Hello everyone. Welcome once again to the Wrong to Strong Chicago podcast. I'm your host. My name is Omar Calvillo and tonight I have my guest here. His name is Jose Rodriguez. Um, I just met this brother, uh, but the way we connected was, my wife, uh, she does a podcast and I just want to, uh, shout out her, her podcast real quick. Her scars tell a story. uh, my brother's a sister here. Um, Maribel was a guest on my wife's podcast.
Uh, so she came, she shared her story on there and, uh, when she was leaving, we had a chance to talk and, uh, I shared with her that I was doing a podcast and I told her what the podcast was about. And she's like, what? My brother got a story, he's got a story similar. So what you guys are sharing on there. So, um, I, I gave her my information and I was able to connect with my brother, Jose. Hey, so Jose, thanks for being on here, brother.
Amen. Amen. Thank you for
having me. Oh, no, for sure, brother. like I, she, she gave me just like a little brief, uh, maybe like a, what'd he say? Like a, like a headline of your story. Well, I gotta have this brother on there, but, uh, man.
Welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Thank you, man. Thank you for having me, man. Jose,
you, you want to tell us, uh, what part of Chicago did
you grew up in? Well, um, my family comes from, uh, Mexico, but they, uh, came down to the back of the yards. Um, I was born and raised in, uh, West Englewood. Um, man, we were there for, I don't know, I want to say 40 years, but we went to school in back of the yards. Uh, my mom wanted us to, uh, Be with, uh, with the people, what I'm saying, with the Raza and, uh, so she, uh, enrolled us at Seward, man. So we went to Seward in the 80s and, uh, we grew up there, man.
Uh, and that's where it all started.
Okay. Okay. can you describe West Inglewood now? I know you mentioned we would the people over there is what like
more West Inglewood is, uh, more African or pretty much all African American. Okay. Um, and, uh, she didn't want us to attend to school. My mom didn't want us to attend school there, uh, and trying to do some good, she, uh, Okay. She didn't want us involved in, and, and bad stuff that kids get into, what I'm saying? But, uh, she wanted us to feel at home and be with our own race and, she decided to, to enroll us in, uh, Seward. Yeah, I got you.
back in the yards and, uh, it's predominantly, uh, Hispanic. So, yeah. Um, that's where we grew up, man. Uh, We're there till we graduate. I graduated in 92 and that was that from uh, high school or eighth grade? Oh, that's uh, eighth grade. Eighth grade.
Gotcha. Gotcha. Hey, what? Before we get that that far ahead, uh, uh, can you tell us about family, the family life, like growing up or was mom, dad in the picture.
Yeah. Brothers, sisters. Back in the eighties, uh, everything was good, man. We actually grew up with uh, with dad intact. Uh, parents were good. And, uh, man, once the nineties came, that's when it started in the fan and, uh, dad got his stuff and he got, he pulled up and left. Um, and that's when, things started happening, started getting more involved in the streets and, That's where the story is.
Alright, yeah, yeah, let's get into that part. You said you graduated in 92, that's the same year I graduated, man. Yeah. What were you, 45, or? Yeah, I just turned 45 in August. Okay, cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, uh, 78. June, June 78. Okay, yeah, yeah. So we're the same age, yeah.
Well, yeah, you said 92. I remember that man graduating in eighth grade, you're right Uh, I was what is that 12 13 probably and man, that's when you said that that's when they hit the fan, man So, let's let's jump there. I know you mentioned, uh, Inglewood Oh, what, uh, share a little bit about that, that area, like growing up, describing it, maybe people that know it's, it's pretty, it's pretty rough out there
too, right? Oh, definitely man. Uh, Inglewood is not, uh, an easy part of the city.
Um, especially being Hispanic, uh, we were always picked on as, as kids, and, uh, I remember, I got a younger brother, I got two older sisters and a younger brother and, back in the eighties, we used to play outside, man, it was, Predominantly safe, uh, but when it comes to, uh, a gang of kids, and especially, you weren't, you didn't look like they did, you got picked on, and you had to learn how to defend yourself, so, I grew up learning how to defend myself and I got good at it.
What I'm saying? So, uh, yeah, man, Anglewood wasn't easy. It got to the point, where I was the one making noise in that neighborhood. What I'm saying? They, when I got old enough, people knew. Okay, gotcha. What I'm saying? So, it got to that point. But, as, as growing up, it was, definitely tough. we had good times, but, um, concerning that, it was, uh, it was a battle. Yeah. Yeah.
All right. No, yeah. Yeah. That, that explains a lot. Yeah. So that's why I'm sure mom's like, man, let me. Could put 'em over here. Yeah. Probably be less trouble. But yeah, obviously you went over there and it wasn't less trouble. Yeah. So let, let, let's go there. Yeah. So you, you're, uh, fresh outta eighth grade. How, how, how does life begin to change for
you? So now, uh, we, I graduated, uh, I wasn't, uh, top of my class, uh, it was hard. Uh, it was hard. School was hard for me, it was boring. It wasn't, so I barely graduated. I remember that. And, I ended up going to Curie. Okay. So that's where, things really started getting hard because when I, when we first, uh, when I first started going to Curie, that's when marital problems started and, uh, my old man stepped out of my dad or my mom's and he just, uh, grabbed all his stuff, man, and.
The deuces, I'm out, oh man, so, at the time, you're a young man when you most need your father, guidance, yeah, you don't know what's going on, uh, and he wasn't around, so, you're looking for, uh, for that guidance and you find it, you find it with, uh, with friends and other brothers who, who are in the same boat, and, yeah. You just uh, you find that bond, and that bond, it's sometimes it's not good, Right. But you find the love that you're looking for, right?
Yeah. Yeah. So, I found it, man. um I found uh uh a gang of brothers, man and uh I just rolled with it, what I'm saying? So, and started getting into trouble. Um Got locked up a couple times, and, uh, back in the day with 6th Street and St. Louis. That's like, I used to call that my second home, right?
Okay. So. What, uh, district is that right there? 8th District. 8th District. Okay,
okay. So, yeah, so, uh, was in there a couple times, man, and, and just, troublemaking. That's it. uh, looking for trouble, and everywhere I went, I found it, Right, right.
I'm going to ask you this, uh, you grew up, uh, back of the yards, uh, West Dingle, when you go into Curie, that's a long travel that, uh, the brother that was out of here last night, he, he was explaining that travel, man, you're crossing a lot of gang neighborhoods, you want to share maybe a story that, that paints a picture of that? How was life for you, uh, that journey, I guess,
I mean, you, you, uh, you drive through a lot of these neighborhoods, man, uh, But to me, thankfully, even back then, bro, it's like God has his hand over me, right? Now, from from seeing it from this side, right? you see, man, I give you a thousand reasons why I shouldn't be here, right? And it's definitely hard, man. and not only the not only the gangs but police officers. Can I think I think uh the police I got messed with more than the brothers from the hood, right? Oh yeah. Oh yeah, dude.
I got, I believe I got messed with more with the cops than anything, Okay. Um, I made friends with, uh, rival gang members, which kind of protected me from their neighborhoods and I was, I was able to be like, Hey man, I know so and so. Okay. And. They would step off right? Yeah. Yeah. So in that sense, I never had an issue, I mean, it's only been a handful of times to where, we're kicking it and people busting the door looking for us, what I'm saying? Okay. So,
because you're somewhere else where you shouldn't be at, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. I got you. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. and they were, they were, they were looking for us, and it got serious, but we took it as a joke, right? Okay. you're young, you don't, yeah. You're not thinking and it's like, huh, we're lucky. Right. Right. But it wasn't like that. it's again, I believe it's the hand of god and god got me out from certain situations. Right. Uh it brought me to this point. So. Gotcha. Yeah.
