How are you? - Good
00:00:19.85\00:00:22.30
We're talking about how each of
us has a different background,
00:00:22.33\00:00:27.23
each of us is from
such a different place
00:00:27.26\00:00:29.21
to me it's amazing when I
... kind of... look around.
00:00:29.24\00:00:32.43
and think about
were people have been
00:00:32.46\00:00:34.90
and were they're at now.
00:00:34.93\00:00:36.26
[...] even for myself,
being on the streets and now
00:00:36.29\00:00:40.86
having a teen
ministry or youth ministry,
00:00:40.89\00:00:42.85
and then a looked at you, Lenny,
and it cracked me up, because
00:00:42.88\00:00:45.50
I know a little bit
about your background
00:00:45.53\00:00:47.59
[teenagers laughing]
...nothing, you cracked me up...
00:00:47.62\00:00:51.60
...I know a little
about your background...
00:00:51.63\00:00:53.10
Right now, I know that you
are in a Christian academy,
00:00:53.20\00:00:56.19
in the choir... I was gonna say
00:00:56.22\00:00:57.19
you have a really nice
sports car, but it's wrecked,
00:00:57.22\00:01:01.56
so I'll leave that alone, all
that stuff I know about you, but
00:01:01.59\00:01:05.56
I know also that you
love God and I know all that
00:01:05.60\00:01:09.72
kind of stuff, but I know
that wasn't always true for you
00:01:09.75\00:01:12.02
[...] Carol you don't know about
Lenny's background at all, no?
00:01:12.05\00:01:16.71
Can you tell them how we
met and where you came from?
00:01:16.74\00:01:21.66
The first time I met Cheri
when I went down to Hope TV
00:01:21.69\00:01:28.43
...but...when I met her... I
was in a project patch program
00:01:28.46\00:01:36.17
and it was just a treatment
facility where I was sent
00:01:36.20\00:01:38.94
because I was doing
really awful in life
00:01:38.97\00:01:41.29
I got into a lot of
drugs when I turned 15 because
00:01:41.32\00:01:45.48
My parents were divorced;
and my mom was just never home.
00:01:45.51\00:01:49.82
She always had a business
convention here or there
00:01:49.85\00:01:51.73
because she works
for the university
00:01:51.76\00:01:53.75
so she was never home.
When I was 15 I just decided
00:01:53.79\00:01:57.86
I'm gonna live life
my own way. And that was
00:01:57.89\00:02:00.82
doing drugs and being
involved with all my friends
00:02:00.85\00:02:03.59
and doing what they did.
00:02:03.62\00:02:04.59
So I got into doing
drugs... and stuff...
00:02:04.60\00:02:07.29
Before that I've been a
captain of a football team,
00:02:07.32\00:02:10.20
and a basketball team in
8th grade and stuff like that,
00:02:10.23\00:02:12.63
so life just was like
a complete turn around.
00:02:12.67\00:02:16.85
Can you tell us if
this was a slow thing?
00:02:16.88\00:02:19.25
you know, because I think about
that: How does that happen?
00:02:19.28\00:02:23.02
...was it just a slow process?
- It was kind of a slow process.
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Growing up in a Hispanic family
and stuff like that... You
00:02:27.38\00:02:30.72
grow up in neighborhoods like
that, it's an everyday thing. I
00:02:30.75\00:02:36.00
was really young when I started
noticing what drugs were.
00:02:36.03\00:02:42.68
It was normal to see kids
down the street doing drugs
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and making drug deals.
...it was a normal thing to see.
00:02:49.81\00:02:53.17
- Where did you grow up?
00:02:53.20\00:02:55.60
In Toppenish, Washington...
...and it was just normal to see
00:02:55.75\00:02:59.66
that kind of stuff...and growing
up with such a big family...
00:02:59.70\00:03:04.09
I had a lot of respect.
People respected our family
00:03:04.12\00:03:07.87
because it was a big,
well known Hispanic family,
00:03:07.90\00:03:11.34
they had also a
lot of businesses.
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You are gonna get respect from
Hispanic and other race people.
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You know... your family lives
there, so you have respect.
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So I was respected by everyone.
