Brother Raul

I grew up on the streets of Mexico…

When I was 5 years old, I lived on the streets of Mexico.  I lived with numerous relatives.  I had to eat outside, wash my own clothes, etc.  I was hated by my family in Mexico.  I ran the streets of Mexico, panhandling.  I would play with my friends and never go home, since I never was shown love in my own home.  

Eventually, while panhandling,  I would get drunk with the gangs in the area.  One of the gang members took me under his wing and took me home and fed me.  I would drift from place to place.  Once in awhile, I would go to my aunt's place, but would still feel the hate they had towards me.  They never cared where I went and what I did.  

At one point in my life, my Aunt's family tried to sell me to a rich man in Mexico.  He showed me all that he had and showed me a bedroom and told me this would be my bedroom if I would be his son.  I got scared and ran away.  My aunt was very mad, since they were hoping to get money off of me by selling me to this rich man.  Because of this, I finally left my aunt's home for good.  

I moved in to an elderly ladies home and started calling her "Grandma".  She would encourage me to go home to America, where some of my family lived.  I eventually found my mother and moved in with her and her live in boyfriend, Javier.  My mother, at this time, was heavily into drugs, but not Javier.  I would go through cycles of my life seeing my mother abused by Javier and then me being beaten by him also.

Eventually, Javier, my step father landed in jail.  When he got out, he moved our family to Richmond to try to start a new life.  They lived at the mission till Javier finally was able to find work.  I left and went to Lakeport where some of my family was.  I was about 13 at the time.  Some of my family members were going to church and said they were praying for me.  About this time, during the Christmas season, is when God started dealing with me.  

While in Lakeport, I had gang members looking for me, so I fled back to Richmond.  I was in Richmond for about 6-8 months, when my grandfather, Buddy Davis, came into my life.  He told me all about Redding and Anderson.  My grandfather was a carpenter by trade and he was remodeling a home in Anderson. So, I left Richmond to come live with my Grandpa.  

Shortly after moving to Anderson, I got in trouble and was put in Juvenile Hall.  During this time in Juvenile Hall, I started praying.  I was full of hatred and bitterness.  Around the age of 14-15 my mom started taking an interest in me and told me to start looking for a job.  I was walking along on Silver St. in Anderson and was praying to God asking Him to give me a job.  

Eventually my older brother, Manuel, came into my life.  I was around 17 years of age.  We robbed a Mexican restaurant and partied all night.  Later, my brother Manuel, got invited to church.  He asked me to come with him and I told him "no" that church life was not for me.  Later, he asked me again and told me they have food too.  I was hungry, so I went, just for the food.  The preacher preached about creation and that is when I realized that God was our creator and that there was a divine purpose in all of this.  I got convicted and said the sinners prayer.  That was the last time I went to church.  

Around New Year's, my plan was to get dirt faced drunk.  I went home very drunk, laid in bed and felt Jesus while lying there.  I felt horrible conviction and cried for an hour.  I started repenting.  About this time is when I met Reymundo Garcia (he was working at the same place I was working at).  Rey invited me to church.  It was the first time I had ever heard the apostolic message.  On June 13, 2006, I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in other tongues.  I was 17 years old.  Ever since, I have been living for God.