A Short Narrative of My Life

Therefore, she was very strict and harsh with rules and punishments which in due time were going to produce in me a seed of rebellion. Eventually, it rooted deeply in me and sprouted soon enough at about the age of 8 years old. Everything went downhill from there on which manifested in different and diverse ways, such as, disorderly conduct, rebellion towards all kind of authority, the beginning of substance abuse starting with alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, and living life in the fast lane in general. As I grew older, this increased with no care for rules at all and a death wish. This was only one of the reasons for my decision that took place when I was about 20 years old. I grew up in a dysfunctional family. My mother left my father before I was born and met my first stepfather right after. She was young and in need of being loved, so she saw the opportunity of protection and support in this man since she was pregnant and alone in New York City. Because I did not really have a father, my mother had to assume that role and be harsh, strict, and sometimes aggressive. She did not know better. Therefore, I became a problem who would not listen and I would get into trouble at school, and misbehave at home, break things, scream, drink behind my mother’s back, etc. All of this would have its toll at about 11 years old when I was living in New York again. I came back to live with my biological father then. I had met him when I was 8 years old. Here, I confronted a different life full of dangers, jealousy from my stepbrothers, and physical aggression from my dad. I got involved in the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol and became a gang member seeking the love and respect that I was not getting at home. I also got arrested and witnessed deaths of friends. This journey, which lasted about 10 years, ended or started its ending when I was deep into drugs and violence. It is not a mystery that the neighborhood in which I lived was under the rule of the Colombian Mafia back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I lived in Jackson Heights, which was known back, then as â€Å"Little Colombia†, because of the huge population of Colombian immigrants that totaled about a million in the neighborhood. Therefore, mafia was part of the everyday life. Many kids were selling drugs and doing hits for the mafia. Terror and fear were common amongst many inhabitants of the area. Most young kids wanted to be like Pablo Escobar, the â€Å"Capo† of the Colombian Medellin Cartel, taking him as a role model to follow. I was one of those kids that followed this â€Å"role model†, who inspired many kids to get involved in this life. This led me to a fast and dangerous life where I was blessed to be alive, since I saw many of my friends die in the line of battle because of wrong decisions. I, on the other hand, knew how to take care of myself and managed to stay alive but became an addict. I ended up homeless and in various rehabs, halfway houses, shelters and clinical therapy. I lost all respect for others and myself. I was not me anymore but I had turned into the awful monster that had taken over my life. I was for sure headed to a bottomless pit. I was going straight to the pits of hell, condemned forever with no hope of looking back. When I was about 19 years old, I was in a rehabilitation center when a woman came to me and started preaching to me about the Bible and its message. About the Messiah, this was Jesus for her and soon would become mine too. At first, I really did not listen to her but she insisted and came back a few more times. Then we were invited to a church and I saw all the love and attention that those people were giving others and me without knowing us and I was surprised and astounded at this. This was my first experience with Jesus or anything that had to do with a Messiah that was very real to me. I was hopeless, since that moment a little door opened up, and there was some light. After that, I was sent to a halfway house where the director coincidentally was a Christian Pastor. I lived in this house for about a year and in the course of that year; the director practically took me under his wing. He invited me several times to his church until I made the decision of going. I was far from being different but it was the beginning of a different life. I went and experienced a new beginning, I was born again, I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and everything was going to start changing from then on. It was 1993. The month I do not quite remember but I was 20 at the time. I relapsed almost at the end of 1993 and I had to go into a rehabilitation center again. This time was my last one. It was about October when my Dad sent me a plane ticket to Oakland, California. I was given the chance to make a decision on living or staying and my choice was made. I lived in Oakland for some time and started working there as a salesperson and met my sons mother. Yes, I have a son. He was born on September 11 of the year 1994 and unfortunately, I was not there to see him come into this world. It is something that I have regretted my whole life. I was young and scared and the only thing I knew how to do was to run, so I did. He is 18 years old right now. He is a miracle of life because his mother wanted to commit abortion and I did not permit it. I was not going to let her kill my son. Therefore, by the grace of God he was born. That is why I say that he is a miracle of life. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that everything was a bed of roses from the time I left the United States. I made many mistakes that took their toll, but now after I had accepted Jesus as my Savior I had new hope, new strength, and a new purpose to follow and be better. In 1994, I traveled back to Colombia, started to attend a church, and got involved in a ministry as I worked and tried to live a normal life. I was there for almost 17 years and my life had a complete turn-around. I prospered and got new friends. I have been sober for almost 20 years and I love life, creation, people, and most of all my dear Jesus, who gave me salvation and eternal life by just believing in Him and accepting Him and His dominion in my heart. Even though, it has not been an easy journey because I have gone through thick and thin, I continue with my head up. I am standing firm in this path. I have been back in New York for three years now and I have many amends to make, God willing. I have been working and studying for my degree to achieve my dreams and letting other people know about the person who changed my life and gave me a new purpose. A new direction and meaning to my life. A life dedicated to worship the Father, the Almighty God, Jesus his son and the Holy Spirit of God. A tricotomy that is a mystery manifested in the One and only true God.