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I knew were to get drugs and
I knew how to get mass quantity
00:03:24.58\00:03:31.44
of drugs. And being 15 years
old, I could be getting drugs
00:03:31.47\00:03:34.52
at a big city person
00:03:34.55\00:03:36.46
I could be getting for half
the price and selling it for
00:03:36.61\00:03:40.25
my own price. So
I was a 15 old kid
00:03:40.28\00:03:42.34
running around
with $2000 a week,
00:03:42.37\00:03:44.80
a pager, cell phone... I had it
all. I thought I had it all...
00:03:44.83\00:03:49.21
What did your parents say when
they saw $2000, or a cell phone,
00:03:49.24\00:03:54.69
a pager...?
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I hid it pretty much, I kept
everything pretty much hidden.
00:03:55.72\00:03:59.18
One time my mom found the
lining of my bed lined with
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money. It was like
$900. It was a sum in there...
00:04:02.76\00:04:06.97
...she found it... -
I'm filling lemonade, mom!
00:04:07.00\00:04:09.10
Yeah, that's it... that's it...
I told her I was working, mom!
00:04:09.13\00:04:14.01
I was proud to show my
friends I had so much money.
00:04:14.04\00:04:18.74
I also used to show
their sisters, and they all:
00:04:18.77\00:04:22.38
- "Lenny, how much
money have you got?"
00:04:22.42\00:04:24.40
"I bet, chick, a
lot more than you."
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so I just pull out a lot
of money that I had rolled up
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and I said: "Look, ca we
go out with you sometime?"
00:04:28.85\00:04:32.09
So I would take girls
out and buy'em everything.
00:04:32.12\00:04:35.08
I was living a life
at 15 years old. I was
00:04:35.11\00:04:38.10
going to home school because
I couldn't go to public school
00:04:38.13\00:04:40.67
because they
didn't want me anymore.
00:04:40.70\00:04:42.02
They kicked you out? - Yeah,
00:04:42.05\00:04:43.54
I did too much trouble so they
don't want trouble like that.
00:04:43.57\00:04:45.98
I had family in that school,
I would give the drugs to them,
00:04:46.01\00:04:50.93
they would give them to whoever
needed them in that school.
00:04:50.96\00:04:54.75
But my main focus was adults.
00:04:54.78\00:04:57.39
I didn't mess with
kids because it was small.
00:04:57.42\00:04:59.88
I didn't want $20 from a
kid or something like that.
00:04:59.91\00:05:02.73
I wanted like $300, or I wanted
a thousand dollars from someone.
00:05:02.76\00:05:05.99
I didn't mess around
with the petty things.
00:05:06.02\00:05:08.41
You know, as you talk now I know
you as Christian and really cool
00:05:08.44\00:05:16.35
I can't imagine...
00:05:16.38\00:05:18.63
Were you the same as
far as the way you talk,
00:05:18.66\00:05:21.44
your
personality? Were you harder?
00:05:21.83\00:05:26.79
...My main focus was myself.
I was in touch with just myself.
00:05:26.82\00:05:32.27
I was really quiet.
Moved around, did this...
00:05:32.30\00:05:35.01
but people knew, you
know... I got along with them.
00:05:35.04\00:05:38.10
Basically, they respected
me, they looked up to me...
00:05:38.13\00:05:42.79
and I just had a
role that I had to play
00:05:42.82\00:05:45.65
I was really a bit hard
sometimes, just to get business
00:05:45.68\00:05:49.36
taken care of. Sometimes I would
just be friendly and be nice.
00:05:49.39\00:05:54.84
I've always been a
nice people-person.
00:05:54.87\00:05:57.72
I was a charmer, you know...
I could to talk to people...
00:05:57.75\00:06:03.13
There were always times in my
life that my family would say:
00:06:03.16\00:06:06.45
he's gonna be like... 'cause I
didn't have a father in my life
00:06:06.48\00:06:08.26
so the men in my family would
say: he's going to be like me,
00:06:08.30\00:06:11.57
he's going to make
money, he's a go-getter.
00:06:11.60\00:06:14.38
So I got that in my
brain. Yeah, I'm a go-getter.
00:06:14.41\00:06:17.34
I'll do this, I'll do that.
I'll do things... this way...
00:06:17.37\00:06:22.44
But then te main focus
was: hustler, go-getter
00:06:22.47\00:06:25.33
My main focus: I'm gonna
make more money than anyone else
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and be young that's what I
loved about the whole thing...
00:06:30.31\00:06:33.01
But I was empty.
That was my daily routine.
00:06:33.04\00:06:37.55
That was life. Without it
I don't know what I would do.
