POST by YADER: Testimony

Yader in San Diego

My name is Yader, and this is my story.

When I was 5 months old my parents left me with my grandmother, her name was Carmen. My parents went their own two ways because of an argument. My grandmother raised me.

When I was 5 years old my parents wanted to meet me and tell me that they were my parents. I told them that I understood. They left again and I stayed with my grandmother.

Yader's Gran, Carmen Castillo

My grandmother always looked after me and I thank God because I feel like my grandmother is my mum. I entered preschool when I was 7. I passed into secondary and then dropped out of school.

I went to a band and I have played in that band for 13 years. I feel really happy to have my grandmother who introduced me to my teacher who has taught me a lot. I play the bongos.

In 2011 I had to go to jail because of going to a disco with a few friends and wanting to change an American 100 dollar bill, which they said was fake. The disco folks called the police and I went to jail at 10pm. I called my grandmother and she gathered 80 signatures in support of my innocence. She went to my teacher and the CPC (the Sandanista’s youth department) insisted that I be let go. I am glad to have those people that fought for me so that I could get out of jail.

Now I am sorry for what I did when my grandmother was suffering and I am sorry that I didn’t obey her and didn’t listen to her. I feel grateful for my lovely grandmother who looked after me and raised me and cared for me. I give thanks to God that he gave me such a wonderful grandmother. I learnt a lot from her and I am sorry for everything that I have done, because she was always there for me.

Thank you for reading my story. Now that I have God in my life, I feel bad for all the bad things that I have done in my life and am so thankful for my grandmother and God. My grandmother’s name is Carmen Castillo.

If you would like to support Yader on a monthly basis, please CLICK here

Yader's Beautiful Cousins (who are like siblings, because their parents also left them with little ol' Gran too)