Hope of Glory: From Night to Day

By Rufus E. Carpenter

A story that will burn into your very soul. From Sinner to saint a young black mans personal transformation. The stripping away of high tough cloth.
The removal of the dross from the silver to ascend to his true glory! Only the strong of faith should dare read this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483685427

Rufus E. Carpenter

Rufus Carpenter is an African American father of a thirteen-year-old son and three adult sons. Like many other African American parents, Mr. Carpenter struggles against long odds to steer his children safely through their formative years to become productive citizens. As he watched so many families struggle with problems like academic failure, drugs, sex, and violence, he wondered if there was a way he could help. He’s spent the last sixteen years of his life working to solve this issue. He developed an idea for a prevention/intervention program called Urban Performing Arts System - a Rites of Passage initiative. He is the CEO and commissioner of Urban Games Society Inc., a nonprofit child guidance and youth self-help agency that provides for the welfare of children in such areas as academic failure prevention, drug abuse prevention, life skills training, and positive social development. His business career positions have included: senior vice president, area manager and managing partner for Northlake Foods Inc. Mr. Carpenter was consistently recognized as the prevailing leader and driving force of leadership that designed and implemented the company’s operational midlevel executives training programs. These programs brought awareness and knowledge of his special ability of promoting closer working relationships among a diverse group of people in a business environment. He has dedicated his professional life to the continuous and dynamic force in the development of people. Mr. Carpenter, a native of Virginia and a US Army retiree, received numerous civic and professional awards and honors during his twenty-year military career. In recognition for his outstanding accomplishments during the Gulf Crisis, Mr. Carpenter’s portrait has been placed in the Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

Book preview

Prologue

2006

The sound of gunfire echoed through the cell block and Rachet fell lifeless to the floor at the feet of Murda. Murda managed to hold back the blood and the tears from the gash when he fell on the bunk while dodging the gunfire. But he could not stop the image that was stained to the inside of his eyelids. There was Rachet’s head partly in his lap with the rest on the floor. Remember Bro that you are here because of the jealousy. There are some that just don’t want to leave the lifestyle. You will be that ‘crab’ that climbed to freedom, Rachet whispered in Murda’s ear, while taking his last breathe.

The prison guard snatched Murda to his feet and shouted, Alright 823-32-5849—time to move on to the infirmary. Murda numb and eyes shut, stood up, but dropped immediately back to his knees and began to cry out loud, God, why have you brought me to this point of salvation only to crush my soul with such grief? Haven’t I seen enough death in my life? I did as you asked! I gave up my evil ways only to watch Satan win in the end! Shit, Rachet climbed out of hell, declared his sins, professed your name and you didn’t even give him a chance to enjoy one moment of his new life. Why did he have to be shot down like a rabid animal? Get up and move your ass 823-32-5849, shouted the guard. Murda stood up again while the guard adjusted the cuffs. As he began to walk, the guard pushed him down the hall. Murda looked at him silently raging, while shuffling his right, then his left, then his right, then his left down the prison hallway.

Brother Franklin, as Murda was now known as since he became a jail house creature, please come over to the sink and wash up before greeting your family, a deep voice echoed from the doorway to his right. Slowly Murda shoved his hands under the cold water as his mind began rolling back in time. Mustafa tossed Jermaine a roll of paper towels. As he shoved his hands under the water the cold snapped his reality switch to on. The tears, along with the blood from the gash in his head, began flowing into the sink. What happened, Murda mumbled? In less than 24 hours I will walk out of this demon infested hell hole into the arms of my family."

Take off the shirt, yelled the guard. Rachet’s blood was all over Murda and it began to stick to the hair of his chest. While pulling the shirt off, Murda winced of the pain because the blood had almost glued the shirt to his body. From down the hall a voice shouted, The Warden needs to see Brother Franklin ASAP, shouted the deep voice from the doorway.

Scene One

Summer—1996

Jermaine—Do not forget my tampons or my change! his Mother taunted as he ran towards the front door. He could feel the rush of warmth from embarrassment creep over his face as he realized his team was standing on the porch and heard every word. Do you and your Mother share lipstick too, snickered Rachet. Jermaine instantly performed the dutiful rites of passage to punch his friend extremely hard in