Ruell’s fate has been sealed. It’s hard to look at someone that is still in his early twenties and know that he made a mistake that will cost him his life. I’ve felt for Ruell not because he has a sad story or because he has begged for my attention, but because we are only a little over a year apart in age. However, because of the hand he was dealt and the environment he was raised in, he was influenced to make a decision that will cost him the rest of his life.
As I’ve told you, drug pushing is one of the most serious crimes here, and if caught, many will spend the rest of their lives in prison in an attempt to clean up the streets. Ruell was born in one of the many poor, rural villages around the city and has spent the majority of his life running with gangs. People in his village don’t go to school, so at a young age, Ruell was introduced to the “get what you can” way of life. He started with petty stealing and escalated to more serious crimes, but eventually committed the cardinal sin in the Philippines, and sold drugs to the wrong person. He has now been sentenced: 20 years to life.
I sat down to hear his story, and he told it very “matter of fact”ly. He knew the crime he committed and has not denied his guilt. So now within the next year, he will be transferred to a high security prison in the south where he will probably spend the rest of his life. As I listened to his story and watched him try to grin it off, I could tell he was hurting. Finally, my heart broke as I asked him about his family. He has a 20 year old wife and three little boys under the age of 5. The youngest is just over 7 months old.
I couldn’t imagine this. “Daddy is going away for a while.” How would it feel for a little boy to lose his father like this? I know this isn’t a rare case and people have much worse stories out there, but I just can’t imagine. I went to visit the family and just fought the tears and the disappointment I felt for these boys. They’re so young, and they don’t really know what’s coming. I took the three boys to visit their dad and say their goodbyes. He may still be around for another several months, but odds are, he’ll be transferred without warning in the next few months. It breaks my heart.
In the midst of all the joy and celebrations God has given me, there are tough days to get through. I’m praying for this family because there is not much more I can do for them. As I took them home, I left them with a bag of rice that may last them 2 months at best. God, please provide for your children. They need you now…
