MY TESTIMONY

Hello Youngsters!

If you’re reading this letter, it most likely means you’re like me and doing the things I used to do or think the way I used to think.

The reason why I’m writing to you is to warn you of the things that are likely to happen to you if you continue.  Let me tell you a little about me so you can understand why I say what I say to you.

I am from the city of Los Angeles, Ca.  I am 45 years old, and I have been in prison since I was 17 years old. If you do math, that’s 29 years and I am serving a 25 to life sentence for murder.

This may seem like someone else’s story but let me tell you how my story could become your story. You see my problems began way before I ended J.T.’s life and caused a lot of pain and suffering for his family and mine.  My problems began when I was a five-year-old boy. At that time, I used to see my parents fighting, and my mom was very mean to me and my brother.  I thought it was unfair the way she treated me when I didn’t do anything wrong.  Her problems were with the fact that my dad cheated on her with other women.  We didn’t have enough money for rent, food, and things that other people had.

I became angry, I even hated my parents.  I was living that way for years.  When I was eleven, we moved, and I had to go to a new school.  I became the target of being the new kid and got bullied. I had a hard time with my school more because at home I didn’t have peace, food or anyone to help me.  At school I felt dumb and frustrated because the kids made fun of the way I looked, the clothes I wore, and because in class I couldn’t answer the questions when the teachers called on me.  I got fed up and started fighting the kids who made fun of me.  I was full of hurt and anger so when I fought, I tried to make others feel how I felt.  I wanted to teach them a lesson.  I became a bully because I liked feeling powerful, I didn’t feel like I was treated unfairly like I was by my mom or made fun of by the kids anymore.

I joined a gang because I wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere since I didn’t feel like I mattered to my family.  I became addicted to feeling powerful.  I beat other gang members and that caused them to come back and murder my friend when we were 13 years old.  This really hurt! It was like losing a brother.  I was so full of hurt and anger that I became ever more reckless.  I began shooting at rivals until I murdered J. T.

The pain and anger that I felt towards my family, school kids, and for the murder of my friend turned into anger at God because I needed someone to blame for the life I was given.  I was sitting in prison when I received news that my best friend was murdered.  I lived in misery, I didn’t care if I lived or died, in fact, death was an escape in my eyes.  I just didn’t have the courage to kill myself.

In prison, I continued to harm other inmates because I wanted to inflict my pain on them.  It wasn’t until J. T.’s mother, Maria, told me she forgave me for murdering her son.  That was the first time that I felt that I cared for someone else other than myself.  All my life I thought that others caused me problems and I didn’t see how I caused myself problems.  I was full of pain and hurt, and I didn’t even realize that because I was used to living my life that way.

It wasn’t until a friend invited me to church that I learned what peace was. I went to church and learned about Jesus Christ.  When I heard stories from the Bible it was like God was talking to me.  The word of God said that His son Jesus Christ came to the world to heal the sick and pay for the sins I committed.  He came to pay for my sins so that I could have a clean and healthy conscious.  He paid for my sins, your sins, and came to reunite us with His Father God.

Knowing that I am forgiven by God makes me feel good about myself again.  He doesn’t see me as a murderer, he sees me as His loving child and that gives me peace.  Having a relationship with God also helps me live a good life because I know what my Father God likes and dislikes.  He helps me live right and corrects me when I make mistakes because He cares about me and wants me to live a good life so I may live in peace.

If you have pain or anger inside or think that you can’t be forgiven for what you have done, God wants you to know that you have already been forgiven and wants to hear from you. Pray to God and see how your life changes.  I guarantee it!

With Love,

Robert Muneton