My name is Javier, and I am from Culiacán, Sinaloa. For most of my life, I was deeply entangled in the operations of one of the most notorious cartels in Mexico. I was raised in an environment where drug dealings and violence were as common as the sun setting over the Pacific. By the time I was sixteen, I was already carrying out tasks that chilled my conscience, yet seemed necessary to survive.
For years, I lived a life of fear and power, thinking that respect came through the barrel of a gun. "I felt invincible," I often told myself, even as I watched friends fall to the same violence we perpetuated. It wasn't until a fateful encounter in 2025 that my life took a dramatic turn.
It started with a chance meeting with a man named Miguel in a small church in the heart of Culiacán. I was there by accident, literally hiding from a rival's attack. Miguel approached me with warmth in his eyes and said, "Hermano, you seem lost. Let me tell you about the peace Jesus Christ offers." At first, I laughed it off, skeptical and amused. But his words lingered.
Over the next few months, curiosity and desperation drew me back to that church. Miguel introduced me to a small group of believers who welcomed me without judgment. Their kindness was unfamiliar, disarming. In one of those meetings, I heard a story about Zacchaeus, a tax collector who found redemption. "If Jesus could transform him, could He change me too?" I whispered to myself, fighting tears.
In early 2026, I reached a breaking point. A mission gone wrong left me wounded and alone in a hospital bed. It was there, staring at the sterile ceiling, that I recalled Miguel's words about Jesus offering peace and redemption. "Lord, if you are real, I need you now," I prayed, my first real prayer in years.
That was the beginning of my new life. I started attending the church regularly, seeking guidance and understanding. The transformation wasn't instant, but each day I felt a little more of Christ's love and peace. "I am forgiven," I would tell myself, as I learned to forgive myself and others.
Today, I am no longer defined by my past. I work with a local ministry helping young men in Culiacán avoid the path I once walked. I share my story, not to glorify the darkness, but to shine light on the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. "If He can save me, He can save anyone," I often remind those who will listen.
I thank God every day for the second chance He has given me. My life now is about healing and hope, grounded in the truth of His word.