So. No, you you mentioned uh uh you were in and out the the district eight That at any point it gets serious for you where, where you weren't coming in now, maybe you stayed in
or no, no, I mean, it wasn't definitely not that serious is, uh, obviously it, it moved, it goes higher, you get busted for, uh, writing in the walls and, tagging and doing all this little stuff, that, slapping the hand type stuff, uh, I've never really, gotten Hmm. Book for anything serious to the serious one King. Oh yeah.
Now is that further ahead later? Okay. All right. Okay. Now you, you, you, could you share a story maybe of what, how does life look during? High school, so maybe did you finish high school? Okay.
Well, what happened there? Never, never, never finished high school, man. Again, I've never been, like school was so boring to me, and, and to me, it's like, I finally quit, uh, my senior year. I needed four credits to, to graduate, four credits, what I'm saying? So now that you think about it, I was right there, right. And my mom at that time. she knew, right? uh, and God bless my mom because she, she put up with a lot with me.
Um, and she got to the point to where she had to drive me to school and make sure I would go into the building and it's Jose, man, going through the building and come out the other end, what I'm saying? And, That
was my younger brother, by the way. My dad would drop him off. Yeah. And then he'll go around and wait for him. Yeah. He'll peek out and he'll catch
him.
Yeah, for sure, man. and that's, that's the love of a mother, right? Yeah, yeah. of a parent. Yeah, right, right. so, uh, I understand it now, So, uh. that was that was my high school. I was always getting in trouble, and they used to know my mom, like, oh, what did he do now? and this type of stuff, Uh but uh but yeah, she uh she would drop me off and and one day, she, she sat me down. She's like, Jose, she's like, you need to make a decision.
he's like, either you're gonna continue school or you're gonna find a job. And it was cut and dry like that. Right. And to me, it was like, it was easy. I like peace I'm out, So I found me a job and we started making money, and that was, that was my life, I started making money and, uh, but still was, doing my thing, partying, uh, I had a group of guys, that, uh, always called me like, Hey, what's up, man? What are we doing today? Let's go.
And it was that type of life, man, you, you, you're out partying and then you go straight to work. I was like for years. Yeah. uh I don't know how I did it though. Right. because Straight out of work, like, Hey, what are we doing today? I
remember instances from the club to the breakfast joint and go punch in, man. Right.
go do your nine to five, do it again, and that was life, and, and, and between all that, just, your, your, your thought processes don't get into trouble, but when you hang with a bunch of group of guys, You're always getting
in trouble. Yeah. Yo, yo. It's, it is always their fault. 'cause we're, we're good guys, right? it's always, man, it's always the group of friends we hang out with, right? We're so innocent, man, Right. It's crazy how we have that mentality, man. Man, it's my group of friends, but it's in us, man. It's that, that sin nature man. For for sure. That rebellion,
man. Right? For sure man. For sure. And I could quite never understand, uh, everywhere I went, As soon as I walked into the door, bro, it's like heads, a turn and, attention. Like, it felt like that, so everywhere I went, bro, there's not a place where, I walked into that, somebody wanted to test me. Okay. What I'm saying? So why do you think that was? I don't know, bro. I mean, uh, again, standing from this side, yeah. it's just a presence, right?
you see, you, you see somebody like me, I ain't no small dude, what I'm saying? So, walk into a place and it's presence is known. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And because, I believe because of my size and just, uh, everything that I carried, and I was never alone, right? I always had a group of guys and, And I don't know, bro. It was just, something that was meant to get tested, right? Yeah, yeah. And I never realized it, and but everywhere we went, man, it was uh, we would shut down the place, bro.
Like, literally, chairs flying, tables flying, and uh. So, you're talking to some
violence everywhere you went. Oh, yeah. Okay,
gotcha. Okay. Dude, I got to the point to like, I told my guys, I don't wanna go out no more, dude. What I'm saying? And going back to Inglewood, uh, I decided to stay home. Okay. And that, and that decision, I brought the noise to my neighborhood. What I'm saying? Oh,
okay. No, no, Inglewood. Now, is that the opposite, let's say gang from when you were at? Like, or, I mean, I mean, uh, the reason I asked, like, were you living somewhere where it was like ops, I guess, in a sense?
Yeah. It was more racial. Okay. Yeah. Because again, uh, you see a bunch of Hispanos because it wasn't just Mexican. It was, I was, I am real close, with, uh, one of my brothers, Puerto Rican, what I'm saying? A couple of my brothers, uh, so, it was just, uh, you're black and we're not, what I'm saying? So at one point, They were scared to come out. Right. Because we were out there, and we, we, we hold the block down or just a little block.
Cause back, back in my house, it was just, uh, a little area, what I'm saying? So, uh, but we were always out there. Right. Right. So, and it got to the point to where, cops were coming in there for us, and because we were making so much noise, but that was the place to be right. But
what? Like I think in like in that situation, you have to make noise being you're so small. You're you're like in a sense in their neighborhood. So it's almost like you got to make that noise to keep them away, right? Like to let them know, like, Hey, can't, can't, can't just mess with us
like that. And it was funny though, because like I told you earlier, I befriended people from the opposite gang, right? So you wouldn't have never have issues with gangs because there's always one of them like, Hey, I'm from, I'm from this neighborhood and to step off, and it was more of a tight knit friendship. And we overlook those things, right?
Hey, can you talk a little bit about that? I don't think nobody's talked about that on the podcast, how, how people are able to, to, be friend, I guess, or be cool with somebody that they're like at war with, or they'll be ready to fight or shoot at, and maybe explain that, how, how does that work? I guess. Cause just because you're on this side, man, but we're going to get you or that side, But it does happen where you could have like connections, I guess, different
gangs, right? Well, it's definitely, those connections happen in, uh, in high school, uh, you grow up with these guys and you befriend them, dude. Yeah. and the bond, it goes back to the bond. Yeah. Becomes greater than. What it is that you're representing, what I'm saying? It did for me and I know it did for the rest of my guys because even now, what I'm saying? I haven't talked to them for, I haven't talked to them in a while, but I know when I see them, what's up? Where you been at?
it's love, right? Because you've been, you've been at war with them. Yeah. That. You remember that time when nobody had their backs, but you were there. What I'm saying? So that's where it creates that bond. Yeah. What I'm saying? And, you forget that set. Right. What I'm saying? And... you're done with them and I've lived that I'm saying so, uh, people know, bro, we step me, my guy, because it was just two of us and the rest of, other people were different, but they showed us love, right?
Okay. We're in their neighborhood. We're in their neighborhood. Right. And it will tell them a man. These two are off limits, man. Okay. If you have problems with them. Gotcha. Yeah. No, I'm saying. So it was
that. Yeah. Yeah. What? I experienced that too. Like you mentioned, but it goes back all the way. Like elementary school, your little kids playing on the blocks and then you grew up, elementary school and then around there. Yeah. Some go this way. Some go that way, but then you see each other and. Maybe just like a, Hey, what's up, man? Like, uh, almost like a pass. Hey man, like, like get out of here. Yeah. Like this happened a lot.