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I didn't have any
drive to do anything else
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but to live the
life, to be the man.
00:06:46.82\00:06:49.34
Have money and live it
up. But it just wasn't for me.
00:06:49.37\00:06:53.64
So what happened?
00:06:53.67\00:06:55.08
All of the sudden: "This is
too much money, I don't want
00:06:55.11\00:06:58.40
to do it anymore" [laughing]
00:06:58.43\00:07:00.55
[...] I've got what's
called the "front" from my guy
00:07:00.59\00:07:06.65
and it was a big "front", like
a couple thousand of dollars
00:07:06.68\00:07:10.34
and I had to get that... [...]
00:07:10.37\00:07:13.96
I was on the streets for 10
years so I know what a front is.
00:07:14.00\00:07:18.32
There are a lot of people
who don't know what a front is.
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- I don't know what it is. -
A front is: you go to a person
00:07:21.51\00:07:24.64
without any money
00:07:24.67\00:07:25.64
You say you have no money. You
give this to me and I'll pay you
00:07:25.67\00:07:31.71
when I sell it.
00:07:31.74\00:07:32.71
So I got a front for a
couple thousand dollars
00:07:32.74\00:07:35.02
Everything was fine. I
needed the guy, he respected me,
00:07:35.05\00:07:39.83
I respected him. OK, we
will split whatever you make.
00:07:39.86\00:07:42.80
What I did I sold
some of it but after that
00:07:42.83\00:07:49.65
I had lots of money, lots
of drugs and then I went party.
00:07:49.68\00:07:52.72
So I went and
partyd with everything.
00:07:52.75\00:07:55.16
- Hmmm. They don't like that.
- Yeah, they don't like that...
00:07:55.19\00:07:58.27
I wasn't thinking. I was totally
into the partying things so
00:07:58.30\00:08:02.44
I came up with money but not
enough for him, just enough for
00:08:02.47\00:08:07.70
me He called me one day and
said: "Get my money." I told him
00:08:07.73\00:08:13.45
no. He answered: "When we
see you next time, we gonna kill
00:08:13.48\00:08:16.29
you". I was like: Yeah, all
right. - Did you believe him?
00:08:16.32\00:08:18.65
Yeah, I believed him. In stuff
like that, you know someone
00:08:18.68\00:08:22.90
will do that. I was hard and
said I don't care if they kill
00:08:22.93\00:08:27.29
me. But then I got serious
because they called my mom
00:08:27.32\00:08:30.68
and told her: "When we see your
son again, we will kill him"
00:08:30.71\00:08:33.19
So I ran away, but actually
it wasn't like running away.
00:08:33.22\00:08:39.87
I just left, because
no one could control me
00:08:39.90\00:08:42.79
but just myself.
00:08:42.82\00:08:46.19
You couldn't tell what to do.
00:08:46.22\00:08:51.05
And they were afraid of what I
could start or what I could do.
00:08:51.08\00:08:57.12
But I wasn't proud of that.
I knew inside that there is
00:08:57.15\00:09:00.54
something lacking in me...
00:09:00.57\00:09:02.14
So this whole time...this was
Monday... all this stuff fell.
00:09:02.18\00:09:07.83
The whole time my mom was
getting something together for
00:09:07.86\00:09:11.24
me to go to Project P.A.T.C.H,
but I told her I will never go.
00:09:11.27\00:09:14.49
Joe got into an accident
and he was recovering from that
00:09:14.52\00:09:20.30
and his parents needed
to move. Joe's dad came down
00:09:20.33\00:09:25.93
and said: "We need you, son,
we need your help, because Joe
00:09:25.96\00:09:29.11
can't lift no more than ten
pounds. I said I will come back,
00:09:29.14\00:09:32.49
the steam all died down, I think
I'll come back, get situated,
00:09:32.52\00:09:36.86
get my groove on and
get everybody paid off...
00:09:36.89\00:09:37.86
So I got there to Joe's (place),
I didn't have any drugs.
00:09:39.48\00:09:45.66
So that Friday night, we packed
everything and mom pulls up
00:09:45.69\00:09:53.80
in the car. I asked her
what was she doing there.
00:09:53.97\00:09:56.85
"We have something to tell
you. You're going to P.A.T.C.H.
00:09:57.25\00:09:59.94
I said you tricked me, to get
into Idaho, so I can't get back
00:09:59.97\00:10:02.84
to where I needed to be.
