For twenty Six years I was involved in a variety of altruistic endeavors I haven't finished scanning all the pictures I
have to represent that period of time but I'm working on it.  It was an adventure that took me to Washington D.C. to
the Ghettos of Oakland, Chicago, Dallas etc.
I went to the jungles of Central America to the mountains of West Virginia in the winter, From 1974 to 1984 much of
what we did was secular, we worked for Vista, The Area Agency on the Aging, L.E.A.A., on a crime prevention
program that targeted at risk youth.  
Then from 1984 until 2001 our efforts became more spiritual in nature. .At the time it never occurred to me to be
overly concerned about the distant future, from time to time I run into one of the young men and they are now Fire
Fighters etc.  I should have also thought about my future how would I live when I was older, would I have health
problems?   Given the choice of having done what I did or using my talents to accumulate a lot of money I can't say  
that I would have taken the later if that all that was available.  I would have changed quite a bit though I would have
done many things different.

Frank Ramirez  Died February 10th 2001
the day before my grand daughter Isabelle was born, lose
a friend gain a grand daughter, tough weekend.

Pro-kick boxer 1975 through 1977.  The hobby I had since I
was 12 took a different turn when I was invited to try out to
be a pro kick boxer as the Professional Karate Association
was being formed.   Steve McCutcheon at the Black
Panther Party School asked me to be on their team.  I
initiated my relationship with them by asking to work out
over there, my motive one can only be as tough as the
people they have teaching them.   That's were I got my
Black Belt

I was attending a moderate size church in 1995 thru 1999 mostly middle and
upper middle class congregation.  I was one of the ppl that tried to encourage
the congregation to reach out to the less fortunate.  I headed programs that
reached out to homeless people,  at risk youth,  and I received permission to
start a 12 step group in 1997.
I suspected Frank, who was a member of the church, might have some issues.
I asked him to help me in the group, he said let's have breakfast there is
something I have to tell you.  He said no one in the church knew this but he
was HIV positive.  He felt like a dirty despicable human being and he didn't
have anything to offer anybody.  He helped me for four years reach out to the
lost and depressed, I told him looks like you have a lot to offer.  He became a
good friend.  I spoke at his funeral as I did at his Dad Joe a year before.  He
thought no one cared about him, the funeral home was full.

iglesias del edificio en America Central

Building Churches in Central America 1986 & 1987.

el ministrar a los presos

"Ministering" to prisoners.1986 thru 2001.
pictured Huttonville,  West Virginia.  Huttonville Penitentiary 1993

Working w/ at risk youth and adult substance abusers  1986 thru 2001.
Pictured:
Royal Rangers at Victory Outreach, 1992 thru 95.  Some of the recovering
substance abusers who helped me reach at risk youth.

We gave young men who lived in the inner city an opportunity to get away
and see what life had to offer.

We went camping in places like the Ozark Mountains to meet people like the fellow from New Guinea
whose parents were involved in cannibalism.  Sometimes they camped in my back yard and watched what
a household was like with a father in it.  

Young men from the housing projects, where they were exposed daily to the violence and despair (the wall with In
Memorium refers to the gangsters that were killed)  got an opportunity to be of service to other people.  The group I took to
the Nursing Home were a rowdy bunch but when they met the residents these boys showed nothing but respect.

The young men got a chance to get out of their comfort zones and meet people that were successful in other things
besides hustling.  They earned money to buy school clothes and learned the satisfaction of a job well done.

President Eisenhower's Home Denison, Texas.
And they learned about men and women who rose from humble beginnings
to have an effect on history.  They met Hispanic and Black  Police Officers
and entrepreneurs.

Eagle Rock, Missouri   Ozark Mountains  

I felt one of the best forms of rehabilitation was to show people who thought their
life was over that they had a lot to offer, who better to be an example to at-risk
youth than a man who had already suffered the consequences of making lousy
choices. No one was allowed to hang out with a young man alone we did every
thing in groups.  
Perdieron a mis hombres de los ayudantes que pensaron sus vidas, enseñado los
hombres jóvenes las consecuencias de malas opciones. En el proceso ellos
mismos fueron redimidos.

When we took a group to the Fire House I built it up by
saying I am going to introduce you guys to some of the
toughest people you'll ever meet.  Tougher than any
pimp or dope dealer.  They looked confused when we
got there but I told them, these people risk their lives
doing good, these young men quickly got the picture.

Franco Ramirez mi amigo que murió en 2001, porque los
cuatro años pasados él aprendió eso que el dar a otros
es un producto del redemtion.