Going back to what you said, it seems brother, what I'm saying? But in back of the yards, bro, they're like, Hey, what's they see me, And they back from back of the yard, they used to, they used to know me as rock. Okay. One of the teachers back then, the third grade, bro, she gave me the. That title, the nickname, rah, R A H. R A H, oh, rah, okay. And they would see me, they still, to this day, bro, I would see them on the streets. Rah, rah, what's up man?
this, uh, and it's like, man, I haven't heard that in 20 years, bro. That's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, and they're like, Hey man, how you doing? uh. Like, where'd you go? because most of them, went to Kelly, what I'm saying? Yeah had issues, with the gang there, so till then, I'm saying and once I To tell him I went to carry like what did you turn this? Yeah, they knew it's certain.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, right, right Yeah, I like now I turn nothing brother, like hey, I know people yeah, say so, And that's how it was, so, But you you tend to lean more to a certain neighborhood. Oh, yeah. Yeah, right, right, so, and all my people knew that dude and I was cool with them, they were cool with me, and that bond formed, and they're still there, bro, and all I could do right now is pray for them because, they need Jesus. Yeah,
yeah, yeah, definitely, man. Yeah, we all do, but, uh, okay, so you're out there, uh, man, you're working, partying, what, does anything happen to change that, that, uh, Like a cycle you were in?
Nothing bro, uh, it's just, uh, a long, long years of just partying bro, getting no sleep, waking up, my windshield's busted, don't remember what the world happened, what I'm saying, you wake up, man, start to get into, uh, the drug game, and this is years done, right? How old are
you, like, when you started that,
like? Uh, when I first started in the drug game, bro, I was maybe 27 maybe. Oh man.
Okay. Yeah. That's, that's a little bit like later up there, man. Yeah. Yeah.
Cause I would
never. Cause it sounds like you were working legit, right? You had a legit job. And
okay. I was working, uh, riffing company. Okay. uh, from a young age, I truck driving. delivering materials and I used to love my job, uh, the owner loved me, because of my work ethic, uh, and I was like, yeah, let's go make it money. Right. so I was good, bro. uh, still struggling with, uh, the separation of my parents, and hating my dad, for everything that he did, but still having some sort of, uh, Relationship, and still trying to love on him, but not being healed from,
okay, throughout those years where you still like in contact with him. Oh, yeah.
I called him every once in a while. See how he was doing, he would call us. uh, but we still had a relationship. It wasn't perfect, but, uh, we made it work. Gotcha. Now,
was he still local that he goes to the bar? No,
he's, he's definitely, uh, definitely local, man. He was so local, bro. Uh, my dad was so, my, my dad was so gangster, bro. He, he moved across the street from, uh, from us. Saw his whole family, bro. No way. Yeah. With his new family? Yeah, with his new family, bro. So all we had to do was cross the street, bro. What I'm saying? And to me it's like, that's what, what hurt, Yeah, yeah. And, but that's his mindset. Right. whatever worked for him. Right. So, but that's, that's
crazy, man. Yeah. Across the street with a whole new family. Yeah. I can understand. Like another city, another
town, but nah, bro. Cross, cross the street, brother. Wow. That, that's crazy. So, Yeah, dude. So, uh, I don't know. I mean, I think it was convenient for him, not like he, he planned it or anything like that, it worked for him, right? So, but that's what we had to live with, and out of, out of his marriage on that side, uh, he had, uh, four of the kids, four of my brothers and sisters, which I love very much, and we have a relationship and praying for, shots out to them, I do love him.
And continue to pray for him. But yeah, man, you do do straight did that. So, it was, uh, very, uh, they didn't know how to deal with it. you deal with it, by drinking party and, that's what, that's what people do, right. To forget, their problems, their issues. And that's what I was doing, and that was me. The whole 90s up to, uh, I think, uh, somewhere around 2005, he, uh, So the property and moved on to Tennessee. Okay, that's where all that right now. So but yeah, yeah Okay, so
let's get back you you said you were a 27 and you started getting to the drug game like what would led you There I mean sound like you were Good you said a good work ethic working hard. What made you make that switch? I guess
well, with another party and You make connections and you get ideas To invest and stuff like drugs and stuff like that, I just jumped in I got introduced and at first it was Just, uh, partying, and, and, and partying, he goes, hey, like, hey, I need a guy, what I'm saying? So, you start, uh, diving into those things and, with the blink of eye, now you're moving stuff across the country, what I'm saying?
So, that's what I was doing and, uh, It was working, I ended up losing my job in 2008, but the whole market crash and, uh, and that, I think that propelled me to, to really just, dive into it, so now I'm, moving stuff across the country, man, and, uh, Making money, so, that's how I started with that stuff,
Now, what was that an easy like transition for you? Were you? It would, uh, what I'm saying? Like, just dive in and Yeah. Oh, no worries.
It was, it was super simple, man, because again, I had my guys Right. and they're already in it, what I'm saying? They've been in it Right for a long time, and they're, they're connected with people from down south. Right, right. They're like, hey, we need a person, and somebody you can trust and again, they got introduced to me. Yeah, yeah. And I jumped on it. Gotcha. What I'm saying?
So, uh I was the one who was taking money and bringing up stuff and I I got introduced to people, on the other side and and thinking about it, man, Okay. It's easy, right? Let's do it. Gotcha. so I started doing it, man, from, I want to say it was oh nine to a couple years, bro. Okay. Uh, and I got busted in 2011 or 2010. How,
how did that happen? How, how did that look?
Well, oh my God, dude. Um, I, man again, bro, thinking about it, bro. It's just the way everything happened. I see God's hand, bro, all over it, man. And, one day, I'm chilling, right? And, uh, my sister, the ones you guys, uh, interview buddy, she comes up to me and she's like, Hey, and mind you, she was going through what she was going through and God had already been working on her, uh, showing her stuff. Right. And I'm chilling. I'm watching TV.
I was, I don't know if I was playing video games or doing something, whatever. She comes up to me or she's just chilling right next to me, right? And she just turns to me. She's like, hey, Jose. Um she, I got something to say, she's like, god loves you. He's coming for you. And uh I look at her, I'm like, okay. That was kinda odd, right? and, uh, and the person when the person is carnal, he's like, okay, what does that mean?
and I'm like, I remember the comment that I that I, uh, that I told her. I'm like, man. God's coming for me. Does that mean that I'm going to die? Right. Yeah.
That would be the first thought to come to
my mind. Right. and that's what it means, right? You're going to die. But yeah. To self, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. again, standing from this side, thinking about it, it's like, but back on that side, like, man, you're like, why is he going to kill me? What did I do? I'm a nice guy. Bro, and I'm thinking, I'm like, man, I haven't killed nobody to my knowledge. What I'm saying? Uh, I don't hurt nobody. I'm a hardworking man. like, why is he coming for me, right?
Yeah. you you you go to what right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. and when you're from the streets, when somebody's coming for you, they're coming to do harm, right? Yeah. not knowing. Right, right.
Yeah. so anybody coming for you coming to do harm, whether it's God or the cops. Yeah, for sure.
For sure, man. Uh, so she's like, uh, he's coming for you like Jose. He loves you so much. And like, okay, I didn't know how to receive it. Right, right. and this was, uh, right before like a month or two before I was going to go get a big load. Yeah. And I'm like, okay, I don't understand what you're saying but okay. And fast forward a couple months and man, my guys called me like, hey, we got this for you. We need you to, come pick it up. And here I go, right?
