“That’s My Boy”: Angel’s Journey from Fear to Freedom
- carysanders
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
When Angel Parada picked up the phone and heard the raspy little voice on the other end, he froze. It was his son—the same voice he hadn’t heard in five years. “I knew it immediately,” he said. “That’s him. That’s my boy.”
For Angel, that moment was more than a phone call. It was a resurrection. The culmination of months of prayer, years of pain, and a lifetime of wondering whether restoration was even possible. It was a moment that only God could orchestrate.
But why was that so impactful? Let’s rewind for a moment…
The Unknown
Angel didn’t come to JUMPSTART from just around the corner… he came from a whole other country. A native of Canada, Angel arrived in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with nothing but fear in his heart and uncertainty in his hands. “I’m not from here. I had nothing—no ID, no clothes, no medical records. Just fear,” he said.
But one by one, JUMPSTART and the community around him met him where he was.
Clothes? Provided.
ID? Handled.
Medical care? Covered.
“God allowed JUMPSTART to provide. And I realized—what else do I need to be afraid about?”
The Mental Battle
While Angel’s physical needs were met, the biggest war was in his mind. Coming out of prison, everything felt “too normal.” The anxiety was heavy. The doubt whispered daily. But Angel didn’t face it alone.
He leaned on his therapist. He allowed himself to be vulnerable to his JUMPSTART brothers. He found strength in his faith and encouragement from those walking alongside him.
“Sometimes I filled myself up by letting others in. And sometimes, just by sharing, I was unknowingly building them up too. That cycle—that’s healing,” he said.
When God Surprises You
Angel’s greatest surprise came on a Tuesday afternoon. “I got a text from my mom: ‘If you want to talk to your son, you need to call me right now. He’s here.’”
Five years of silence. Five years of hoping. Five years of thinking it would take a decade—maybe more—to rebuild a relationship.
And there he was. On the other end of the line. Talking about school. Laughing. Still carrying that same rasp in his voice that Angel remembered from long ago.
“I cried for days. You can't science that away,” Angel said, laughing through tears.
“It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t coincidence. That was God.”
More Than a Program
JUMPSTART didn’t just give Angel a roof over his head, or a means of transportation—it gave him room to breathe, to believe, to build again.
With his diabetes diagnosis, JUMPSTART ensured he received care without a crushing medical bill. With his basic needs now secure, Angel could focus on going back to school, finding a job that aligned with his values, and deepening friendships that would last a lifetime.
“JUMPSTART creates opportunities that create more opportunities,” he explained. “And those open the door to more I never saw coming.”
Don’t Give Up
When asked what he’d say to families praying for a loved one who’s struggling, Angel didn’t hesitate:
“Don’t give up. Ever. God is doing things behind the scenes.
Even when it looks hopeless, He’s moving.
If I had given up, that call with my son never would’ve happened.”
From prison walls to phone calls with his child, from panic attacks to purpose, Angel is living proof that no situation is beyond the reach of God’s redemption.
And if you ask him what changed everything?
“I stopped underestimating God,” he said. “Because everything He’s done—every single thing—has been bigger than I could ever imagine.”