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A GREATER PURPOSE THAN A LIFE OF CRIME
How Raul Went From 57 Felonies to 25 Years Sober
At age 4, Raul Lopez and his family moved from Cuba to a crime-filled part of New York City. Growing up, Raul was impressed by the nice cars drug dealers drove in his neighborhood.
"I was attracted to the fast money I saw," says Raul.
A LIFE OF CRIME
As young kids, Raul and his brother Lazaro stole toys. But small-toy theft was just the beginning of what would become a life of crime.
At age 11, Raul turned to marijuana to help relieve the shame he felt from being sexually abused as a child. By age 12, Raul was snorting cocaine.
Raul and his family moved to Florida when he was 19. Raul decided to use this fresh start as a good time to try to get clean. He even went to nursing school and became a licensed practical nurse. He was sober for two years.
Eventually, faced with the stress of his new job, Raul turned to drugs again. He began stealing prescription drugs from the hospital to sell or trade for cocaine. His employer grew suspicious, and Raul turned himself in for using drugs. His nursing license was suspended.
Deep in his addiction and barely making ends meet, Raul robbed pizza parlors for extra drug money. Then, someone offered him a way to make big money: committing armed robberies of trucks carrying expensive electronics.
For several years, Raul and his brother participated in dozens of armed robberies. They kidnapped drivers and sold the stolen merchandise. Eventually, someone from the crime ring turned them in, and Raul was arrested.
As young kids, Raul and his brother Lazaro stole toys. But small-toy theft was just the beginning of what would become a life of crime.
A GREATER PURPOSE
Raul spent five years in county jail before his trial. During his first two weeks there, he noticed a group of prisoners of every ethnicity—Black, white, Asian, Hispanic—sitting together, studying the Bible. He was shocked to find out that Hiram, the man leading the group, had a first-degree murder charge.
"How can a murderer be doing Bible studies?" thought Raul.
One day, Hiram yelled out to him, "Raul, you have a calling on your life."
It surprised Raul. "That's just not in the vocabulary in the streets: calling, purpose, a destiny from God," says Raul. "[But Hiram] said it with such conviction."
In shock, Raul started weeping. He ran to his cell and said to God,
I'm not asking You to get me out of here, dear God. I recognize that I did wrong ... [but] if You're really up there, just help me to change. I'm tired of this life.
At that moment, Raul felt full of peace—a peace that could only come from God.
'How can a murderer be doing Bible studies?' thought Raul.'
THE TRAINING GROUND
Raul started going to Bible study. Eventually, he even started ministering to the other men. The first time Raul shared a message, 14 incarcerated men gave their lives to Christ. Suddenly, he knew that his "calling" was not to a life of crime but to preach the Word.
As time went on, Raul said his incarceration felt less like a punishment and more like "a training ground."
After those long years in county jail, he finally went to trial. Raul faced 57 felony charges, including 28 armed robberies, 19 armed kidnappings, car-jackings, and more—yet the judge surprisingly offered a plea deal for only 12 years in prison. His lawyer told him she had never seen that happen before.
As time went on, Raul said his incarceration felt less like a punishment and more like 'a training ground.'
A FATEFUL ENCOUNTER
Because the judge forgave him such a great debt, Raul used his time in prison to tell others about the forgiveness of Jesus. One day while he was out on the yard with his brother Lazaro, they spotted a familiar face: It was the man who had turned them in, who was the reason they were in prison.
At first, Raul was angry. But then he realized,
The best thing that ever happened to my brother and [me] is that we got caught. [Otherwise] we never would have known Jesus.
When the two brothers approached this man, the man expected them to fight him. But instead, Raul and Lazaro forgave him, and they told him about the love of Jesus.
'The best thing that ever happened to my brother and me is that we got caught. Otherwise we never would have known Jesus.'
25 YEARS SOBER
After his release, Raul got a job and began serving at his church, where he met his wife. He also spent five years as a missionary in Guatemala.
"I believe [serving the Lord is] what really saved me," Raul says about turning his life around.
Raul was using drugs to escape his shame and guilt. Today, God is using Raul to help others experience the freedom that comes from forgiveness in Christ. Raul knows that those who have been forgiven much, love much.
Now 25 years sober, Raul shares his story in different prisons around the country, including where he served time. "There's nothing that can top the feeling of when God is using you to reach somebody," says Raul.
'There's nothing that can top the feeling of when God is using you to reach somebody.'
