First Time Here?

Sammy is blessed. To label him as such is in direct opposition to his autobiographical description. He was raised in a highly dysfunctional setting. He was introduced to drugs by the age of seven, when most young boys are still playing with GI Joes. He was part of a gang in his early teens and, as a result of that association and lifestyle, he spent most of his adult life imprisoned or institutionalized. All of these elements, in and of themselves, could easily render an individual hardened, illiterate, combustible, inarticulate and devoid of any social skills. Not Sammy. Sammy has been blessed by God.

After spending two decades behind bars for second degree murder (a drug related incident from his gang activities), Sammy was paroled, choosing to enter the Mission’s Academy (18 month rehabilitation and recovery program), in accordance with the terms of his release. He met the Lord while he was in prison, so finding a Christ-centered environment was his desire. “My greatest concern in coming to the program was the thought of being around other gang members. But the counselors here were...
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