The Mercies of God

Odyssi D. McEachin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:30:11 +0000

Being born and raised in New York City wasn’t easy. I watched my mom struggled with taking care of us and moving from place to place as a child. Though an eye was always kept on us by God, back then, we still did everything we wanted to do. There were parties after parties, drinking and smoking. Though we were struggling, we still managed to have fun. What I remember most was the anger and hostility I had locked up inside of me. My siblings and I was picked on as kids whi.ch made me fight a lot. After the first few fights, anger became my friend. The move to Virginia was hard but necessary. My mom found a new job and decided it was the best move for us. Having to leave everything behind was hard for me. I felt like people were just starting to accept me as the greatest fighter in the school. Though it wasn’t the greatest title to have, it was my only title and I felt like I worked hard for it. Being in Virginia, it seemed like everyone didn’t like us because we were from New York. So once again, I felt trapped and had to do something about it. So I began fighting again, but this time it was worse. I was in and out juvenile detentions within the Tidewater area. I was running away from home and exploring the world of sex as well as catching all kinds of charges. Very defiant and violent, I was at a point where I just didn’t care anymore. I was robbing, stealing, smoking, drinking, and threatened other people’s lives. I was in and out boot camps and foster homes. I became an unstoppable, violent teenager. No one knew what to do with me anymore, I felt like my mom had just about given up on me, and I was on my way to up state for juvenile life by the age of 16. But one day while I was in Newport News Juvenile Detention, I got into a fight with a girl that I knew was 3 months pregnant. I was determined to make her have a miscarriage by stomping her in the stomach. Her mother decided to press charges on me and they sent me across the street to Newport News City Jail. I was there with killers and vicious women beyond my teenage imagination. I would see them every day even though I was on a different part of the facility. I was devastated and felt alone and abandoned. They were going to charge me with attempted murder on an unborn child as well as other charges. But by the grace of God, the mother decided not to go through with the charges and said to me ‘may God be with you’ and left the courtroom. Before then I was facing being in jail for the next 60 years and was in a deep depression and even considered suicide. But God still felt like I had a job to do and rescued me from what seemed like an impossible situation to get out of. And now I’m 20 years old with my beautiful 5 month old baby girl and I haven’t been in any trouble or fights since then. I’m trying to walk by God and I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I owe him that much and more. I am a lot happier and full of love and joy living with my family in Virginia. Though I still go through things, I don’t forget where I came from and don’t forget who brought me out. With unimaginable grace and mercy, God has given me another chance at life and I am grateful.

Seeds for Life » Odyssi D. McEachin

The Mercies of God