When I first heard about this, I was shocked. How in the hell would anyone allow a convict to come live in their home with one small child and a pregnant wife? But then I knew Cubans are half crazy, so I never gave it much thought. Manny had also attended Wheaton College as a Chuck Colson scholar after being released from prison himself. The minute I spoke with Manny, it seemed as if I had known him for a million years. He was loud like me, laughed as hard as I laughed, and was also a former baseball player and convicted felon.  

When I saw this, what turmoil filled my heart! I saw myself so stupid and so ignorant; I must seem like an animal to you, O God. But even so, you love me! You are holding my right hand! You will guide me all my life with your wisdom and counsel, and afterward, receive me into the glories of heaven! Whom have I in heaven but you? And I desire no one on earth as much as you! My health fails; my spirits droop, yet God remains! He is the strength of my heart; he is mine forever! But those refusing to worship God will perish, for he destroys those serving other gods.  But as for me, I get as close to him as I can! I have chosen him, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful ways he rescues me.

        After being released from prison, twenty-five years ago, I began to speak to African American and Latino gangs across America. I saw the hatred among these young people, not only for those of the opposite color but also for many of their own. I began to hear their stories, and the one common denominator that most of them shared was being born in the wrong place to parents who were out of control, in jail, or addicted to drugs and no opportunity for an education. Their only form of schooling and ""parenting"" was provided by the gangs themselves. For many of these young men and women, positive role models were not there, but the gang became their security, their parent, their schoolteacher, and their pastor-like leader.  

Then as we always do when tragedy strikes us or others near us, the first thing we do is convince ourselves that there is no God; after all, why would a good God allow a father to bury a child? Why would he allow great women never to have babies? Why would a good God allow good people to go hungry and corrupt people to live an extravagant life? Surely, why would a good God, if He is in charge of the universe as some people attest would allow cancer? Or children to go hungry, or addiction to take so many lives? Or, closer to home today, why would a good God allow a virus-like Covid-19 somehow scare and devastate so many people, especially when we see that the rich have become richer and the poor are more and more miserable every day.  

I remember my father always telling me: son, in life, you will never make people who don't like you because of the color of your skin, like you. But, son, you make sure that you get an education, work as hard as you have to, and be a man of integrity. They might not like you, but they will have to respect you. He would stress, son an uneducated person is a controllable person. It would take many years before I could understand those words.

We need to stir up the God-given courage in our hearts to fight for our children and our children's children. We need to fight for their future freedoms. Sure, cry over the possibility of the U.S. becoming an authoritarian state with restricted religious freedom and new forms of censorship. But instead of giving in to fear, fight for freedom and civil liberties for everyone. We need to get back to our constitutional basis of freedom, liberty, and justice for all equally. 

In this episode, Anthony, Dr. Valdes’ co-host, challenges Dr. Valdes to talk about morality and the decay of morality in America today and whether a society can survive in a world where there is no morality.  Dr. Valdes posits that he reads the bible as a book of philosophy and morals and how things that were right/ moral two thousand years ago are right and moral today.  How we have a double standard in so-called “Christians” that go to church on Sunday and are super holy at church, but at home, they are the complete opposite.  Dr. Valdes ends the episode on the high note that in the game of life, God will always win, and that great movements in history were often directed by one person who was crazy enough to believe they can change the world and did.  He believes God will raise someone who will usher in a new era of morality, not informed by society and Hollywood but informed by God.

El concepto de ser un "servidor" es muy incomprendido. La sociedad equipara la servidumbre con la esclavitud, una posición que debe evitarse a toda costa. Es muy difícil para los padres enseñar a sus hijos que hay un gran honor en servir a alguien. 

When Rakontur Studios first approached Dr. Valdés in 2016, Dr. Valdés turned them down.  He was not ready to tell his story so he was not interested.  Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman did not give up so, in early March of 2020, they once again met with Dr. Valdés and presented a new and very compelling proposal. After days of consulting with his staff, Dr. Valdés agreed to join Rakontur Studios and collaborate on some significant collaborations. 

How many seconds does it take to give your life away? That’s the time I went from being a multi-millionaire to not being able to buy a chocolate bar. I gave away everything. It was devastating. It was the first time in my life that I had ever given something unconditionally. My inner transformation was making this possible. The silver lining was that statutes of limitations had run on everyone I knew, and I did not have to testify on anyone. Besides, Dickie Lynn, my importer had been found guilty and given a life sentence. All they wanted was my assets, I guess the government could not stand that I had retired a millionaire with all that drug money. 

Extramarital affairs are also a form of cheating.  Surveys reveal that a high number of married people cheat on their spouses, and many don’t feel bad about it or think it is wrong. In fact, one of the world’s top relationship experts is now saying that extramarital affairs (infidelity) can “result in good things.”  But this moral relativism clearly shows that the lowly mindset to endorse infidelity is simply trying to adapt to today’s culture, not taking into account timeless principles, emotional realities or spiritual laws.  Rather than saying “cheating on your spouse is wrong or immoral,” the message is “cheat if it makes you feel better.”  This is the “me first” mantra on steroids.  

The impact of layoffs goes ­beyond suicide, drug overdosing, and drinking, however. Overall, the death rate for an unemployed person is 63 percent higher than for someone with a job, according to findings in the journal Social Science & Medicine. Now do the math: Layoff-related deaths could far outnumber the 60,400 coronavirus deaths predicted by the University of Washington researchers. This comparison isn't meant to understate the horror of the coronavirus for those who get it and their families." But heavy-handed state edicts to close all "nonessential businesses" need to be reassessed in light of the predictable harm to the lives, livelihoods, and health of the uninfected."

La única razón por la que mi madre quería que nos mudáramos a Miami y dejáramos atrás a nuestro país, amigos, parientes y pertenencias, fue con el único propósito de que sus hijos no crecieran en un país comunista; a la edad de diez años, realmente no entendía lo que quería decir, menos que Miami iba a ser lo que muchos cubanos llamaron la tierra de la leche y la miel, la tierra a la que uno podía emigrar en busca del sueño americano. 

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So, if Warden Cain was able to institute reforms that transformed the most violent bloodiest prison in America into a safe prison, demonstrating that rehabilitation is possible, then why is it not done in any other prison? The answer is simple: we preferably warehouse than rehabilitate. 

Christ says: "Thou shall not kill" (Matthew 19:18), and we rightfully fight for the life of the unborn, we label those in favor or pro-choice, murderers, yet so may pro-life brothers and sisters are adamant defenders of the death penalty.  Do we say we are pro-life, but are we genuinely pro-life, or just pro the unborn life?

To whom have you been merciful recently? Can you also think of a time when you reacted in anger and outrage but could have been merciful? How would a merciful response have changed the outcome? 

As I believe and strive to change the world, I remember a phrase that resonated with me; those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, WILL. Well, that describes me, I am mad enough to believe that I can change the world, and I will.