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SENTENCED TO LIFE, FREED BY THE GOSPEL
Albert discovered new life through God's promises
By Kate Campbell & Stacia Ray
School was easy for Albert—so easy that he took the importance of his education for granted. Class wasn’t very exciting. Gang life at that time, however, seemed anything but boring.
In Albert’s east Los Angeles neighborhood, a local multigenerational gang ran the streets. Albert, the oldest son of Mexican-Salvadoran immigrants, grew up in a household with no affiliation to gang life. Albert’s parents worked hard to pay the bills and to protect their kids from trouble. But his parents’ busy work schedules often left Albert and his two younger sisters unattended at home.
“Since [my parents] were doing what they were supposed to be doing, they assumed we were doing what we were supposed to be doing,” Albert says. But that wasn’t always true.
WORKING HARDER, NOT SMARTER
Although Albert was a hard worker—he got his first paid job at only 11 years old—he didn’t have to work hard to get good grades. Academics came naturally to him, so he didn’t spend much time studying. During his free time, Albert would hang out with some neighborhood boys he had grown up with, and some of their older brothers were members of the local gang.
Grandfathers, fathers, and sons all shared a sense of gang “community” in this section of east LA. Eventually, Albert also joined the local gang. He felt it was the logical next step for a young man in this neighborhood.
Unfortunately for Albert, gang life was accompanied by criminal activities, from petty misdemeanors to major felonies. Shortly before his 18th birthday, Albert was under investigation for multiple activities.
When he turned 18, Albert was arrested for what he explains were decisions “that evolved from bad to worse.” The judge handed down a life sentence.
“I knew that I brought [my incarceration] upon myself, so I just had to figure something out,” says Albert.
Adding weight to his heavy sentence was the fact that Albert, barely an adult himself, was about to be a father. He knew incarceration may mean missing out on his child’s life. Six months after his arrest, the mother of his child gave birth to a daughter, whom he would not have the chance to hold in his arms for years.
NEW LIGHT ON AN OLD SUBJECT
While he was in county jail, Albert ended up going to a chapel service. His reason for attending was not to learn about God. It was simply to socialize with a friend from another unit.
The service was in a room so small that he couldn’t even whisper with his friend. So instead, Albert listened as a man shared his testimony about how God had become real in his life.
“Something about the way he was communicating drew me into his story,” says Albert. “And in that story, I put together some very important things that I had never heard about God and Jesus.”
Albert had grown up knowing about God, but he didn’t really know God. He attended Catholic school as a child and heard teachings that made Jesus sound impressive but rather impersonal. He had never formed a personal connection with his Savior.
“I knew that He died for our sins … I knew He rose from the dead. I knew all the essential things,” says Albert. “I just couldn’t make sense of them in a way that played into somebody’s real life.”
When he heard that man’s testimony in the jail chapel, he saw Jesus in a new light. He was understanding the Gospel for the very first time.
“There was grace, there was mercy, and there was His love for us—a desire to live in the hearts of those who trust and obey Him,” Albert explains.
“There was grace, there was mercy, and there was His love for us.”
—Albert
OPENING WHAT WAS CLOSED
A female friend had been writing him letters with Bible verses in them that flowed with her communication. Albert asked her how he could get to know God and the Bible better. She encouraged him to open his heart as he opened God’s Word and to ask the Lord to guide his life.
Albert then prayed this prayer: “Lord, I know that I cannot ask you to open these prison doors because I'm here for what I did. But if You could just do something to not allow this to be a waste of time, I'll do whatever You want me to do.”
After that prayer, he read the whole Bible in just 17 days. Through his reading, he began to have hope that God could truly and fully transform his life.
In prison, Albert was eager to learn and grow in his faith. He took dozens of classes, Bible studies, and correspondence programs. As a Spanish speaker, he was able to help translate for the prison chapel programs. He got involved in developing and leading Christian programs.
He was part of the first graduating class of the TUMI (The Urban Ministry Institute) program, an extensive in-prison program that equips leaders to disciple others inside, with the goal of eventually discipling those outside. This intensive biblical studies program, developed by World Impact, is typically led by Prison Fellowship volunteers.
Albert also became intentional about connecting with his daughter early on.
“I've been writing my daughter since she was 2½ years old every other week, even before she could read, even if it was just a picture,” he explains. “And that was one of the things that helped just kind of punctuate to my daughter, like how serious I was about trying to even be there for her, even for those times where there's no reason why I shouldn't be there, except that I messed up.”
“I'm just hoping that the second half [of my life] gives honor and glory to the God who allowed me to survive and learn from the first half.”
—Albert
PRICELESS RELATIONSHIP CONNECTIONS
One connection with his daughter was through Prison Fellowship Angel Tree®, which provides children with Christmas gifts, the Gospel message, and a personal note of love on behalf of their incarcerated parent. Over the years, Albert was able to maintain a relationship with his daughter through Angel Tree, letters, and visits.
As he grew in his relationship with her, he saw the parallels of his own spiritual growth. He credits his connection to her with his deeper understanding of his connection to God, in how deeply a father loves a child.
“I thanked the Lord for that because I had the assurance that He would take care of my daughter, and those were moments where I really saw Him as my best friend and protector of my child,” says Albert.
Albert cherished the visits from his daughter and the photos of him holding her in the visiting room. When she was old enough to drive herself, she would come visit on her own.
“At one point, my daughter told me, ‘You're the most consistent person in my life,’” Albert recalls.
A NEW LEASE ON LIFE
Albert stayed out of trouble during his incarceration and focused on making each day matter. More than two decades into his life sentence, Albert stood before the parole board for the fifth time—and was finally approved for parole. Six months later, he was released.
Albert says he believed the promises God revealed in His Word, “that He would restore me, He would restore my life, and He would make me the kind of person that people would trust.”
Upon his release, Albert connected to a Bible-based church and began faithfully serving there. He kept a reliable and positive attitude, and he felt God confirming that this was the right church to plant his roots.
A PASSION, NOT A PAYCHECK
After about a year, his pastor offered him a position on staff as the church’s community resource director, overseeing operations, which is still his role today.
“For me, it was a calling,” Albert explains, “It wasn’t a paycheck.”
At age 45, Albert married a wonderful woman who is the mother of two young children. He and his wife are about to celebrate their five-year anniversary. Albert and his daughter also continue to have a great relationship. They live near each other and enjoy spending time together.
For almost a decade, Albert has also served on his church’s board, where he is currently recognized as an elder. He works with the men’s discipleship program and helps run a community soup kitchen. He has been on excursion trips to both Greece and Israel, and he also supports his church’s missionary work in Mexico, Haiti, and Northern India.
If Albert could give advice to someone who is newly incarcerated, he’d tell them, “The best thing they could ever do is just turn their attention to the God that's probably trying to get their attention. If they didn't die out there, then there's gotta be something else for them that's better.”
As for this chapter in his journey, Albert says, “I'm just hoping that the second half [of my life] gives honor and glory to the God who allowed me to survive and learn from the first half.”
