Remodelling the Heart

Upon his release, Ochoa went into business with a fellow group member. He credits IFI’s Leadership Academy with equipping him with the confidence and skills to start and run his own business. TLC Remodeling is the name of his company and, as the name indicates, Ochoa and his partner use “tender loving care” to refurbish their customers’ homes. Working with my hands is my passion, Ochoa says. “I love the look on my customers’ faces when I’m done.”

Ochoa names his counselor as the IFI staffer who had the greatest influence on him. “He taught me to have a better work ethic, which I now use in my business,” he says.

According to Ochoa, the most positive impact IFI had on his life is enabling him to address the biggest problem, which was himself, and to come to know Christ. “It‘s a great program, but you have to work it and take advantage of all the opportunities afforded you,” Ochoa says. "You‘ll only get out what you put in, and if you don‘t work the program then it simply won‘t work. You really have to be focused on changing your life in order to succeed."

Ochoa admits to drifting away from the re-entry program, which he calls a critical mistake. Now he's getting reconnected. "It‘s very important to stay plugged in!” he says. He still keeps in touch with his mentor, Jonathan Roland, and several of his fellow group members. He also attends Grace Church in Houston.

Ochoa has these parting words of wisdom to bestow upon his brothers at IFI: “The choices that you make now will determine your future. It starts in there, if you don‘t do it in there, then you can‘t possibly do it out here. It‘s hard out here and it ‘s up to you to do the right thing, especially when no one is watching you except God.”

When asked to sum up his IFI experience, Ochoa says, “It was so wonderful it defies explanation!”