Ending of Interview with Former Gang Member-Part 4

...and here is the final excerpt from my interview with former gang member, *Joe*, who has graciously shared his past with me while I was doing research for my latest release,Fear No Evil


RC: So, you'd given your life to God, were in prison, and wanted to get out of the gang...

Joe: Some of my gang family was in the same camp...they saw me going to the church services, thought maybe I had an angle on a racket.

RC: What did they say?

Joe: Well, they started following me to the services...to see what I was up to. Funny thing, those preachings and songs started to get to them. Before a year was out, all 3 of them, plus me, were Christians.

RC: And all wanting out of gangs?

Joe: Yeah. And it made me realize that I needed to help everyone I could get out of gangs.

RC: But how? You told me you couldn't just walk away from a gang.

Joe: You can't. But my counselor at the camp...I came clean with him, told him what I wanted to do. And the preacher that came every week to give us services, I told him too.

RC: And they helped?

Joe: They did, and so did *others* (For the protection of others, this part is deleted)....I got out 4 years ago, been gang-drug-and crime free ever since.

RC: And you've been helping other gang members get out as well?

Joe: Yeah. We have a quiet ministry on the street. We have a few "ins" with a couple of the gangs so we aren't targeted too much. As long as we only reach one or two of the gang members, we aren't too much of a threat. But hey, saving one is one saved, right?

Very right. My heartfelt thanks, again, to *Joe* for being so open and honest with me. He shared so much more, but this was all I got approval from him to use publicly.

Stay tuned to the blog for more gang-related information...and ways you can get involved and help.