[...] That day, she got 3 calls:
00:10:02.87\00:10:08.84
from the probation officer, one
from Joe's mom and one from my
00:10:08.87\00:10:17.16
uncle who knew these people
first hand. He said: get Lenny
00:10:17.30\00:10:22.64
out of town, because they were
coming for him on that Friday.
00:10:22.67\00:10:26.08
So my mom got me out of there
and I guess they came but we
00:10:26.12\00:10:36.10
were gone. I'm pretty
thankful to still be alive...
00:10:36.13\00:10:39.44
- As a mom, I would do the same
thing: you can't kill my son...
00:10:39.47\00:10:44.27
I can imagine your mom
being so freaked out...
00:10:44.30\00:10:49.14
...what do I do, how I handle
this, how I take care of him now
00:10:49.18\00:10:53.01
he doesn't even want
me to take care of him but
00:10:53.04\00:10:54.89
I love him! -She
came and I was like: Mom.
00:10:54.92\00:10:57.84
I'm not going to PATCH, I
have too many things to do.
00:10:57.87\00:11:00.35
She looked in my eyes and
she said: You're going. A mom
00:11:00.40\00:11:06.08
just gives you this look: you're
going and I, like a dog, put my
00:11:06.11\00:11:09.59
tail between my legs.
00:11:09.62\00:11:11.39
I was in the car, no questions
asked and we got there...
00:11:11.49\00:11:18.52
So what is PATCH exactly?
00:11:18.55\00:11:20.15
It stands for Planned Assistence
for Troubled Children.
00:11:20.18\00:11:25.46
Tom Stanford is
the one that runs PATCH
00:11:25.49\00:11:30.75
He had talked with my mom
00:11:30.78\00:11:33.53
and told her he
can get me in there.
00:11:33.56\00:11:36.65
Is it like a hospital?
00:11:36.68\00:11:39.25
NO. It's like a home,
a home away from home.
00:11:39.28\00:11:42.06
When I arrived there, I told
myself I've already seen this
00:11:42.09\00:11:45.85
place before, but I didn't
recognize it because of all the
00:11:45.88\00:11:48.35
drugs in my body, I've
seen this place on a pamphlet...
00:11:48.38\00:11:51.52
There is a river running
through it. Wow! What a place!
00:11:51.55\00:11:56.14
But at that time I was
clouded about the whole thing
00:11:56.17\00:11:59.19
It was pretty harsh to be there.
First I didn't want to be there.
00:11:59.23\00:12:03.61
In a fight, I had my face split
open by a kid that threw a stick
00:12:03.64\00:12:10.72
at me because I just pushed
them and it stuck in my face.
00:12:10.75\00:12:14.16
They did reconstructive
surgery on my face.
00:12:14.26\00:12:18.07
I was like: this place isn't
for me, my mom doesn't know what
00:12:18.10\00:12:22.46
she's doing. That night they
sent the maintenance director to
00:12:22.49\00:12:32.90
wake me up to
tell me we are leaving.
00:12:32.93\00:12:37.58
I refused, so he
picked me up in a blanket
00:12:37.61\00:12:40.42
and threw me in a van.
00:12:40.45\00:12:42.82
That was at 3
o'clock in the morning.
00:12:42.85\00:12:45.05
He told me to keep the
blanket, to keep myself covered.
00:12:45.08\00:12:50.30
It was pretty strange.
00:12:50.33\00:12:54.48
What did they do?
What was that about?
00:12:54.51\00:12:57.16
They put someone else
in there and we woke up at
00:12:57.19\00:13:00.20
Sawtooth National Park,
00:13:00.23\00:13:03.10
in the Sawtooth
National Mountains.
00:13:03.13\00:13:07.13
He said: Guys, get up, put your
cloths on, we are going hiking
00:13:07.32\00:13:11.02
I guess we're going back-packing
to get out from there.
00:13:11.05\00:13:21.08
He said that the hardest
thing to hit there was a tree.
00:13:21.11\00:13:23.95
You hit that tree
and it won't mind,
00:13:23.98\00:13:27.07
'cause we just totally destroyed
the dorm where we were living
00:13:27.10\00:13:32.73
So we went up in
mountain. I was hating it.
00:13:32.76\00:13:35.75
I was a city kid. I told
him I'm getting out of here,
00:13:35.78\00:13:37.97
I'll will run
away... and he's all:
00:13:38.00\00:13:39.57
What direction do you think
PATCH is? What direction is
00:13:39.61\00:13:44.10
home? I pointed a direction
and he started laughing.
