I'm certainly not proud of many of the early events in my life. But as the preacher writes, "To everything there is a season. (Ecc. 3:1)".

My name is Daniel Hernandez, and those close to me know me as "Smiley". I'm 46 years at this point and was born in Riverside County, known as the Inland Empire in the city of Corona, which means "Crown". Like most Chicanos, I grew up in a gang known as the "Santitos". Smiley de Los Santitos - that was me! Most of my education came from the street, educated in the game of survival. At an early age in 1969 I was busted and sentenced to California Youth Authority where it all began---a whole different world. I knew I had to fit in and I could not let the varrio down. I met men from different neighborhoods and we all had something to prove. I was jammed up from time to time by various people when I drove up to Norwalk reception. From that point I was being tested by my own raza, and sometimes I had to fight. I was moved to another CYA where I ran into a few faces that knew me from the reception. Just like them, to be accepted within a crowd, I had to show I had heart, and do things I wasn't proud of which led me into the adjustment center; also known as the hole. I really thought I was tough, and so I was up to the challenges of all games played.

And there I went, like a big fool, "As an ox goeth to the slaughter", (Prov. 7:22), ready to take on the world. I managed to survive the games as the years went by and I was paroled. Unfortunately, it didn't stop there for I found myself in and out, and in between doing time, I met and married a woman who wanted to settle down while my life was very unsettled. We had children but it didn't stop me from doing my own thing, and throughout my marriage I was in and out of prison---a woman can only take so much. In 1982 I picked up a robbery charge and found myself up north in a prison where north and south do not get along. I found myself involved and labled as a "sureno" (southern), a name with much pride. The reality is that nobody ever wins, and in this journey I found my heart was hardened by bitterness and hate. At a later time I found myself in Jamestown prison on a violation where I was gaffled up for an assault with a deadly weapon pending a DA referral. While I was in the hole wondering if the DA would pick up the case, the only thing I found in the cell to read was a Bible, and although I did not read well, I read what I could. "I was in prison, and You came unto me (Matt. 25:36).

It turned out the DA did not pick up the case and soon after I was released. When I paroled, my wife told me she could no longer continue to wait on me anymore. This led me to go to church to show my wife I was willing to change to make things right, or at least I wanted it to appear this way. Still I found myself playing games and was picked up again on a few violations and when I was released again I found myself in the process of a divorce. Soon after I went to prison with a three strike sentence, 25 to life. I am convinced that there was no other way for God to get my attention. This 25 to life sentence was the only way I could ever get my life straightened out and get right with God (Ps. 119:21). I lost everything I loved; my family, my wife, my children and my freedom. I was washed up (or so I thought).

These three strikes took me around to different prisons and they all had their share of differences, but for some reason I was sent to R.J. Donovan prison to Three yard. The Lord knew what He was doing. God had been calling me all along and He knew my heart (Ps. 51:10).

Now I serve the Lord!!! My two sons are now serving the Lord as is my beautiful daughter. I'm working on including my ex-wife.

God bless Mel Novak.

In His wonderful love,

"In Christ,"

Daniel Hernandez