I go down there and uh they got this truck set up for me and everything and uh they, they hooked it up and Jose's going to do what he's going to do, right? He starts, uh, driving up and, and my journey, man, uh, something happened to the truck where I had to, I pulled over to, uh, to refuel and, uh, I'm ready to go and the truck doesn't turn on, So I'm like, man. I'm like, okay. So, I call my people like, hey, man, this is what's going on.
you need to do something because I don't want to be sitting here with all this stuff, right? And he's like, alright. So, they send, some people, they pick up the truck. They take it to mechanics and now, I'm driving backwards because the mechanic shop is backwards. Yeah, yeah. So, the dude looked at the truck, bro. Mind you, I know a little bit about everything, bro. Okay. So, that's how my brain works. If uh, if I can't figure out, then you look for, somebody who knows what he's doing, right?
Right. And I work the cars all my life, again, because I was fatherless. but he never showed me how to change brakes, uh, tune up and, I learned it. Okay. Now from,
from, from other men around you. Okay.
That's, uh, my guys, bro, uh, they show me, we learned from each other and, it was, uh, trial and error. Yeah. Yeah. Right.
Hopefully not with the brakes. Yeah. Right. Right. That'd be a bad trial and error there. Right.
but uh, Again, when I checked it, bro, I checked everything, bro. I remember that, right? And there's nothing wrong with it and it wouldn't turn on. So, as soon as we got to to the right person, I guess to see the the truck, bro, this dude looked at it. He did the same thing I did. It turned down, bro. So, now, I'm like, okay, whatever. Let's go. Get back on the road. But it was so late. I had to pull over to take a rest. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. they didn't want me driving at night.
So, I had to pull over cuz they're they're watching me cuz it was a big load, right? Yeah, yeah. And uh so I pulled over, spend the night. I'm like, I'm gonna get up early and and go. So, I get up early. and hit the road, man. Well, like 10 minutes into the road, I get pulled over, man. And I'm cool, bro. cuz I've dealt with five oh. Yeah. All my life, dude. Yeah, yeah. All my life, bro. So, to me, state trooper like whatever doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hurry up cuz I gotta go.
Yeah. What I'm saying? And you would think, He's like, okay, just, he's checking. I, I allowed him to check everything. Yeah. Because I was told that everything's cool. Yeah. And that's what I did. Yeah. Cool bro. And then wasn't sweating or nervous or nothing. I had my uh my story unlocked. And uh, I remember bro, he's like, he asked me, to check the truck. I'm like, yeah. So, I got out the truck but he had called more troopers, right?
So, now, by this time, it gets like three troopers there and they they're talking to me and they're like, hey, what are you doing in Texas and this and that, blah, blah, blah, and like I said, So, I told him, I had a storyline for it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. stuff happens, right? Yeah. And uh while the the one who pulled me over, he's searching the car, right? Or the truck. And these guys are making small talk with me. Yeah. And uh I remember, bro, he started pulling off the panels, dude.
And I was like, oh, man, at this point, he started pulling off the panels, he's starting to get, starting to sweat a little bit, and sure enough, bro, uh, they, they pulled off all the panels and the dude gave him the signal and, uh, it was funny, bro, because it was like three of them, right? And I saw him give him the signal, like, go ahead and rest him. And, uh, bro, it was funny, man. Uh, he had these, uh, it was three country dudes, what I'm saying? Trying to tackle me down.
And, at the moment I was in there, bro, because I, I was in a state of unbelief, right? I'm already thinking my, my, my head's going like forward and it's already thinking like, man, dude, What's gonna happen? Yeah. Yeah. And but when I come back to like to my senses, I'm looking at these three dudes trying to tackle me. I'm like, dude, what are you doing, man? He's like, turn around, turn around, like, dude, that's all you had to do, man. Like, ask me to turn around, bro. And I turned around.
Like, they tried to tackle me. I'm like, dude, Were they just bouncing off of you man? Yeah, bro, it was funny, dude, So, they handcuffed me. And, uh, and they couldn't handcuff me. I'm a big dude. They put the... They had to do the double? No, not even the cuff, bro. They had to do the plastic one. Okay, yeah, yeah. and, uh... they're they're putting that stuff on me. Now, the first guy is reading his uh reading the Miranda Rights, right?
he's telling me, I have to write to remain silent and again, I just take off, right? I'm not there and he had to go. He's like, hey, come back. he knew I was in there, right? And he kept writing my Miranda Rights like, yeah, whatever, dude. Do what you gotta do, right? And uh So he puts me in the front seat while they still doing the search and I can see them bro. They're like super happy. yeah, we got, yeah, jackpot, right? And uh, I'm like, man, I remember bro.
I remember this is the holy spirit bro because II remember when I was in the in the in the in the car, I looked up and I asked and I thank the lord. Not knowing bro. I didn't know God bro. I'm never, to this day, to that day, I never once opened up a Bible. My, our parents tried to take us to the, to church and I never learned anything. I tried not to fall asleep at church. What I'm saying? you get, they come from a, and this is not knocking on nobody's religion.
we come from a, a Catholic church, and traditions, right? And, uh, all I learned was like, man, don't fall asleep, man. Cause mom's going to pull on your head. Be like, Hey, wake up, you gotta listen. Right. Yeah. and that was, that's what I learned. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Don't try not to fall asleep, and you stand up and you kneel, you sit down, right. And that's what I learned, but I remember like. I don't know, bro. I felt like, like peace, right?
It it was kinda odd, man because I again, I didn't, I did not know god. Right. uh but I turned up and I I thanked him and at that moment, before that, I felt like uh Like a cloak of death put on me, right? Like, the whole trip, I've taken multiple trips, but that one trip, throughout that trip, I felt like death just, like, hugging me and, like, like I was, if I would've completed my task that trip, I'm believing I would not be here. Well, that's how much I felt that upon me, so did you,
at that moment, did you feel that, or
this is looking back now? You can only add from this is just looking back that I didn't mention as we're speaking, I remember, what I felt. Yeah. Throughout my trip. Gotcha. No, I'm
saying something different about this
particular trip. Yeah. Yeah. so, uh, I remember when I got busted, it was like, and I remember just looking up to the sky and like, thank you, Lord. That's what those are. Those are my words. Thank you guys, and thanking them and uh, uh, so now the trooper, they told the vehicle and uh, the troopers, telling me like, hey, uh, he's like, if you want, we can continue the trip, he's like, I want to go to Chicago, what I'm saying? And he's telling me, right?
He's telling me all this stuff, like, man, he's like, come on, And I'm like, get out of here. Road trip. Get out of here, right? Yeah, that's what he wanted to do. Because he, the amount, the quantity that was there, he knew there wasn't, no small fish. Right, right, right.. And, uh, he's like, man, he wanted me to, to keep going.
And, uh, he's like, he was explaining to me, he's like, hey, When you get to the, the police station, you're going to be greeted by some FBI agents and it's like, all they're going to do is like, uh, they're going to ask you if, uh, you're going to cooperate with them and if you want to continue on your trip so we can get the bigger fish and I'm like, I'm like, nah, I'm good, and I didn't, I didn't say nothing, so I just let him book me in.
Bro, uh, I remember when I got off the, uh, the troopers, uh, patrol. They just had me standing there and bro, they're opposing with all this stuff, and I made front page news and in Texas and uh, in the city of Texicana, bro. I, I still remember it, bro, and I'm like, man. Um, but sure enough, man, I uh, they pulled me in and uh, The FBI agents came in and they're like, Hey, Mr. Rodriguez.