00:13:44.13\00:13:47.00
So you were stuck.
00:13:47.03\00:13:51.59
I said:"I'll go that direction!"
and he answered: "Have fun!"
00:13:51.62\00:13:54.06
You know, it was a
real experience, because
00:13:54.09\00:13:59.42
I thought we're gonna be
there for a week but we were
00:13:59.45\00:14:01.50
there for 31 days.
00:14:01.53\00:14:03.92
Then we started the
12 step program [...]
00:14:04.76\00:14:08.00
...and to this very day I think
the old Lenny is still looking
00:14:08.10\00:14:14.53
to find PATCH in
that one direction.
00:14:14.56\00:14:17.74
I just stepped
aside and got better,
00:14:17.77\00:14:20.45
I renounced to drugs and
got them out of my system.
00:14:20.48\00:14:25.71
And I really started focusing
on what I wanted from my life.
00:14:25.74\00:14:29.66
And being in the mountains,
away from everything was
00:14:29.70\00:14:33.90
the best place to be. There
was no distraction: no phones,
00:14:33.93\00:14:38.40
no temptations to do something.
I was in the mountains
00:14:38.50\00:14:42.71
and there was
nowhere else I was going
00:14:42.74\00:14:44.63
only going into a glacial
lake or something, you know...
00:14:44.66\00:14:47.63
I have a thousand questions.Does
anybody have a question about...
00:14:48.43\00:14:54.02
I'm thinking of stuff like...
00:14:54.05\00:14:59.08
How did you find God
and come back to God?
00:14:59.11\00:15:04.29
Can you ever go back? People
are still looking for you?
00:15:04.32\00:15:12.84
I believe they still are.
They don't recognize me but
00:15:12.87\00:15:17.24
someday someone
will figure it out...
00:15:17.27\00:15:20.60
If I did go back, I'd
be living at the cemetery.
00:15:20.63\00:15:25.18
You know, there is no other
way. I could never go back...
00:15:25.21\00:15:27.85
They don't have a
clue where I am right now
00:15:27.90\00:15:31.30
It's really hard to
say... I'm still in hiding
00:15:31.33\00:15:34.64
But it's true.
There is no way around it.
00:15:34.67\00:15:37.60
You're talking about all
the money and having a good time
00:15:37.63\00:15:42.96
at being 15. Coming from ...
00:15:42.99\00:15:46.78
I've grown up in a Christian
family, so I've always thought
00:15:46.81\00:15:51.86
about being in that kind
of situation would be fun...
00:15:51.89\00:15:54.79
- Exciting... - Yeah...
00:15:54.82\00:15:56.43
- Uhm... It is, at
the time you think it is.
00:15:56.53\00:15:59.36
Having $2000 in your pocket
is a big thing, you know...
00:15:59.39\00:16:02.69
To have the choices...
Many of times I've wished
00:16:02.72\00:16:07.37
my parents weren't around and
where I could do whatever I want
00:16:07.40\00:16:11.87
but just from hearing what
you say is turning me around
00:16:11.90\00:16:16.84
in a different way.
00:16:16.87\00:16:18.10
Yeah, it's hard to tell people,
yeah, I did have that much money
00:16:18.19\00:16:23.53
but the money didn't mean
anything. Life didn't mean
00:16:23.56\00:16:29.40
anything then, until I went to
PATCH and I made a turn around.
00:16:29.47\00:16:33.99
I was truthful to
myself about the whole thing.
00:16:34.02\00:16:36.27
because a program can
change you from the outside,
00:16:36.30\00:16:40.45
you know, you can
say: I'm changing,
00:16:40.48\00:16:42.52
but only with God's help you
can change inside and get better
00:16:42.62\00:16:46.20
and that's what
really turns people's heads
00:16:46.23\00:16:48.51
you know, you don't know what
you're talking about, but that's
00:16:48.54\00:16:51.91
not the life for me.
00:16:51.94\00:16:53.24
I've lived that life
and I know what it's like.
00:16:53.27\00:16:56.12
I know what it's like to
not have a place to call home.
00:16:56.15\00:17:00.48
It's hard to say when you have
family at home that loves you...
