Jose “Mico” Quiroz was in his prison cell when he encountered God’s love and forgiveness. Right then and there, he was delivered from his wicked ways.
The gang culture
As a young boy, Mico was not afraid of anything as he grew up in a community where gang culture was normal. He was immersed in it and even looked at gangsters as his role models. He looked up to those tattooed men coming back from the prison because of the way people respected or responded to them. So, as young as 12 years old he knew he wanted the same thing.
At 13, he was sent to juvenile detention for burglary, and for the next five years was in and out of juvie. That same year, his mother Anna, who used to be a drug addict, got clean and became a Christian. That’s when she started praying for her son’s safety and salvation.
Life in prison
As Mico got older, he got involved with more serious crimes and became a drug addict. This caused him to be more violent, almost psychotic. But despite all of that, Anna did not lose hope and continued to surrender her son to the Lord. At this point, Mico was sent to jail for drugs and weapons charges. There was no remorse though as he wore it like a badge of honor.
Anna felt a sense of relief when Mico was put in jail. But when he was transferred to San Quentin State Prison, the most dangerous prison in California, that all changed. Her relief was turned into fear as the guard told her about what it’s like in there. Life in San Quentin was tough and for the first time since he was a child, Mico was scared for his life.
He knew that he was in danger, and he was either going to do life in prison or end up dead. He continued his gang-related activities while in prison which ended up putting him in solitary confinement. His mother still did not give up on her son and continued writing him letters, sharing God’s love for him. She believed in the power of God and knew that one day, her son would find deliverance from his sinful way of life.
The breakthrough
Finally her prayers were answered. Mico’s eyes were suddenly opened to the reality of what he had been doing with his life. For so long, he held on to the identity of being a gang member. He believed it was who he was, but he also knew that it was going to be his demise. So right there in his prison cell in San Quentin, he got on his knees and cried out to God. With a broken heart, he now felt the presence of God.
As soon as he got out of solitary confinement, he called his mother to share his spiritual experience. Anna jumped for joy and thanked the Lord for the breakthrough in her son’s life. After four years in San Quentin, he returned home a changed man. He removed himself from the gang life and started a new life in Christ.
Today, he is married, has a great job, and has kids. He also leads bible studies at his local church. His testimony is proof that God can transform even the hardest of hearts.
