Conrad was recently hired as a truck driver and is currently in the Transitional Living Program. He’s glad to be close to those who support him.

This is the third story in a series chronicling this year’s theme of “Access and Opening Doors.” This month, we look into Conrad’s story, recounting his journey to a new life.

He’s learned to listen to God’s voice

“I’ve tried to be a tough guy my whole life,” Conrad said. “Whether as a rebellious kid, or a criminal in prison, I was always trying to control people and situations.” It wasn’t until recently that Conrad realized that beneath all the anger was someone searching for love and acceptance.

“God opened my mind and heart to what was truly inside of me, that He loves and cares for me. That has made all the difference in the world to me.” Conrad’s story reminds us that Christ is always knocking at the door, but sometimes it’s a long time before we answer.

Conrad grew up in a very strict home. “My dad was a cop, and my mom was very controlling,” he recalled. “I’m not sure when I started rebelling, but I know I was pretty young. The problem was that the more I rebelled, the more abusive my mom became, which caused me to rebel more.”

At the age of 12, Conrad found himself in juvenile hall. “My parents even moved the family to a farm when I was 13 just to try to keep me out of trouble. Needless to say, it didn’t work.”

By the time Conrad was 20, he had been to prison for armed robbery, burglary, and stealing cars. “The funny thing is,” he said, “was that this whole time I believed in God and often prayed for him to get me out of whatever trouble I was in.” When he was facing 37 years to life for a third strike, he prayed to God for help. “I was convinced that God was the reason I dodged that bullet, but that still wasn’t enough for me to change.”

After 30 years in and out of prison, a failed marriage, and lost jobs, Conrad found himself at the Oxnard Transit Center. “Someone told me about the Mission a couple of blocks away. I had already decided that I was getting too old to keep doing what I was doing but I wasn’t quite ready to commit to a program.”

Conrad spent a few weeks eating at the Mission but was sleeping on the streets. “That was completely new for me. Even at my worst I always had someplace to stay, even if it was sleeping on someone’s couch or in a stolen car. But by now I had completely burned all my bridges, and I was at my lowest.”

Conrad finally joined the Life Recovery Program on Thanksgiving 2019, but after only four months he was asked to leave for fighting. “I knew I was in the right place,” he said, “but I just couldn’t shake my old habits. A lifetime of bad behavior had a strong grip on me.”

In October 2023, once again without a job and a place to stay, Conrad returned to the Mission and completed the program. “I guess I was finally ready to make a change. I found myself developing a real relationship with God and with other men in the program.”

Conrad was finding the love and acceptance that he had been chasing his entire life, and he began to heal from his childhood traumas. “Having Chaplain Carl as my (program) counselor was what I needed. He helped me to open up to my past and to see how it was still controlling me. Plus, he didn’t put up with any of my nonsense!”

Conrad recently found employment as a truck driver and has moved into our Transitional Living Program. “This is a great place to be. I can save money to eventually find my own place and I also have accountability, which keeps me focused and safe,” he said. “I also have the support of my church, and I am close enough to the Mission that I can maintain the relationships that have been so important in my life this past year and a half.”

Reflecting on his time here, Conrad can’t help but be amazed at the changes in his life. “I was so lost when I got here and now my life is full of promise. I realize now that all that time I used to pray, God was listening to me, but I wasn’t listening to him. What a difference it makes when you stop to hear his voice.”