This afternoon I got a phone call from a probation officer in Elgin, IL asking me about setting up a cover-up appointment for one of her assigned clients. The PO then ran down the list of 3 tattoos needs to cover up...a pitchfork on his finger, street name on his forearm and another large pitchfork on his shoulder blade, the mark of the Satans Disciples. She told me that he was recently released from a juvenile detention center where he was brutally assaulted by members of his former gang. He had turned his back on one of his former friends while in juvenile detention and the rest of his gang on the outside were aleted to it and put in orders to kill him. His family was forced to move away from their old neighborhood to save their son and quite honestly, themselves from the SD's. The good news is that this boy is back in school now, more than an hour away from his old hood and old "friends" and HE WANTS TO CHANGE. That's the biggest part of the journey of saving this boys life.  

In Illinois as with most other states, the legal age for tattooing is 18 and there are severe repercussions to the artist for tattooing anyone younger than 18. I had to put the PO and his parents to work to get the necessary permissions from the PO Dept Head and the Judge. I'm certain we'll be able to get that within a week and I'll get these old tags covered just as soon as I get that approval.

These gangs keep targeting kids as young as 7 and 8, when will it end??? Luckily this young boy will have the opportunity to make things right, most gang members die before they make a decision to save a life, their own.

I'd like to welcome you to the INK 180 Blog. Today was a huge day for me and INK 180 because I gave my first television news interview with WGN News today. The story is going to be edited this week and will air sometime next week. They told me that they'll let me know when, 24 hours in advance so I will be sure to post that info as soon as I get it.

Today, as  part of the interview, I did a coverup for a former gang member from Chicago. The stories I hear when I do these cover-ups are always very gut wrenching but my client today really struck me. He's been out of the gang life for over 10 years and has made the changes necessary to leave his gang life in the rearview mirror and has become a great man. Among the many interesting stories he told me today, the one that rocked me was about when he was shot 8 times by someone with anAK-47. He was hit in the arms, legs, back and even once in the face, YES, THE FACE. I don't care who you are or what the circumstances are, if you get shot 8 times AND LIVE, God intervened on your behalf. I know that God had a plan for his life and had alot more work for him to do before his life on earth was over. He talks with kids about staying out of gangs and rescued his younger brother from the same gang that he was a part of. He went to the leader and confrnted him by saying "This gang dies with ME, not my brother or anyone else in my family". Then, like nearly everyone who ever leaves a gang, he moved his brother out of state but i'm happy to report that  he's doing well in his new surroundings and is going to college.

God is GREAT, He's full of mystery and He has a plan for each and every one of us. We're all the same in His eyes and we are all capable of change and redemption. If you've made bad choices in the past, no matter what they are, nail those mistakes to the cross and become a new creation that serves Him and the community.

Making a Difference One Tattoo At A Time
By Brad Polley - Posted in the Oswego Patch February 10, 2012
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Two and a half years ago my friend, Chris Baker, sat in marriage counseling with his wife, having no idea that his life was about to change forever.  

Chris and his wife were both deeply skeptical of God and the Church.  When the counselor asked if she could pray for them he thought, "Why not.  Can't hurt I guess."  What happened next would begin a wild journey that continues to unfold today.  

"As the counselor prayed, it felt like a warm blanket was put over me.  I started crying," he said.  

On the way home, his wife told him that she had a similar feeling at the same time.  He realized that God was speaking to them both.  He was showing them the depths of his love and grace and it transformed them.

Fast forward two and half years, and Chris is the founder of INK 180, a ministry based in Oswego that offers free cover-up tattoos for former gang members and the victims of human trafficking who are looking to turn their lives around.  

"I believe everyone deserves a second chance at life, and I want to offer them help to live their second chance," he said.

At the church where Chris and his family attend, Chris is a leader for the middle and high school youth group.  A while back they were talking about ways to serve their community and when one student suggested they cover up gang graffiti with more beautiful art, Chris had a light bulb moment.  For the last nine years, Chris has been a tattoo artist and he realized that God could use his passion for skin art to make a difference.  

Growing up in Los Angeles, Chris knows a lot about gangs and their culture.  

"I've always felt a pull to those guys," he said. " I've always wanted to help them, but didn't know how."  

One of the identifiers that gangs use to mark their affiliation are their tattoos. From a swastika to a crown, gangs tattoo one another as a way to say, "You belong to us now."  

So what happens when a member decides to leave and change their life?

 As Chris says, "To these guys, their gang tattoos are a daily reminder of their failure.  They have trouble finding work because people don't want to hire people with gang tattoos. They are also targets of former rival gang members."  

Chris decided to contact a friend he has at the Cook County probation department to see if there would be any interest if he offered free cover-ups.  He barely finished asking before his friend said, "100% yes.  We've been waiting for someone to do something like this for a long time."  That was in October of 2011.  Since then, Chris has done 210 cover-ups free of charge (Read that sentence again.  Wow.).  

He now has connections with a number of law enforcement agencies in the Chicagoland area, including the FBI.  God is growing this ministry at an incredible rate, and he's just trying to keep up.  As I type this, Chris is in Kansas City doing cover-ups for some former gang members there.  

Chris is an amazing picture of what God can and will do if only we are willing.  Two and half years ago, Chris experienced God beckoning him to lay down his life.  He simply said, "OK," and his life has never been the same.  He helps people because he knows how much God has done for him.  

"These tattoo cover-ups put beauty over garbage," Chris told me.  

I can't express to you how much that resonates with me.  This world needs more people like Chris who are willing to bring beauty out of garbage.

I encourage you to visit the INK 180 Facebook page and www.ink180.weebly.com to stay updated on the amazing work that Chris is doing in Oswego and beyond.