August 24, 2006

JOEL'S DREAM

Joel is twenty-eight years old and he's doing a prison sentence of up to eighteen years. He came to New York City from El Salvador with his parents who were in search of a better life. But things did not work out as planned, however, because his dad died within two years after arriving on United States soil. So Joel and his mom had to squeeze into a room in the home of his grandparents in Queens.

As a quiet and soft-spoken teenager, with light brown skin and an oval-shaped baby face, which he still has, Joel had difficulties adjusting to life in North America. His peers from the rough and tumble neighborhood of Jackson Helights bullied him a lot. According to Joel's account there was always an overt pressure to toughen up and join one of the many gangs in the area in order to escape the role of perpetual victim. Eventually, though Joel would succumb to the unrelenting coercion that he had to face on an almost daily basis. Clearly a shy and timid follower, he joined up with some local thugs who commited armed robberies to get money. And as a result of this, Joel entered the criminal justice system with a stiff sentence handed down by an unsympathetic judge who had no interest in entertaining a young immigrant's had luck story.

Yet while Joel speaks almost flawless English, save for a notceable Hispanic accent, and although he is very bright and has learned to read English very well, he has not adjusted well to prison life. His big struggle, unfortunately is with depression and thoughts of suicide.

Life has not been easy for Joel. He's already been incarcerated for almost seven years, and he has a considerable amout of time left to serve. And because of his depression and suicidal impulses, Joel's come under the care of the facility's mental health staff. In addition, Joel is a Christian.

Although his failth sometimes wavers, and while he does on occasion lapse into periods of despair where he disappears from the chapel fellowship gatherings and Bible studies for a week or more at a time, he and I are bonded together as brothers in Christ who love God.

To me, Joel is a hurting person who is hungry for hope. He has very real mental health issures. But when he's in step with God's Spirit Joel becomes lively and excited about his Bible studies. He likes to discuss spiritual matters as well.

Because I am assigned to the prison's Intermediate Care Program (E-North) on weekday afternoons, when Joel is in the mood, he and I will spend time together and on occasion, we'll pray together, too.

Joel misses his mom. He remains close to her via letters and an occasional visit. My role, I believe, is to encourage Joel to hang onto his faith and never give up. I, of course, cannot take away his depression when it strikes, but I can be a friend to him. And I cannot rid him of his homesickness either. Missing his mother and family is part of the pain of being in prison. Not having regular contact with our loved ones is something every imprisoned person must endure.

Nevertheless, Joel has a dream. He's shared it with me a few times. He wants to rejoin his family, get a job, find a girlfriend and eventually get married, and raise a family.

As for being reunited with his mother and family, it will happen one day. But as for the rest of his dream, Joel is going to need a lot of help from the Lord to make it become a reality. The self-inflicted damage he's done buy committing crimes. coming to prison, and now having a record as a convicted felon that will follow Joel all the days of his life, are stacked against him. And he will also have to work hard to obtain a General Equivialence Diploma in order to get the good job he's hoping for.

Yet with God's help his dream can be fulfulled, and I've told him this many times. All things are possible, I believe, to the one who has faith in the Lord.

David Berkowitz

August 29, 2006

A RIDDLE

I believe a day is going to come upon the United States of America, and upon the United States of America, and upon the entire world, that will cause a drastic change in the way we live. It will not be an act of terrorism. Yet its occurrence will be sudden, and it will be both terrifying and mind-boggling. It will also cause our nation to be thrown into chaos.

Moreover, at such a time people aren't going to be thinking clearly or logically. And as a result of this event multitudes of confused individuals will be ripe for deception.

The event I'm talking about is the "rapture". It is the removal of all Christ's true believers from the earth shortly before a special seven year period of trouble and judgement is to begin.

Obviously, though, for now I am writing a riddle. But in due course, when the rapture actually hapens, and no one knows when it will, then some may begin to understand what I am saying. For when certain leaders of our nation have vanished form their posts, and our country is without guidance, many will begin to search for answers.

These answers however can be found in the Bible. For it is a trustworthy book that has been time-tested. In addition, God's plan for humanity can be found in many of its pages, especially in the books of Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah and Rvelation.

In the future, the Bible, I believe will become an anchor of hope for many people. It will help to point them to the light during a time of great darkness.

David Berkowitz

August 30, 2006

IMPERSONATOR

Life has its strange twists and turns. Starting several weeks ago various friends of mine began to see on a website called MySpace.com that there is someone online who's claiming to be me. He has, according to them, been writing "dark" and bizarre things. He is also using what may be an old Associated Press photo as part of his ruse to lure other to his webpage, and into thinking that he's me. How weird!

I have no Internet access, so I'm getting my information second hand. Nevertheless, it is sad to think there's someone who's so empty, and so obviously unfulfilled with himself and his own life, that he feels the need to take on the adentity of another person.

I feel sorry for this individual, however, and I have nothing aginst him. Yet it is embarrassing for me since, unfortunately, there are those whove been taken in by his deception.

In any event, this person is not me. He's an imposter. But if, in his twisted fantsies, he wishes to be the evil "Son of Sam", then let him be. As far as I'm concerned, the old David Berkowitz is dead. Today, because of God's mercy and grace, I am a new creation in Christ. I have a new name, too. I am the "Son of Hope".

As for the impersonator, he's just a lost soul.

David Berkowitz