"Will You Be My Accountability Partner?"
Story by Nick, JJM Missionary | Written by Stephen Urquizo
When I first met Lucas, he stole from me. At that time, he was a resident at Miami Youth Academy, a place where many young men find themselves due to difficult choices, often related to drug use. Lucas’s story could have ended in despair, but it took a different turn. During a youth camp held at the facility, Lucas was one of twelve young men who made a life-changing decision to give their lives to Christ. What followed was a transformation that went beyond the walls of the academy.
This strory shares Lucas’s journey from captivity to freedom, showing how faith and support can lead to real change. His story is a powerful reminder that freedom is more than physical release—it is about breaking free from the chains of a past life.
The Beginning: A Life Marked by Struggles
Lucas’s early days at Miami Youth Academy were marked by anger, mistrust, and pain. His choices had led him into trouble, and drug use was a significant part of his story. When I first met him, he was defensive and closed off. The fact that he stole from me was a clear sign of the walls he had built around himself.
Many young people in similar situations feel trapped by their circumstances. They often believe that their past defines their future. Lucas was no different. But even in those early moments, there was a spark—a cry for help that he barely understood himself.
The Turning Point: A Camp That Almost Never Happened
A two-day camp inside Miami Youth Academy isn't something that happens often — and this one almost didn't happen at all. But it did, and it gave Lucas and eleven other young men a space to step away from their daily struggles and hear a message of hope. Over the course of the camp, Lucas made a decision that would change everything:
he gave his life to Christ!
This decision was not just a moment of emotion. It was the start of a deep, ongoing transformation. Over the following weeks, I watched Lucas’s attitude shift. His heart softened, and he began to show genuine interest in growing spiritually. He was no longer the young man who stole from me; he was someone seeking a new path.
Life After Release: Facing New Challenges
Yesterday, Lucas was released from Miami Youth Academy. He was headed home to Orlando. For many young men, this moment marks the end of contact with those who supported them inside. Usually, once released, students do not reach back out, and staff are not allowed to initiate contact.
But Lucas did something different. He called me. He was honest about his feelings—he was happy to be free but scared. He feared falling back into old habits or being influenced by friends who did not support his new life. Then he asked,
“Will you be my accountability partner? Can you check in with me once a week?”
This call was a powerful reminder that freedom is not just about leaving a facility. It is about the ongoing struggle to live differently in the world outside.
Why He Called
Lucas asked me to be his accountability partner — someone who would check in with him once a week. That request wasn't weakness. It was the Holy Spirit at work in him, choosing to stay tethered to the truth he found at camp instead of drifting back to his old life.
That call is what it looks like when faith takes root:
Provides encouragement during difficult times
Offers guidance when facing tough decisions
Creates a sense of responsibility to stay committed
Builds a support network that replaces negative influences
When someone truly gives their life to Christ, it doesn't end at the altar. It shows up weeks later, in a phone call from a kid who wants to keep walking with Jesus.
What Lucas’s Story Teaches Us
God was never done with Lucas. Not when he stole from me. Not when drugs had a grip on his life. Not even at Miami Youth Academy.
We tend to think freedom happens to us — a release date, a good decision, a change of scenery. Lucas's story teaches us something different:
Jesus meets people exactly where they are — even in a facility, even mid-relapse
Real freedom starts on the inside, and only He can put it there
A changed heart doesn't wait for changed circumstances — Lucas was more free at the academy than he'd ever been on the streets
Nobody is too far gone for God to reach
That's the gospel. It doesn't wait for our lives to line up first. It starts the rescue right where we are.
Moving Forward: Supporting Young People in Transition
Camp is only two days . A changed heart is a lifetime of choices. Here's how you can help young people like Lucas keep walking with Jesus long after they walk out the door:
Pray for students stepping back into a world that hasn't changed, even though they have
Give so missionaries can keep showing up after release, not just inside the walls
Support relationships that carry a young person from "I gave my life to Christ" to "I'm still following Him"
Be the person who checks in — sometimes a simple phone call keeps someone tethered to hope
Every gift and prayer helps build that bridge for someone like Lucas.
Lucas's story is a reminder that true freedom doesn't come from within — it comes from Jesus. It's the freedom to choose a new life, to walk away from the past, and to hold onto hope that doesn't run out. His journey from Miami Youth Academy to a new life at home shows us what's possible when faith meets support.
If you know someone like Lucas, consider how you can be part of their journey. Sometimes, a simple call or offer of support can make all the difference.
Give today to help missionaries like Nick keep showing up for kids like Lucas — inside the walls, and long after they walk out.
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