February 2000

Dear Special Friend:

Carl Hunter touched the wrong wire when he was about five years old and got a shock that sat him down hard.  He says, after that experience he had an ironic interest in repairing electric appliances, which he now does whenever he has the opportunity.  He is even considering a career in that field if it works out.

Carl is still a teenager, just 19 years old, but has already been through a lifetime of trouble.  When Carl was only seven his parents divorced.  The day they broke up was Carl’s birthday. A big fight erupted between his parents and his dad, whom Carl felt very close to, left Carl to be raised by his mom.

His attitude became very bad soon after his parents split up.  He refused to listen to or obey anyone except maybe his mom.  He didn’t really care what became of his life.

By the time Carl was fifteen he was involved with a gang called GD or Gangster Disciples.  He smoked marijuana and committed small time crimes - like breaking into homes to steal items to sell for ready cash to support and his habits.  Abuses he had received from adults in his life became his excuse to mistreat those he hurt.

One day Carl crossed the line and committed a crime against a 7-year-old child.  It was to be the beginning of his salvation from the gang-bang life.  At the time he justified his actions by saying that he had been victimized by adults, but knew in his heart he really had no excuse for his actions.

He was sent to treatment but didn’t seem to get anything out of his time there so ran away.  Carl hung out with his friends and waited to be turned into the police by someone.  In only a matter of time he was returned to treatment again.  This time he was sent to the Leo A. Halfman Center.  He felt right away that what he was learning there would help him get on the right track.  He started to understand the effects of using drugs and being involved in other activities that gave immediate satisfaction but were always followed by consequences.  He began working on setting longer-range goals that would give lasting satisfaction and respect for himself.  During his time there he trained and set a state record for the dead lift in his weight division:  He was 114 pounds and lifted 320 pounds.

He learned about the cycle of abuse and could see how he had fallen into the trap of hurting others in the same way he had been hurt.  He began to realize that he was not the center of the universe and others needed his respect as well.  During his time in treatment he began for the first time to feel sorrow for what he had done to his young victim.

Carl successfully finished his time at the center and held down a job for several months.  He really didn’t like the job so called in sick and found other reasons to skip but it was a start in the right direction.

Carl came to Damascus Way as a condition of the “Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction” program he was required to complete.  As a part of that program he was required to attend “EJJ” classes and fulfill several other conditions as well as the Damascus Way schedule, holding a job and attending GED classes, all of which he has finished successfully.

Coming to Damascus Way was a huge wake up call for Carl.  Here he met 40-year-old men who had spent half their lives in and out of prison yet still struggle.  He determined that he did not want to have a life like theirs.  At Damascus Way he found the Lord and feels he is becoming strong spiritually through the classes as well as his relationships with staff members and some of the men.  He has decided he can’t live life on his own power but must have the Lord and His children to live life right.

Carl has been attending an evangelical church called New Life where he has met several positive, wonderful people, and plans to continue attending there after leaving Damascus Way.  He also recently finished his GED courses and tests so he is an official high school graduate.  Since entering Damascus Way he has worked at a drug store and taken classes; soon he will work full-time.  “Compared to the way I used to be,” Carl says, “my life now is a miracle!”

There are many principles and life lessons that Carl has made a part of his life since he came to Damascus Way.  Things like, “life is important - take it serious; accepting responsibility for his actions; taking care of business first, then have fun; arrive at appointments on time (early is even better!).  Carl says the Lord is his alarm clock - he always seems to wakes up in time to get to work.

What an encouragement for us to see a man like Carl find the Lord and gain some direction in life!  As a relatively young man, he can avoid the long years of waste that so many of the men we work with have experienced. 

Thanks for praying and giving to make this unique ministry possible.  Each time I send you our letters, I wait anxiously for your response, heart-felt, as well as financial.  We depend so much on you and your friendship with this ministry.

 In His victory,

Dick Harden, Director

Damascus Way Reentry Center