00:17:00.58\00:17:05.40
Even the dog! I miss my dog! I
went home one time just to check
00:17:05.53\00:17:09.46
on my dog 'cause I had a
nightmare that he got killed...
00:17:09.49\00:17:12.78
It was something that I
lack. I wanted the family.
00:17:12.81\00:17:17.10
I wanted everybody else's family
because they didn't want mine
00:17:17.13\00:17:21.82
because they were never home.
But that wasn't their fault.
00:17:21.85\00:17:23.66
They were making a living so
I could stay alive, have cloths
00:17:23.69\00:17:26.45
on my back, food on the table.
But I didn't understand that.
00:17:26.55\00:17:30.34
I'm glad now that I can turn
around and say: That was my life
00:17:30.44\00:17:34.54
then and it is
not my life anymore."
00:17:34.57\00:17:38.27
I'm doing youth
ministries and stuff like that
00:17:38.30\00:17:41.85
and I'm happy I went
through what I went through,
00:17:41.88\00:17:46.48
because it was a stepping stone
for me to say: I don't want to
00:17:46.51\00:17:48.87
be that way, I can be
00:17:48.90\00:17:50.30
a successful person
and not have to sell drugs.
00:17:50.33\00:17:53.70
I can help someone else by
telling what I've been through
00:17:53.73\00:17:59.35
in life so I may inspire
someone else to turn around
00:17:59.38\00:18:01.68
and I just think I have hope.
00:18:01.71\00:18:05.54
You know, what was really
interesting, not long ago I saw
00:18:05.57\00:18:08.63
you talking at a Jam's state
camp meeting, you were talking
00:18:08.67\00:18:13.67
to a group of juniors,
00:18:13.70\00:18:15.05
and I was watching you,
you were reading your favorite
00:18:15.09\00:18:20.03
scripture. And I thought - what
a difference from project PATCH
00:18:20.06\00:18:24.65
to sit in there with a
group of 10-11 years olds
00:18:24.68\00:18:28.03
talking about God... and...
00:18:28.06\00:18:29.65
What scripture did you read?
00:18:29.68\00:18:32.01
Jer. 29:11-13
00:18:32.04\00:18:34.26
Do you remember it?
00:18:34.29\00:18:35.76
Yes, God's saying to His people
that "I have plans for you,
00:18:35.79\00:18:40.95
I made you, I have
plans for you to prosper.
00:18:40.98\00:18:46.23
Not to be down. He has plans for
me to prosper. And I'll be there
00:18:46.26\00:18:55.48
when you call upon me
with your whole heart.
00:18:55.51\00:18:57.74
He doesn't want the half of
it, but He wants everything.
00:18:57.77\00:19:00.27
I had problems with that because
I wanted to give increments.
00:19:00.30\00:19:03.98
I was trying to
do a deal with God.
00:19:04.01\00:19:09.25
But God doesn't work that way
00:19:09.28\00:19:11.00
He is the only God and you
don't say: I'll give you a share
00:19:11.03\00:19:15.29
here and I keep the rest, He
wants it all and He will give
00:19:15.32\00:19:19.60
you those benefits
back and multiples that your
00:19:19.63\00:19:22.44
mind can't even imagine.
00:19:22.47\00:19:24.70
Can you talk more about it? We
think that He may give it back,
00:19:24.73\00:19:32.78
or this is our duty to give
to God. But the fact that He
00:19:32.81\00:19:36.95
makes our lives so incredible.
I know yours is also incredible
00:19:36.99\00:19:41.15
- Yeah! At that time I didn't
think life could be that way.
00:19:41.18\00:19:46.16
There was some struggle to give
all to God, your securities,
00:19:46.19\00:19:52.06
So you feel insecure about a lot
of things like trusting people,
00:19:52.09\00:19:58.34
because you're hollow, you're
building everything back up
00:19:58.37\00:20:01.88
again God slowly started to give
me all those things and opening
00:20:01.91\00:20:07.97
up new doors, He said:
"Lenny, I have plans for you.
00:20:08.00\00:20:12.46
You do not know
what these plans are yet
00:20:12.49\00:20:15.24
but your eyes will open on these
plans and if not a doctor, Lenny
00:20:15.27\00:20:19.25
it's going to be something
that people will know you...
00:20:19.28\00:20:25.06
You wanted to
be a doctor, right?
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.71
Yes, but if that's not what God
is telling me do to, that's OK.
