Armando Enrique has been going to the Food Bank for about a year now. He comes with all his family – his wife, his 4 children, his 9 grandchildren. He is 54 years old, but when he was younger he was part of the original group of men that Father Thomas named the “apostles”. Father Thomas would meet weekly with this group of men from the Food Bank, teaching them from the Word of God and instructing them in the faith.
Some time ago the police went to Armando’s house demanding, “Where are all the drugs that you are selling?” “I don’t sell drugs,” Armando told them. “I have this marijuana because I smoke it, but I don’t sell drugs.” The police arrested Armando. On the way to jail Armando prayed and prayed, “Lord Jesus, please help me. Help me.” He also asked Father Thomas to intercede for him, “Father Thomas, you were my teacher. You taught me to believe. Please help me now.”
He was put in a holding tank to be processed, trembling and shaking from the cold. An officer said, “Are you cold?” When Armando said yes, the officer brought him a blanket. But even with the blanket Armando was freezing. He started making the sign of the Cross saying, “I belong to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,” over and over again. He felt someone touch his back, but no one was around. Suddenly all the cold left him and he felt warmth flood his body.
They transferred him to the federal prison and Armando shared, “I felt like God had stationed His angels all around me. I wasn’t afraid. No one mistreated me. I told the Lord, ‘You know we don’t have any money to pay the bail or to get a lawyer. But I put my trust in You.’” The officer in charge asked him, “Are you going to call a lawyer?” “No, my lawyer is the Lord Jesus.” “Yeah, right.” “No, really, the Lord is my defender. I have no money for a lawyer, but Jesus will defend me.”
In his cell, Armando started singing praises to God. His cellmates said, “You know a lot of songs. Teach us some.” So they all sang songs of praise to God. One song they sang over and over again was, “I have decided to follow Jesus…no turning back, no turning back.” Tears flowed as Armando sang, begging the Lord in his heart, “Help me not go back to drugs. Free me from my drug addiction.”
Due to his addiction to marijuana, Armando was never able to eat until he smoked some pot. Now in prison he was unable to eat the food. His companions urged him, “Try to eat a little.” And he tried but was unable to stomach the food. His cellmates even snuck him a joint of marijuana, “Here, smoke it so you can eat.” “No,” Armando said, “I’m not going back to that. No turning back.” Days went by without him being able to eat, but he refused to smoke any marijuana even though the inmates offered it to him. A week later the guards came to the cell and called out, “Armando Enrique, come with us. Your bail has been paid.” Armando thought they had made a mistake because he didn’t know anyone who could afford to pay his bail. But it was no mistake and he was released from jail. (He learned afterward that a relative had sold a small truck to get the bail money.)
He shared with the community, “I confess I was a drug addict, smoking marijuana often. But I say to all of you – no more. God has healed me. I haven’t gone back. I am now able to eat well without the use of drugs, things are good at home, and with His grace I will stay free from drugs. I felt like the men in the fiery furnace – they were in the flames but not harmed, and an angel was with them. I went through this trial but was surrounded by angels, and came through the experience healed. God is merciful and gave me this opportunity to change, and I don’t want to return to the life I was living.”