Dear Friends and Community

Dear Friends and Community,

My name is Carlos, and it’s time for me to be completely open and honest with myself and everyone else. I recently finished helping the pastor of my church put up a fence around his house. Since I’ve been out of prison, he is one of the very few people who have not only seen me and treated me as a human but have also given me a second chance. Thankfully, he paid me for the work I did on his fence.

I need to be honest about my situation. I don’t have any work experience because I went to prison at the age of 16. All I know is violence, crime, and writing. I know it’s my own fault; I didn’t have to follow my dad’s orders or do as my other family members did. There’s no real excuse for my actions or the life I lived back then. All I can do now is own up to my mistakes, accept responsibility, ask for forgiveness, and keep moving forward. That’s what I’m trying to do.

One of my deepest desires is to build a relationship with my daughter, who is getting ready to finish high school. I want to become someone greater than myself for her sake. I am currently staying with a friend and his family in a very small town in Illinois, with a population of 2,041. They have one car; he works nights, and his wife works days. I don’t have a driver’s license or a car, so it’s almost impossible to find a job. I’ve applied everywhere in town and even tried to mow a few yards, but nothing solid has come through with continuous pay.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely grateful for the roof over my head, but I’m looking to improve my life. The house I’m staying in with my friend and his family also has bed bugs and cockroaches, which is a nightmare. They have two really young kids, and we all get bitten by the bed bugs nightly.

The reason I am writing this is because my pastor told me to be open and ask for what I need because a closed mouth can never be blessed or forgiven. So, I’m reaching out to ask for your help. I need work, any kind of job that will help me get back on my feet, that includes reads as well. I need guidance, support, and understanding as I try to rebuild my life and become a better person for my daughter and myself.

If anyone knows of any job opportunities or resources that could help me, I would be forever grateful. I am willing to do anything – manual labor, odd jobs, anything that can help me earn an honest living and move forward in life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for any help or guidance you can provide. Your compassion and support mean more to me than words can express.

Sincerely, Carlos