00:20:26.74\00:20:31.01
I understand. I just want to
be somewhere where I'm happy and
00:20:31.04\00:20:36.00
I'm making other people happy.
That's all I'm worried about...
00:20:36.03\00:20:39.82
Wow! It reminds me a little bit
of Carol who's doing ministry
00:20:39.86\00:20:47.67
work too. You have the
sense of giving back to God.
00:20:47.70\00:20:53.53
She almost...nourished or healed
by reaching out and giving back.
00:20:53.56\00:21:01.61
My mom always told me ever since
I was little boy: - I'm your
00:21:01.64\00:21:05.11
mother here and stuff like
that. But God gave you to me...
00:21:05.66\00:21:10.79
You're special.There's something
about you, you're a prince.
00:21:10.82\00:21:13.91
"You need to find that, Lenny.
You're something special to God.
00:21:13.94\00:21:19.25
You are going to help
Him help other people here"
00:21:19.28\00:21:23.00
He can't be there to help
everybody verbally and come in
00:21:23.03\00:21:27.49
through everybody, but He
can come and shine through you.
00:21:27.53\00:21:30.91
Let Him reach out
other people through you.
00:21:30.94\00:21:33.08
He can act through you as
long as this is your will,
00:21:33.11\00:21:34.77
and you leave your heart
and your mind open to Him
00:21:34.80\00:21:37.25
Do you really believe that?
00:21:37.28\00:21:38.99
I do. And I'm doing it now.
00:21:39.02\00:21:40.70
The reason why I asked is 'cause
I believe it also with all
00:21:40.73\00:21:44.21
my heart. But I think the most
powerful feeling is to see God
00:21:44.24\00:21:48.29
use you and somebody
is touched or changed,
00:21:48.32\00:21:54.26
and you think:
Wow, He can use me!
00:21:54.29\00:21:57.47
You know, that sense of being
used by God is a powerful thing!
00:21:57.50\00:22:04.15
I'm enjoying working with
youth. Now I'll be working
00:22:04.27\00:22:12.15
at a Christian radio
station here really soon.
00:22:12.18\00:22:13.15
- Doing what?
00:22:14.17\00:22:16.54
- Being a DJ.
00:22:16.57\00:22:18.42
- So, is it the same
place you were working at?
00:22:18.45\00:22:22.62
- Yes, we will
be working together.
00:22:22.65\00:22:24.39
- Yes, it will be really nice.
00:22:24.42\00:22:27.21
I listen to your broadcast,
K.T.S.Y. and every time I hear
00:22:27.24\00:22:33.27
I have the radio on and I hear
your voice I say:Ah, I know him!
00:22:33.30\00:22:36.82
It is a very cool thing. -
It is, things are going great!
00:22:37.13\00:22:40.82
So, I will know everybody there.
00:22:40.85\00:22:42.38
Yes, you will
know the whole crew.
00:22:42.41\00:22:44.13
Yes, life's been really good.
And it's looking up from here...
00:22:44.16\00:22:49.42
You are in a choir. Can you talk
about that? You just got back
00:22:49.45\00:22:52.85
from Palm Springs. - We
have an award winning choir
00:22:52.88\00:22:56.69
Jamsai Academy.
00:22:56.72\00:22:58.06
We entered the contest
against 93 different academies
00:22:58.09\00:23:02.56
in all North America. We
got a letter back saying that
00:23:02.59\00:23:09.47
we were placed in 5th
place and we were in the finals.
00:23:09.50\00:23:13.26
That was the last our school
heard from it for about a month.
00:23:13.29\00:23:16.73
Then our principle John Gatch
got a call a month after that
00:23:16.76\00:23:23.52
and we found out that we
won $20.000 grant to go to Palm
00:23:24.58\00:23:32.60
Springs Who is in the choir?
Four of you Joe, Lenny, Math and
00:23:32.63\00:23:41.34
Winter. $20.000 grant,
wow! Were you guys excited?
00:23:41.37\00:23:44.97
Yes! It was a fun trip!
00:23:45.00\00:23:47.15
It is the highlight of my
senior year. It was so worthy!
00:23:47.18\00:23:51.51
Where were you exactly? You went
to Palm Springs and did a show?
00:23:51.54\00:23:56.32
We had different trips: a tour
in Southern California [...]
00:23:56.42\00:24:07.05
When we won the grant,
they wanted us to have fun...
