I never gave any credit to God, I was doing it myself.“At that point I realised there was nothing I could do to stop what was going on.“That day I put my hands up and surrendered; that was the best decision I ever made in my life.”The very next day she was confronted by her employers about the theft. Ms Trott realised she had hit rock bottom while leaving Supreme Court following her sentencing.“That was my lowest point because that was the first step to my freedom being taken away from me. I was in handcuffs and at that point I realised I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.“My first night was extremely trying. I have two daughters and my tears were about them, not about me, and once I had that good cry I had to put on my game face.“Even though I missed my girls I had peace. I knew they were taken care of and I knew I could grow with God and have him have do things [in my life].”She admitted people might be sceptical about whether former criminals can successfully turn their lives around, but said it is possible.“Many times people are fearful of giving their testimony. I know that God has forgiven me and there is no testimony, without a test. I went through the test and I can say with boldness that with God I am here today.”‘Spiritual Jackets’ is available at the Heritage Book Store, Brown & Co, Unlimited Supplies and Cessie’s Boutique in Somerset.For more information visit www.karlaetrott.tateauthor.com.