Friday today finally, as I am awake, looking at the ceiling, with a little frustration inside me. I turn and sit on my bunk to fold my sheets and organize my bed-space then I hop down onto the plastic chair below, then step down to the floor and slide my feet into my Adidas slides.
I head to the restroom to wash my face, remove my retainers and rinse them off. In my room I prepared myself an instant cafecito and put in some hot water from the instant-hot water machine, then stepped over to the computers where my first and only message this morning was to my parents, thanking them for all they do, and saying I am sorry for all I have put them through.
Back in my room I get into my class-A uniform and get ready for the 8am move so I could go to work. Remember, I started working with the Re-Entry Coordinator at our facility, so I head into the rear of the Education department and find the classroom door open. I grab a broom, dustpan, and a few large trash bags and begin organizing that classroom, as it has not been used in several months, so there is dust and things everywhere.
I leave Education at the 10am move with everyone else, back to our units, and my uniform shirt has sweat spots all over. Back in the unit, I visit my case manager’s office to say hello and sign a document he has ready for me. I hear my name from far, and notice Moreno telling me the officer is looking for me.
The officer mentions to me that I need to take the next move over to Education, that my supervisor is looking for me, unfortunately there was no move before lunch. Rivero has been hurting these past few days so he has not been able to get up and get dressed to go to the dining room; thankfully he rarely eats from there anyway.
After lunch, I take the “work call” move over to Education and find my supervisor in his office. We go over a few things for the courses the department will be offering, including, “Narcotics Anonymous”, “Alcoholics Anonymous”, and Prison Professors very own, “Preparing for Success After Prison”. He prints out sign-up sheets for each and I will be jotting down the information of those interested in participating in the courses. He asks me to walk with him to the chapel where he was able to obtain important information he needed from the Christian chaplain, and we head back to Education.
Once there, he went to his office for a phone call, and I stepped away and headed over to the Education Clerks space, asking Aquino and Garcia if they will be making coffee at any moment in time. After they pushed me to go get them water for us to heat up, Aquino prepared the cups with the instant coffee, two sweeteners, and some hazelnut creamer. I get my coffee cup and head back to Re-Entry, but on the way I notice a buddy from another unit, sitting on his own with a stressed look on his face. I ask if everything is okay, and console him with a few words of hope, and ask him to stay strong. At 2pm he takes the move, and I step over to the Re-Entry area, my supervisor is done with the call, so I step in and we go over a few things before he sends me off for the rest of the day, where I head back to the office with Aquino and Garcia to put some names on our course lists.
3pm has arrived, and the move is on. I am back in my room, where I change into my recreation clothes, and sit down to read my devotionals. What I have read today are perfect for Caleb, and I can’t wait to see him and show him.
“You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance”
[James 1:3]
“God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
[Ecclesiastes 3:11]
Even though I woke up today feeling down, I was able to lift someone else’s spirits with just a few words of wisdom. Once I read these two verses, the only thing that comes to mind is, “God’s time is perfect”. I walked past Caleb at the right moment, I spoke to Caleb using words that maybe even I thought they meant nothing, but I felt the need to tell him, then it is all confirmed through the verses, and this is another way God shows me He is with me(us), and always guiding me.
I look over to Aquino and ask what are we going to eat. Of course we can’t decide, but we do want to go to the yard on the first move, so we don’t eat and head to rec. I head to the music room with “Bear”, Miles, and P.K. and Spells and help them with the soundboard, then listen to them practice their music. For the next three hours, it was a mental escape from this place, watching how Miles easily played the electric guitar, P.K. strummed the bass guitar, Spells was amazing on the drums, and Mr. Bear with the vocals. Fifteen minutes to the 8pm move, we picked everything up, organized the music room to how it was, and waited for the move.
Back in the unit, I called mom immediately, then went to my room to drop my things off. I grab my towel, and hygiene items and head to the shower. Once back in my room, I open a pack of salmon and mix it into a bowl, adding mayonnaise, bacon bits, roasted peanuts, Italian seasoning, and a few other toppings then I eat it with a pack of chips that we were given the other day with our dinner pack when we were locked in.
In my chair, with my tablet and headphones on, I want to watch some television before count. We are watching Lethal Weapon 3 on AMC, until someone decided to change it. The night ends for me here. Today was a great day on my end, and was happy to know that I was able to be there for Caleb, allowing him to vent his frustrations.
Thank you Father God for always putting me at the right place, at the right time, even if not directly for me, I am able to help someone else which in turn helped me anyway. Thank you God for all the things you do for me, and for always being by my side. God please be with me this weekend, take care of my family, friends and loved ones. Lord, whatever plan you have for my life, I know you have made it “beautiful for it’s own time”, and I just need to continue building my faith in You and whatever You have coming my way. Thank you Father God, Amen.
Eduardo Luis Valdes
02499-506
April 25, 2025
22:10