They're like, he's like, I'm just, I'm just gonna ask you this once, like, you gonna cooperate with us or you're not. He's like, I don't wanna waste my time. Yeah. I'm like, I don't wanna waste your time, so you have a good day, sir. so, well, they do it. They took all my, I had a couple phones and, they took everything outta and, um, what you call it, uh, and they, they book me right.
And, uh, a funny thing, they still had me in the, in the zip ties and the, the guy who arrested me, like, hold on, like, let me go find some scissors and, uh, so I can cut you free because they were processing. Right. Right. And I'm like, here, don't bother. He started laughing, bro. He's like, man, I never doubted you for one second.
I'm like, dude, don't waste your time, bro, and they processed me, bro, and I remember, bro, when I, when they finally processed me, they showed me to my uh jail cell. Um, bro, I, it was, it was late at night already by that time.
Uh, man, bro, I dropped down to my knees, bro, and I'm telling you, holy spirit led, because Coming from a guy who has never opened up the Bible, who knows nothing about, about our Lord, who's been raised to look at this guy on the cross, and know nothing about him coming to that moment in his life to, ask the Lord for forgiveness, to repent from our sins. It was powerful, uh, and him himself showing himself up in that cell, right? And having that mercy telling you that he loves you.
And uh, it was powerful.
I was there. I I can still feel that, man. For real. Just you sharing that like.
Dude, I wasn't seeking him. Right. If anything, I was running away from him, dude. and I was dude cuz Jesus who? Right. And that was the person that I was. When somebody tried to share the good news with me cuz he had people dude I'm not gonna say that it was never shared with me but I mean I was a type of dude like man. I ain't trying to hear this, if you want to serve him, serve him, dude. I don't want to serve him. Yeah. that was the type of person that I was.
If you weren't a family member, a family member, I gave him that honor, right? Yeah, yeah. Like I'll sit down and listen to you because you are my family member. Right. But anybody else, get away from me, dude. Shut him down. Yeah, dude. No way, bro. No way. Yeah. That was who I was. and I had some family members that, would share and god bless their hearts, because they knew, right? They knew where, uh where I was gonna end and if if I continue to go down that path, but Thank God, for them.
Yeah. Because God showed me that, bro, there was no preacher, there was no preacher in my jail cell, bro. Uh, nobody to be like, Hey, repent. What I'm saying? Uh, but the Holy Spirit. Yeah. What I'm saying? So, uh, praise God, you, amen. to all, to him be all the glory, And I think that's my message today, bro. to, uh, to share with the people.
Because God showed me what that was, a year later in my walk, uh, as, as I continue to seek him, he shows you things, uh, and he brought me back to that and he showed me what that was. He showed me that it was the Holy Spirit and he was answering the prayers of those who were praying for me, and I think that's what it is that what God wants me to share. To those who have, have lost ones who, just stand in faith, right?
So, the word teaches us that to the prayers of the righteous ones avail us much. And those who believe and trust in the lord and continue to trust in him, he's gonna, he's gonna answer them, dude. And that's what the beautiful thing about it is, is that If he has promised you something, if he has promised you the salvation of a loved one, hold on to that. Doesn't matter what it looks like. What I'm saying? Uh, because he is faithful. He's so faithful and he will do just that.
But he needs you to hold on to his word, to his promises, what I'm saying? And it's gonna come to pass because I am proof of that, bro. Amen. I am complete proof of that. so, yeah, bro and that's where the beginning Of my new life got you started starting that cell for sure, man, and 2010, February 20th, 2010, bro, and you remember the date and everything. Forget it. I
remember my my day man. It was October 26 2004 man is that was like you mentioned the new life. You mentioned the cloak of death. Yeah, I told people that, uh, that it like I felt death around me. But I told people at the same time that the enemy, Satan wanted me dead. Yeah. God wanted me dead too. But in a different sense, which is the sense you're talking about, that's a self so that he can live through you, through his spirit, man. And that's, that's
true life right there. Right. Amen. Amen. So, yeah, bro. That's the beginning.
Yeah. So how did the rest of that journey look, uh, well, what ended up happening with that case? Oh,
man, bro. So much. So much, man. So, Now, as a born again, right, when I was born again that night, um, now I have to figure out, all right, how are we going to do this, right? Um, I didn't, again, because of, uh, technology. the phones. I don't remember nobody's number, dude. Yeah. Oh, yeah. You're so used to like, oh, okay. Yeah. Let me call Marty. Just go to Marty and press send, right? Bro. So, they and plus II told these guys like, hey, bro, I'm not from here. I'm from Chicago.
Can somebody get my phone from lock up or give me some numbers or something? Yeah. Bro, they denied it, bro. Yeah. Like, nah, dude, sorry, you can't do that. Right. And, uh, I'm like, man, how are we going to, how am I going to tell my family, dude, because I had told them, I'm like, hey, I'm going to go do a job, installation job in Texas, right?
Because I was, I've been working in a roofing and installation company, and they're like, yeah, whatever, I'm going to be there for a couple of days and I'm coming back. And they, they believed it, and, uh, but now. I'm into a week, right? and uh one person that I told uh one of my best friends, I told him like he knew what's going on and uh I told him like, hey, I'm gonna go do this. I'll be back.
This is where I'm gonna go and I gotta see you in a couple of days and he dropped me off in the in the airport because I had to drive back and he was the only one who knew. Aside from. The people who I was connected with. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Because I always kept my my people separated, right? I would never want to endanger my family, what I'm saying? And and that's one of the reasons why I told, uh the cops like, man, no, dude. I told them like because they wanted to continue.
Yeah, yeah, right. They wanted me to continue to. No, yeah, yeah. And uh I'm like, no, dude. I'm not gonna get that would involve my whole family, what I'm saying that and I'm and obviously in the way I didn't involve my family because I'm doing it right and they're they're gonna they suffered for for my actions, right but my guy Rewind before they put me in the lockup the trooper allowed me to send out a text I told him, I'm like, hey, man, I'm not from here.
Can I just send out a text to one of my guys before you lock me up so they know that I'm locked up. He's like, yeah, man, do what you gotta do. So, I did it and his wife picked up and we were good friends like and I told her, I'm like, hey, this is what's going on. I'm about to get locked up. And she started laughing because she thought I was joking. I'm like, no, I'm serious. I gotta go. I'm like, this is going on, I gotta go. So I hung up. And so it was only them and my boy that knew.
And, uh, so once my, my boy saw that I wasn't coming home, he started, he was worried. And then my other guy came to the house. And, that's what my family found out, they're like, Hey, we're here to help, this is what happened, so now my guy who I'm close with, he starts calling the whole state of Texas county jail, looking for me, uh, because he knows, man, he probably ain't got nobody's number. He can't call nobody, right?
And, uh, like a week passes, bro, and I get a mail, and it's him like, man, we've been looking for you like, I know you got nobody's number. He put everybody's number on there, and I'm like, finally, I get to call somebody and, uh, I call, I, I call my sister, Mari, me and Mari, we're super close, and that's my go to, right? Uh, so I call her.
Yeah. Yeah. And, by that time, obviously they knew, uh, they found out everything was going on, and, and I get on the phone with her and, she's crying and, she was like, uh, like Jose, you gotta give your life to Christ. Like it's already been done, it's already been first night, dude, it's it's done, it's done, and it's been done by the Holy Spirit, man. And, uh, but.
that's that begun the process of now fighting the case, and, and so much that God did through that case, uh, they wanted to give me 20 years, uh, and we were able to make bail. So we made bail and, uh. And it begun our walk bro, we were, we're fasting. We, we, uh, we linked up with, some friends who were in the Lord already. Okay. And, uh, they showed us, they started walking us through the Bible and, uh, showing us how to pray. And while we were fighting the case, right.
