Jason’s Praying Grandma Helps Him Find His Purpose

Meet Jason

Jason is a beacon of positivity and a ball of energy, but he comes from extreme adversity. He was born and raised in Oklahoma by a single mother. His ethics and morals were molded by criminals and drug addicts who had no respect for the law. For him and his social circle, it was about working around the law. Growing up, it was just him and his mother and she battled addiction. He tried his first drug at the age of 11. He said he came from “career drug addicts.” Jason was only able to obtain an elementary school education because of untreated disabilities and an unstable home life. This led to him never having a traditional job. He used illegal methods to obtain money. 

Jason’s Journey

Drugs and lack of respect for the rule of law landed Jason in prison at the age of 20. He was locked up for 26 years. “I was a really bad guy. I didn’t think I should be out of prison,” says Jason. His addictions and criminal behavior continued while he was serving his time. For ten of those years, he was in maximum security. But thanks to his praying grandma he was able to eventually free himself from his demons. While incarcerated, Jason was talking to his grandma on the phone stressing about a legal issue that could’ve added a lot more time to his sentence. She told him, “I am your grandmother. I love you more than you’ll love anything in your whole life and I ain’t never lied to you. Now you go in your cell, and you pray.” An angry Jason hung up the phone, went into his cell, confronted God, and a deal was made. In that confrontational prayer, he said, “I’m here because of my grandma. She said you parted the Red Sea and you spoke the world into existence. And I’d like for you to help me on this legal issue here. And if you help me out, I’ll learn everything I can about you, and I’ll tell people about you.” The next day, his legal issues were taken care of, and Jason had a new purpose. He said with laughter, “She trapped me. It was a trap between her and God.” A few years later a reluctant Jason was released from prison, and he made his way to California for a rehab program. 

How Harbor Helped Jason

After the program, Jason experienced homelessness. He then faced some health setbacks, which led to him being admitted to Mission Community Hospital. They connected him to Harbor Care Center. He came to Harbor with nothing but the “They’re [Harbor] protective of their clients and their staff. You’re all really good people. Your staff, the way they conduct themselves, the way it’s quiet, makes the atmosphere calm,” says Jason enthusiastically. He’s very grateful that the care team took care of his medical needs such as follow-up appointments, dental appointments, and eyeglass prescriptions. They also helped him obtain a copy of his birth certificate, ID, social security card, and certifications that allow him to help people who are struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Jason’s case managers are connecting him to housing and he has an opportunity for a job at a rehab program. For anyone in the hospital in need of recuperative care Jason says in his thick southern accent, “If you’re looking to be taken good care of and helped, you ain’t got to think about it and tell them Jason sent you. They’re great people. I love them. They’re my friends.”