Shawn Casselberry's Blog
My Bloody Life / 06.09.09, 07:58 PM
For Mission Year Chicago’s local book this year, I gave the option of My Bloody
Life: The Making of a Latin King or Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue
Sociologist Takes to the Streets. Examining gang life in neighborhoods like ours can be an unsettling thing. You start noticing gang graffiti and gang colors everywhere. Your senses become heightened about the dangers that are looming around every corner. It
is good to know the realities, but it can be extremely intimidating too.
It is overwhelming to hear about the negative impacts gangs have
on our neighbors. Innocent children shot by stray bullets. Schools and
houses tagged with gang symbols. Youth recruited by gangs to sell
drugs and engage in violence. It’s easy to give in to despair.
Well, this Friday, we will get to hear some hope. Flaco will be sharing his
story with us at training. Flaco was a former gang member who is mentioned in the
book My Bloody Life. He has come to know the Lord and has turned away
from gang life. I look forward to hearing his testimony and being reminded of the power of Christ to redeem. Even when we may give up on people, God is relentlessly pursuing them. That is reason to keep hope!
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Read more of Shawn Casselberry's Blogs.
I read Gang Leader for a Day earlier this year, and am just beginning My Bloody Life. What eye-opening books for me! Such a reminder of how much the world needs what we have so freely been given – the love and hope of Jesus.
By Kelli Carson / Aug 7, 06:05 PM / #