Jose was born into a family of drug addicts...
As he told it, both his parents were on heroin. They'd been using narcotics since they were in their late teens. So were two of his uncles and several of his older cousins. Jose said his parents' apartment was a local drug den, with people from their Brooklyn, New York neighborhood coming in and out all hours of the day and night to buy drugs.
Speaking softly, he admitted to being raised by a family of criminals. Yet, he stressed that he loved his mom and dad. They were protective of him and his sister. They would make sure their children would go to school. But because of their addictions and criminal dealings, life was often in disarray.
There were times when his mom would be passed out on the couch, unresponsive, while his dad was out in the streets for much of the day, and many times even well into the night. And sometimes he wouldn't come home at all, usually because he'd been picked up by the police.
Jose's father was a familiar face to the law. He remembers visiting his dad when he was in the city jail on Riker's Island. Frequently arrested, he'd get short jail sentences such as 30 days, or three or six months for
possession of narcotics with the intent to sell.
This left Jose and his sister to navigate through life with an oftentimes absent dad and a dysfunctional mother. Yet according to my friend, when his parents were home, they would pour love into the lives of their kids. "My mom was a good cook," he added with a big smile.
My impression of this is that, if his parents had not been enslaved by drugs, they would've been good
role models for their children. Nevertheless, Jose's sister managed to graduate high school. While he, however, called it quits early. He never finished the tenth grade. The pressure from his peers to join one of the local street gangs was too much.
Jose is now forty-three years old. He's been in prison for fifteen years, with five years left before he's eligible for parole. He has a fairly extensive criminal record, mostly consisting of drug and property crimes. Like his father, he did a handful of short stints in New York City jails. But he's made some good changes, too. Jose received a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) which is equal to having a high school diploma. He has completed a number of therapeutic programs as well, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and more.
Like so many of his peers, Jose survived the streets only to come to prison wild, reckless, and angry.
But he also grew up in prison too. At some point he came to the realization as to what his bad choices
and self-centered living got him into. While from this came the decision that he was done living that way.
I believe that my friend is right where he needs to be. Now a mature man whose impulses and emotions
are under control, I know he sees life differently. He has learned a hard lesson that he will never forget. This being that life is too precious to waste. Also, that living as a criminal is a dead end.
As for Jose's immediate family, the passing of time has brought about the death of his father from liver disease. While his mother, now battling cancer and dementia, has gone back to Puerto Rico to die. And his sister? She works as a nurse at a hospital in New York City. She's married with three kids of her own, and she cannot wait for her brother to come home.
As for me, I am going to continue to share my faith with him because I believe Jose is very close to receiving Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
D.B.
Note: Jose is not his real name.
Speaking softly, he admitted to being raised by a family of criminals. Yet, he stressed that he loved his mom and dad. They were protective of him and his sister. They would make sure their children would go to school. But because of their addictions and criminal dealings, life was often in disarray.
There were times when his mom would be passed out on the couch, unresponsive, while his dad was out in the streets for much of the day, and many times even well into the night. And sometimes he wouldn't come home at all, usually because he'd been picked up by the police.
Jose's father was a familiar face to the law. He remembers visiting his dad when he was in the city jail on Riker's Island. Frequently arrested, he'd get short jail sentences such as 30 days, or three or six months for
possession of narcotics with the intent to sell.
This left Jose and his sister to navigate through life with an oftentimes absent dad and a dysfunctional mother. Yet according to my friend, when his parents were home, they would pour love into the lives of their kids. "My mom was a good cook," he added with a big smile.
My impression of this is that, if his parents had not been enslaved by drugs, they would've been good
role models for their children. Nevertheless, Jose's sister managed to graduate high school. While he, however, called it quits early. He never finished the tenth grade. The pressure from his peers to join one of the local street gangs was too much.
Jose is now forty-three years old. He's been in prison for fifteen years, with five years left before he's eligible for parole. He has a fairly extensive criminal record, mostly consisting of drug and property crimes. Like his father, he did a handful of short stints in New York City jails. But he's made some good changes, too. Jose received a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) which is equal to having a high school diploma. He has completed a number of therapeutic programs as well, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and more.
Like so many of his peers, Jose survived the streets only to come to prison wild, reckless, and angry.
But he also grew up in prison too. At some point he came to the realization as to what his bad choices
and self-centered living got him into. While from this came the decision that he was done living that way.
I believe that my friend is right where he needs to be. Now a mature man whose impulses and emotions
are under control, I know he sees life differently. He has learned a hard lesson that he will never forget. This being that life is too precious to waste. Also, that living as a criminal is a dead end.
As for Jose's immediate family, the passing of time has brought about the death of his father from liver disease. While his mother, now battling cancer and dementia, has gone back to Puerto Rico to die. And his sister? She works as a nurse at a hospital in New York City. She's married with three kids of her own, and she cannot wait for her brother to come home.
As for me, I am going to continue to share my faith with him because I believe Jose is very close to receiving Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
D.B.
Note: Jose is not his real name.
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