00:24:07.08\00:24:12.26
We went to Knott's Berry
Farm. We ate out. They gave us
00:24:12.29\00:24:18.50
money every day and sponsored
us to just go have fun for
00:24:18.53\00:24:21.11
winning and then we had
a performance at a resort.
00:24:21.14\00:24:26.31
they were getting together all
Seventh Day Adventist people.
00:24:26.34\00:24:28.58
We basically had
fun the whole time.
00:24:28.61\00:24:32.01
They showed for us around.
00:24:32.04\00:24:33.68
God, is so fun! Let me ask
you a question. Try to imagine
00:24:33.71\00:24:41.16
anybody that knew you in your
other life, if they saw you in
00:24:41.19\00:24:47.64
a choir in Palm
Springs, what would they think?
00:24:47.73\00:24:50.41
Crazy...I think I've earned
their respect for them because
00:24:50.44\00:24:58.80
I was willing to
get up and get out
00:24:58.83\00:25:02.04
A lot of people are still
afraid to get up and get out.
00:25:02.07\00:25:05.37
They are asking themselves
what is after stepping out,
00:25:05.47\00:25:14.46
I was like: I'm not gonna
be happy if I do anything else.
00:25:14.49\00:25:18.86
I used to think that
people who are sober are stupid.
00:25:18.96\00:25:21.88
You don't think beyond that, but
00:25:21.91\00:25:24.61
I'd just like to tell people,
there is hope after that.
00:25:24.64\00:25:28.50
- So are you
happy? - Yes, I'm happy...
00:25:28.53\00:25:30.64
There will always be struggles
in life and I understand that,
00:25:30.67\00:25:36.25
I just have to keep my eyes up
and make sure God is in control
00:25:36.28\00:25:42.15
and not Satan.
00:25:42.18\00:25:44.23
You have to know that God leads
you to places for reason and not
00:25:44.27\00:25:48.97
to shut Him out. - And
to know that He is bigger
00:25:49.00\00:25:52.67
than all your issues,
bigger than all your needs.
00:25:52.70\00:25:54.75
He can take them from you.
He's willing to take the pack
00:25:54.79\00:25:57.93
full of rocks. He is ready.
00:25:57.96\00:26:00.27
He says:"Your sin is as far away
from Me as is the East is to the
00:26:00.31\00:26:05.91
West. " I can't see it
anymore. It is not anything.
00:26:05.94\00:26:08.02
I think of Mary Magdalene,
the demoniac and different
00:26:08.05\00:26:12.87
stories in the Bible when
somebody was totally changed...
00:26:12.90\00:26:16.27
I only know you on this side of
that story and I can't imagine
00:26:16.30\00:26:21.51
you being anything but this
incredible talented, handsome
00:26:21.54\00:26:27.97
young man that is making an
influence on people's lives.
00:26:28.00\00:26:31.89
I'm amazed that God is able to,
above anything we could think
00:26:31.92\00:26:38.63
about, or plan. Even above
what our parents can hope for.
00:26:38.66\00:26:44.11
About what your
mom can hope for.
00:26:44.14\00:26:46.49
God is able to go above
that and not be afraid of your
00:26:46.52\00:26:51.58
gang involvement
00:26:51.61\00:26:52.98
or your drug involvement or any
of the damages that happened,
00:26:53.01\00:26:59.73
any of the things that you
learned while you were out on
00:26:59.76\00:27:02.65
the streets or on drugs. I
talk to people all the time that
00:27:02.68\00:27:06.76
don't believe that God is
big enough to deal with their
00:27:06.79\00:27:08.85
problems or that He loves me
after I've been so messed up.
00:27:08.88\00:27:13.34
I love to hear stories like
Lenny's because it says that
00:27:13.39\00:27:16.56
God loves us no matter what.
No matter what we have done,
00:27:16.59\00:27:19.71
we are not too far away
for God to come and say:
00:27:19.74\00:27:22.65
"Please come back. I love you!
We can fix this, we can heal
00:27:22.68\00:27:26.38
this" Thank you for joining
us on Teen Pathways and remember
00:27:26.41\00:27:31.74
Jeremiah 29:11. God has plans
to prosper us, and give us hope
00:27:31.77\00:27:36.72
and give us a future.
What an incredible story!
00:27:36.75\00:27:39.88
Thank you again for joining us!
00:27:39.98\00:27:44.19
Captioning and subtitles
by Christian Media Services
00:28:25.02\00:28:28.09