Antonio was born in the city of Obregon, in the state of Sonora, Mexico. He is now 40 years old, years in which he has had many struggles and difficulties, but most recently he has found happiness.
His difficult and critical times began when he was 8 years old; he began to smoke cigarettes while in third grade. Within three years he progressed to smoking marijuana. Soon Antonio got lost in the world of drugs and dropped out of school.
At the age of 16 Antonio met a teenage girl who became the mother of his four children. One of his greatest sadness is that he is still estranged from his wife and children because of his former drug addictions.
When Antonio was 29 he was sentenced to 6 months in prison in Tijuana for violent theft, again a result of his drug habit. During the ten years after his release from prison he lived on the street, rejected by his family, neighbors, and society at large. He suffered much during these years, yet God had mercy on him.
Over a year ago, God reached out and led Antonio to the “Forjando Nuevos Destinos” rehabilitation center in Terrazas del Valle, Tijuana. He is now drug free and continues to live at the center as a graduate, thanks to God’s power and Antonio’s salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross. Through the study of His Word, God has powerfully changed Antonio’s life. Since arriving at the rehab center he has learned to live each day in relationship with God. He is grateful that now he has the opportunity to serve others at the rehab center. Anthony is part of the leadership team at the center, and helps the new arrivals begin their rehabilitation. He also works as a school “bus driver”, using one of the center’s vehicles to chauffeur a group of children to school.
His difficult and critical times began when he was 8 years old; he began to smoke cigarettes while in third grade. Within three years he progressed to smoking marijuana. Soon Antonio got lost in the world of drugs and dropped out of school.
At the age of 16 Antonio met a teenage girl who became the mother of his four children. One of his greatest sadness is that he is still estranged from his wife and children because of his former drug addictions.
When Antonio was 29 he was sentenced to 6 months in prison in Tijuana for violent theft, again a result of his drug habit. During the ten years after his release from prison he lived on the street, rejected by his family, neighbors, and society at large. He suffered much during these years, yet God had mercy on him.
Over a year ago, God reached out and led Antonio to the “Forjando Nuevos Destinos” rehabilitation center in Terrazas del Valle, Tijuana. He is now drug free and continues to live at the center as a graduate, thanks to God’s power and Antonio’s salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross. Through the study of His Word, God has powerfully changed Antonio’s life. Since arriving at the rehab center he has learned to live each day in relationship with God. He is grateful that now he has the opportunity to serve others at the rehab center. Anthony is part of the leadership team at the center, and helps the new arrivals begin their rehabilitation. He also works as a school “bus driver”, using one of the center’s vehicles to chauffeur a group of children to school.
In January of this year, Antonio, along with 5 other men from the rehab center, enrolled at the Bible Institute here in Tijuana. His desire is to continue to grow and learn so he will be better equipped to serve others.