And we're standing firm, cause the word teaches us, Hey, if, we come into agreement, it's going to happen. How? Yeah. yeah, like, like we wanted to, right? Well, like he will want it to,
well,
because we're newborn Christians, we're believing the word for what it is. Right. Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah. and the word teaches that, if you believe you'll get what you receive, what
you ask and not
exactly. So we're standing, bro. We're standing like, yeah, um, I, uh, I was given mountain maidens, uh, And and the sentencing and stuff, and it was either uh probation. I think it was 2 years and or 20 years up to 20 years because I had a record but it wasn't nothing to this extent, right? so, we're like, no, we're gonna fight it, right? And, uh, man, we were fasting and praying and, ultimately,, they ended up giving me 2 years, which was a lot better than 20 years.
Uh, and and I still, we're still fighting it because there was an opportunity to where I would, get, Probation. Okay. And uh because I was out of state. So uh again man, did a lot of prayer and fasting with the with the friends. We prayed with the lawyer. even the lawyer was, hesitant on uh working with us because we were asked like, can we pray with you?
before you go talk to the judge and this and that, and he's like, okay, right now, a little hesitant but he did, uh when it came down to sentencing, that uh played a factor, but uh at the end of the day, they, I ended up getting 2 years and it was, it was life changing bro. because It was, two years in a, in a state where I had nobody, brother. Was that
a state time or fed time?
No, it was state. Okay. Yeah, it was state. Thank God it wasn't fed time. uh, that was actually, Discussed within, the judge and the lawyer, because all I was charged with was, possession. Okay. I was never charged with, transportation, state lines, nothing, bro. If it was, if that would have been the case, it would have been a whole different story. Oh,
yeah, yeah. Cause you probably started in Texas and never made it out of it. Yeah. Gotcha, okay. Yeah, it
was all in Texas. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, makes sense. Gotcha.
uh. So you say you went in there, so how, how was that? You said being out of state and being in Texas, huh? How did that look for you being in there in there?
Um, it was rough, bro. It was rough because again, not knowing nothing like, uh, the gang, the gangs down there are completely different. Everybody knew I was from Chicago. Yeah.
You look, I could ask you something. Uh, I know people that have been in different states, like around there and they even have like divisions amongst Hispanics, man. They have like the, The Mexicans and then you have almost like the Chicanos in a sense. So did you experience any of that or how did
that look for you? Yeah, man, it was, uh, It was actually a little bit tough, man, because there was, at the time when I was there, there was a gang called, Mexican Mafia who ran certain parts of the prison in there, but you had the Tango Blast who were going against the Mexican Mafia. Tango Blast? Tango Blast, yeah. It was a gang, uh, a prison gang called Tango Blast. Okay. And, the prisons there where I was at, I, they moved me from prison to prison.
So, I got to visit, I want to say about good six or seven prisons in two years. Yeah, because a lot of, Oh yeah, bro. I hated it. I hate that bus, bro. Uh,
was it a blue bird down there? Was it different colors?
Uh, I think the, uh, the ones I was in were white. Okay. No, I
think that's the brand of the bus though. Oh, was it blue bird? I think so. Yeah,
but uh, they moved me a lot because again, I didn't have nobody, nobody to come visit me. So they had to make room for those who were coming in. Yeah. And that was easy to move. Nobody was there to see me. Yeah. Yeah. my family, they went once. Uh once I uh they initially went in uh to the county jail. uh to go see me and that was a better suite because I I never wanted my parents, Yeah. Or any family member for that for that matter to uh to see me, through that glass block, right?
And they didn't even let them, contact. Yeah, yeah, it was behind the glass. Yeah. So, that was very, very difficult for me because man, dude, you got man up in there, right? there is uh, there is no showing your emotions. No, right? Because everybody's looking at you, what I'm saying? And again, I carry that thing where Everybody's looking at you, bro. At least at me, what I'm saying? And again, I think it's just, don't know what it is, bro.
It's like, to me, it's always been like, walk into a room and people need to turn around like, man, who's this dude, Uh, and it always led to a negative thing. Yeah, oh yeah. uh, and I experienced that. I experienced that in in prison. Right. I'm gonna share a story with you. Yeah, go ahead, man. And uh, one time, um, freshly in, right? since I ain't, I ain't know nobody, no gangs or nothing. I kept to myself, right?
and, being a new newborn Christian, God God told me, he's like, I need you to get my word into you. And I, I said, yes. So again, not having any experience of what I'm doing. I read it like a book. So, I would pick up the Bible. I would wake up, say my prayers. I pick up the Bible and when I start reading, Genesis one, one, right? And I read it like a book. And In that process, going through the books of the law, right?
Getting to do the Romney, and a little bit, a little bit, yeah, and not, like, man, what is this dude? Like, what are you talking about? Mold and, right. it was very hard. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm like, man, I didn't, I didn't know, what I was reading. So I would put, I would put it down, right? And I would tell the Lord, I'm like, Lord, I don't understand this, dude. So I'm gonna put it down. And every time I would put, I put it down three times.
And every time I would put it down, He would say, I didn't ask you to understand it. I said, I need you to get it. My word into you and like, okay, it was simple. Right? And again, going through those books was very, very. Oh, no. Yeah.
So it's for anybody reading the Bible for the first time. Don't start in these books. Leviticus and numbers. Maybe skip those. Go ahead, brother. Start starting
to put the John. uh, one day, there used to be a lot of ministries that went to go share the good news. Right. Um, and, one day I went to church and, uh, and they would, for some reasons they would have church like at three, four o'clock in the morning, right? No way. Yeah, dude. So, I was, I was prepared. I'm like, let's go, anywhere to stay away from, the atmosphere, right? Because it's very heavy atmosphere.
And, uh, I would go and, I went one day and when we came back, they would have our breakfast ready. So, we came back and, they had a breakfast ready. So I grabbed my, my plate, my chow and, I'm minding my own business, bro. in my gravy and biscuits because they serve a lot of biscuits down in Texas, bro. so, um, I'm, I'm watching the TV, watching the news. I'm eating my, my biscuits and gravy. And there's a, there's a group of five African Americans that started surrounding. Right.
And I'm paying no attention to them because I'm minding my own business. Right. And he's, I could hear somebody like screaming or not screaming, but getting loud with somebody and I'm not, again, I'm not paying attention because I know it's not concerning me. Right. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. so he gets louder because he was talking to me and he gets louder. I looked, I looked at him and he's looking at me and like, you're talking to me.
You're like, yeah, I'm talking to you. And at this point, I get up. He's like, yeah, we're gonna get you right now. We're gonna beat you up, right? Now, mind you, again, I'm a fighter, brother. I love to fight or I used to love to fight. Okay. Yeah, yeah. What I'm saying? I'm like, okay. Let's go and I see them. They're surrounding me and one of the guards, is looking Just he's looking at us knowing what's going to happen, right?
And he starts walking away and he's like beat his ass the guard the guard. Yes Like okay, so, they give you kind of a fitted garb prison guards, to me like man now this ain't gonna happen, right? So I take off my guard, right? And I'm, I'm ready to go. I'm like, all right, let's do it. If you guys want to dance back off, I did this, I'm very good at it, in my head, man, I got you beat already, dude. What I'm saying? and, I took one step towards him and I froze, bro.
