"I was thirteen the first time I got high. My father took me to a crack house for the big occasion. After I took the hit, I passed out. He left me there. I woke up next to a dead body."
Tell me what chance a boy like this has? His role model - his example of what a man is supposed to be - the man who is molding and shaping this young boys’ life turned him over into the clutches of addiction and a life of emptiness, crime and depravation. What chance has he?
You see him and hundreds like him as you drive to your appointments or on the news. You inwardly look down on him - might even think of him and the problem of "him" as sub-human. Somehow, they don’t matter as much. After all, they did it to themselves, right?
This man’s name is Seville Jackson. He’s been in the Philadelphia Inquirer more than once, as an example of our city’s worst. He was the absolute best at being the worst. As a matter of fact, he later said that the reason he didn’t leave his violent life of addiction is because he knew that in that dark world, he was on top of his game. “If I come into your world, I’ll be at the very bottom – a NOBODY.” Good reasoning. Who is going to show him differently?
Forty years after his first time getting high, Seville is living in the badlands at 9th & Indiana streets, in an "abandominium". He is homeless, lonely, very much consumed by drugs, and has seen more death than any one person should. He has been shot, stabbed and beaten within inches of his life – more than once. His leg is abscessed and rotting from shooting up in it so many times and he is on crutches. He is called "The Doctor" b/c he injects needles for people wishing to get high who are unable to do it themselves. He is a drug user and a major drug dealer. Ted Koppel did a story on Nightline about the open-air drug market in the badlands and focused quite significantly on Seville (or Caddy, as was also his nickname).
In 1997, JoAnn Muller went down to the badlands to minister God’s love and bring Jesus’ freedom to the captives there. She was told that Seville was the worst and that no one could reach him. She begged to differ…Jesus could reach anyone! So she focused on him and befriended him. For over a year, she faithfully came down to the crackhouses and visited Seville where he was. She would take him and the others sandwiches, blankets and clothes. She would listen to them talk for hours and share with them. She would pray with and for them. She would drive them to the hospital. She would take Seville out to eat and tried getting him to leave with her, time and time again.
In his own words, Seville later says, "I remember quite a while back there was a woman who came to me when I had reached my bottom. She would tell me things like ‘if God can forgive you, who are you not to forgive yourself?’ Addiction had consumed me and I could only wonder why and where she came from, but more importantly, why did she keep coming back?”
The Philadelphia Inquirer did a large article on JoAnn, as everyone thought she was insane to be doing what she was doing. For a white suburban woman to march right into the crack houses, risking her life, was unheard of. It was apparently newsworthy. In the large cover picture, she is seen pleading with a dread-locked, crippled Seville to leave his life behind and follow Jesus.
After a few years, the area that Seville lived in was very effectively cleaned up by Operation Sunshine (a project with the City of Philadelphia & the Police Department). Seville was forced to leave his abandominium and JoAnn lost track of him, but often went looking for him.
In 2004, JoAnn receives a card, a picture and a letter that moves her to weeping. It’s from Seville. You wouldn’t even recognize the picture of him. He is off drugs, all cleaned up, hair cut, wearing nice clothes and standing on his own two legs. He found her address and wanted to see her.
He came to our offices on January 29, 2004. He was so overwhelmed, as were we all. He couldn’t stop talking about "Jo" and how he could never get over her doing what she did, how much she risked to care. He told stories of how many times her life and safety was in danger, but God protected her. He marveled at how she never seemed dazed or shocked by any of it. He doesn’t understand why she never seemed frightened. He told us over and over again how thankful he is to God for not giving up on him – for seeking him out and coming after him and to JoAnn for being God’s instrument. He said “you could always tell that she was real.”
His visit was quite a learning experience; to hear him talk; to hear about life from his point of view in the midst of his addiction and lost condition. He sat for hours and shared story after story with us. Things so horrific, even the most street savvy person would have a hard time imagining some of the things that he did and experienced. He schooled us all very bluntly on that kind of life and what it’s like being on the other side of the needle, the other side of the law, the other side of God’s grace. He also talked about “church folk” who would come and make an example out of him and embarrass him. He told us very disturbing stories of his experiences with churches.
He truly was used of God to speak to us, encourage us and minister to us. He pleaded the importance of reaching the kids while they’re young and reaching out to those who are lost. He says, “it’s no joke! Someone has to know how bad it really is!” He wants to become involved in our ministry; he says he wants to give back now. He is writing his memoirs and I for one can’t wait to read them!
His is a long journey and he struggles. Don't be fooled - the enemy wants his former number-one-man back and is trying hard to get him! Please remember him in your prayers and look for him in the future – God has great plans for his life, the diamond in the rough...God's Trophy!