I froze and I know what it was. But at the moment I didn't know what was happening. What I'm saying? And, and at that moment I was frozen and they're starting to step towards me and at that moment I Prayed like Lord, I don't know what's going on But I need you to take care of this because for some reason I can't move and as soon as I finished my prayer, the bell rang and it was time for count.
So when you heard the bell in prison, You had to return to your cell, to your bunk because now they, they need to count you to make sure everybody's there. Right now, the guy who I was bunking with was the same dude that was talking all that smack. So now at this point I was unfrozen and I had to go to my bunk. Right. So, so the,
the guy that's trying to fight you is your own cell?
Yeah. Yeah. What was this about? I don't know, brother. I don't know. It came out of the blue or whatever. What I'm saying? So, he's still yapping away while they're counting, right? He's like, they're gonna leave and once they leave, we're gonna get you, right? I'm like, no, you're not. You ain't gonna get me, bro. cuz in my head like, man, I'll mop the floor with you, bro. What I'm saying?
But at the same time, I'm praying like, lord, you need to do something right now because You need to listen to this dude. He's, I don't want no, I don't want no, no trouble, right? Let me do my time and let me go home, bro. and sure enough, bro, they finished the count. Another set of guards came. They pointed at him like you, let's go. I like Jesus, bro. and after they took him, the other dudes were like, man, they just were just following orders. We got no beef with you.
I'm like, hey, bro, I ain't got no beef with y'all, so, just let it be, right? Yeah, yeah, so but God was showing me now that I know how to That my first thought should be in a time of stress or to reach out to him that he will take care of it
Even in that moment. Yeah, it's crazy man, even in that Cause that's, that's like a, you got to be quick to react moment. But even in that moment, you're, you're praying.
Yeah, that's amazing. And he showed me, he showed me what that was, where I was frozen. And he, he told me that that was the fear of the Lord, that if I, I didn't have the fear of the Lord, what I'm saying? So he showed me like, Hey, because of that, I had to freeze you. Because if you would have continued. You would have probably still be in prison because of what would have resulted, what I'm saying? So, that's what it's a learning Curve, I'm saying a lot of people
don't know that but they could give you two years but based on Situations that could happen in there you'd be there some time more time catch a case in there, and get another another sentence thrown on top of what you got. So yeah, it's So a lot of times people, Oh, man, just got to do three years. And you get sent off or get into some trouble in there. There's
people in there that got locked up for six months, bro. We're probably still in there because the situations, what I'm saying? So, uh, and that's what he showed me. Like, man, like the fear of the Lord will stop you from. Making stupid decisions. Right, right. What I'm saying? So obviously, in my walk, because I always ask him, my man, what is that? he answered, he told me that's the fear of the Lord. You need, you didn't have the fear of the Lord. Right, right. Gotcha.
so, that was, that was part of that.
Yeah. Now you, let's fast forward a little bit. So you did your time. How did it look when you came out? Uh, what was your
mindset? uh, yeah, I did my time. Uh, and let me just add this.
The time in prison was the best time of my life, bro, because I got to know the Lord, versus being out here and the hustle and bustle of life, you, you tend to, to put those priorities in the back burner, So, to me, man, looking back, it's like, man, thank you, lord because that's where I was able to like he said, man, get to get that word in, and even until this day, he's continuing to Show me and through the word and just give me understanding and because of that, because of those times,
right? so uh but yeah, uh coming out bro was very difficult. I understand now um why for a lot of men or people who come out of prison, it's like a revolving door, right? It was hard because you feel like you're judged, right? Like, as soon as I got out of prison, obviously, I had my, I had to get my family to uh, buy me a ticket. So, I go back home. I had a, I had a limited time to come back home because I was still on, parole. Oh, good. Yeah. Yeah. so, uh, I had to hurry up and report.
So I remember, getting a ticket, they give you a Texas prison ID. You're in your prison guards, bro. Coming out? Yes. No way. So they, you, they know you're just getting out of prison, bro. They don't give you your street clothes? Nah, bro, because they, they throw them away because, they take them in county. Yeah. Oh yeah. That's and it's done deal, bro. I mean, nobody, I ain't had nobody go pick up my clothes. So it's, it's garbage, so I got no clothes. So, I got, I'm, I'm in my prison.
They're going to be thinking you're an escapee trying to
hunt you down, man. I mean, there, there are certain colors,
so they know,
yeah, just got out, so yeah, bro. And I remember, going to the airport and feeling like. And that's how this is how the devil works, bro. He says, hey, look at man. They're staring at you. Look at what you're wearing. And just uh, the schemes of the the enemy. Oh, yeah, yeah. and you're looking at these people who are free and who've been free and like what you looking at, dude? What I'm saying? Like, you really get. Oh, yeah. like, That's pretty like man. What's up?
you got a problem with me, I felt that dude, but it was, I
would say that tension because in there, like, like you mentioned, you, you can't show no emotion, you're hardened, even, I mean, I would imagine even as a believer, you still had to keep this demeanor about yourself, like, uh, like, yeah, I'm a believer, but yeah, right? And then you come out and it's hard to turn that off, right? Like that mentality that you have. why are you staring at me? like the defensive mode in a sense,
right? But most definitely. But again, it's the spirit, right? It's the spirit of the enemy that's telling you, Oh, they're laughing at you. Because you're worth nothing. you're a piece of trash because you just got out of the prison. and I understand that. That if you don't have the Holy Spirit, You will definitely act on those emotions and those insecurities. What I'm saying? So, I I definitely understand where, other prisoners, bro, cuz I seen it, bro.
There's people who who left when I was there, who came back before I left, dude. Yeah. like, what are you doing here, bro? I don't understand this. Like,
I've seen that too, man. And it's sad because I, I see him at all, man, you're happy for him. They get out and I'm somewhere else and another, and I see him come back in. What happened? Like, and, but what that did? I think that, that gave me like a little bit of fear to like, not a fear, but man, when you get out, you better, you better be careful what you do. Cause there was a guy, a quick story. He got out.
He was on parole and he said he jumped in a car with his friends and he didn't know it at the time, but the car was stolen. So obviously they grabbed him. And since he was on parole right away, they just,
Oh yeah. You're first one to go without question. So
yeah, it's, it's, it's sad, man. It's sad to see that revolving door. Oh yeah.
Oh yeah. and I understand it, and it's hard, Um, so yeah, man. And I remember getting out, bro. And starting my new life, right? Cause now I'm a little bit more mature in the spirit. Oh, how old are you when you get out? I was, I don't know, 32, 33 maybe? Okay, alright. I'm not too sure. And now, you're happy, because now you're going to love on your family, what I'm saying? And you're happy to see them. They're happy to see you.
We're praising the Lord and like, man, this can't wait for Sunday because now, Uh, you want to go to church, there's no issues on, wake me up when service is over. What I'm saying?
You're excited to go, you
know, so, so we, we go to our old church, and we're going and, you start seeing things, obviously, that. Like man, the word don't, the word says this, you, the word, right, and it's hard, because now you're struggling with traditions and like, man, why do people do this and, and why, why, why things are done the way they done, right. Right. And it was hard, man. I remember.
I remember getting out bro and wanting to die bro, I know it's kind of that's kind of that's kind of difficult to understand but this is what happened to me. Yeah. Yeah. Um I had a bunch of people, call me like, hey, what's up? good to see you. Good to get you out and invited me all over the place and but you can't Like, you don't have the desire, what I'm saying, to, you can't go back, right?
You can't go back to the party life, you can't go back to, uh, to that life that you, you're dead to, what I'm saying? And I remember one day, and, and, and, and not being able to reach out to somebody. That's why having that. that brotherhood, right?
what a
believer you mean? Yes. Okay. it's so important uh because I didn't have that dude. when coming out. Yeah. Even uh those who believe that I knew they were still all partying bro. Okay. What I'm saying? I couldn't do that. They wouldn't invite me to oh we're gonna watch this boxing match. let's go. And I would go to watch the boxing match, but then they're partying afterwards and getting drunk and this and that. I'm like, man, I can't stay here, dude. Yeah. I gotta go and them not understanding.
Right. Like, man, dude, who are you, right? Yeah. uh but I'm like, no, I can't stay here. I remember one day, man, trying to go back to that, and and just crying out to the lord like, man, lord. I don't want to be here, so I go into a bar. I remember going into a bar by myself, ordering a beer, and just looking at the beer and the Holy Spirit clearly spoke. He's like, what are you doing here? This is not for you. And I got up, I did not touch the beer.
I got up and I walked out the bar, and trying to find. Relationships. Yeah. Right. And it led me to uh to new life. Okay. midway, uh me and my my sisters decided we're gonna go new life and we we started going to new life and starting to get plugged up, and grew. we grew into the word, man. Started, started growing. They made uh They made us, leaders, in, in the church. And we started mentoring, started baptizing people, uh, I got honored to baptize my brother, led him to the Lord.
all glory to God. Amen. another brother, Alex, I, I was able to lead him to the Lord and, uh, God or to baptize him, so definitely was growing, and we were a new life for When I said nine ten years me. Oh, man. So when man did a lot of growing there. So but yeah, I mean
Could you show where you're at now? Cuz I know we're talking me when you first came Right now
I'm with Faith World Church on Fullerton on the north side with Pastor Daniel Cruz and his whole family, man. I'm loving it, man. They just, uh,
they just got a new building, right? Recently or no? Yeah, they,
they're actually, they're doing, their grand opening for their new sanctuary, I forget the dates. I think it's the first weekend of November. for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you guys are welcome to come. more than welcome. That's on, on
Fullerton and what, what other streets
was that? Fullerton and Moody. And Moody. Okay. It's just west of Austin. West of Austin. Yeah. So yeah, man, we're there. My whole family's there. Uh, God brought us there. Uh, he's definitely teaching us a lot. we just became deacons at the church. So, uh, we're definitely growing there, man, is a powerful church and we're loving it, man. God's teaching us, to have a servant's heart and, just doing God's work in there. So, yes, sir. I know I
mentioned with you when you first came that, uh. Well, I got saved in, uh, October 26, 2004 in East Chicago, Indiana, a faith world, which was, pastor Calvin. He came from, uh, Pastor Daniel Cruz. And you mentioned, uh, back when it was fun church, he got sent out and they actually started a church, uh, it used to be a funeral home and it was crazy. Cause, uh, they used to say, yeah, with the here that before it was the dead and now we're raising the dead.
So, man, so there's that connection there. And, I was telling you too, that, After I got saved, I think about a year later, I got a chance to share my testimony at, uh, at Faith World out here in Fullerton. That's where they were by, they used to be like a bowling alley before it was like West of a Pulaski. I believe. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, there's that connection. Yeah. So I know, uh, pastor Danny Cruz is why the family, there's a lot of brothers that I know from out there, man.
Yeah, they're definitely, uh, man, there's, I'm trying to think some of their names, so I have, like a lot of connections with people from, uh, Faith World Church, Some that are still plugged with it. So that's all, awesome ministry. And like I I shared with you when you came to man, I experienced, God's present, God's touch there. So, pray, praise God for that, man, man. Yeah, dude. Amen. Hey, what brother, thanks for sharing your story with us.
Everything that that you went through and what you're doing now, still serving the Lord. Is there anything that you want to share with the people that are listening, maybe a word or something that maybe God's place in your heart or.
Yeah, I, I mentioned it earlier, I think, I, I've been asking the Lord, what, what do you, what do you want me to say and to speak about my story and he highlighted, the part where don't stop praying, continue to believe, um, for your loved ones, because I know it's difficult, but if he tells you, if he gives you a promise, trust the lord.
That's what it means to believe in him, to trust him, that what he has told you shall come to pass, and that's, you see that from the beginning to the end, continue to trust him for your, for your father, for your mother. For your brothers, for your sisters, for your kids, for everybody, for that person that you're praying for, do not allow the enemy to tell you it's not going to happen because the enemy is a liar.
Believe the Lord, believe the word that he has given you and I'm living proof and I, and I, and I tell everybody again, there was no minister. There was no priest, nobody in my cell other than the Holy Spirit. This is coming from a man who's never opened up his Bible a day in his life, but yet the Holy Spirit led me to repent, to receive the, uh, the sacrifice that, the Son of God has done for us. And Be born again, man. That's only God. Only God can do that. so, hold fast.
and the scripture is the the prayers of the righteous availeth much. He who believes it shall be done. What I'm saying? So, yeah, I think that'll be my uh my message to other brethren out there. Don't Do not faint, just continue, in that race and believe that's what God wants us to do.
Amen. I mean, what's coming to my mind, what your sister told you, what'd she say? God's
coming for you. God's coming for you. there it is, there it
is, man, God's coming for you too, what I mean, man, what brother, with that, can you close us out in the
prayer? Yeah, for sure, for sure, so Father God, Lord, we just thank you, Lord, we thank you, Lord, for this opportunity, Father, that you have given us, Lord, uh, I thank you, Lord, for Omar, Father God, Lord, and his family, Lord, Lord, I just lift him up, Lord, I pray, Lord, that you just continue, Lord, to use him, Lord, bless his family, Father, for the work, Lord, that he's doing, Lord, Lord, I just pray for the hearers, Father God, Lord, that, Amen.
The word, Lord, that we have spoken right now. Father God, Lord, that I may hit good soil. Father God, Lord, I pray for increase in the hearer's heart. Father God, Lord, and I pray, Lord, that if they don't know you, Father God, Lord, that you draw them Lord to the truth or that you bring him to the feet of your son, Jesus, Father God, just how you did me, Lord. And that you bring them unto salvation, Father God.
Lord, we thank you, Lord. We praise you, Father God, Lord, for the work, Lord, that you are doing, Father God, Lord, in the mighty name of your son, Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen. Amen. Amen. And with that, we're going to get ready to close this out. I just want to thank my guest, Jose, man. Thank you for coming. Thank you for sharing that story, man. All in all, man, it's a blessing. Man, like I said, that's what we're here to do, man. Share our testimonies that man point people to God to his power. Like you mentioned, like I had a few, a few people that have been on here, man, that pray to the Lord and the street and a cell anywhere and God met them.
And that's what I keep telling people, but thank God for the churches that are there. But man, God, God will touch you wherever you're at. as long as you cry out to him. And, I think I was reading earlier, I believe it was, uh, Jeremiah might've been 29, 13. It says you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Amen. So, if you're out there, you heard this man's story, you're like, man, man, I want to encounter God, man, seek him with all your heart and you will encounter him. He will meet you. All right, with that, we're gonna get ready to rap. Oh, um, Matthew 416 reads, The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. Along with my brother Jose, my name's Omar Calvillo, we are Wrong to Strong.