My name is Big Ed, resurrected from the dead.  I come from a good family.  They did everything for me text book style.  They baptized me as a baby.  I made my 1st Holy Communion and Confirmation, all the religious ceremonies in the name of tradition.  I never knew the real meaning of it all; just went through the motions.  I was brought up in a rough neighborhood where I learned more in the streets than in school.  At an early age, circumstances and situations occurred in my life, in which I made more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions.  I was the black sheep and shame of my family.   At 10 years old my dad went off to war and shortly after, I was in and out of juvenile halls.  I served 2 terms in Los Prietos Boy’s Camp.I joined the Marines, but continued in bad behavior, which led to my 1st prison sentence; this trip is my 2nd term.  I’d down 18 to life for murder.

I was sent to Folsom prison in 1987 and eventually fell into the game and ran wild (“In the Mix”).  These prison yards are society’s junkyards and the devil’s playgrounds.  The devil roams to and fro like one of those Pac-mans devouring people alive.  The devil is the master Puppeteer, pulling strings and pitting everyone against each other to destroy them.  He’s got this big ole trick bag with all the appealing things, like drugs, alcohol, pornography and things; a hidden scheme to take you down to the pit of hell.  I got caught up in the drug game and found myself in the devil’s belly at Corcoran Prison…nothing but spiritual wickedness floating in the air.  I was strung out on Heroin, the devil’s candy.

 For 5 long years, off and on, I was in and out of the hole (prisons inside of prisons).  All the while the Lord was at work in my life.  I ended up in Donovan Penitentiary, where the Lord finished beating me up, and breaking me down.  I went through this Kairos program and eventually got involved with the Church on the Rock (my spiritual boot camp).  Pastors and brothers there were a big encouragement, the outside ministries inspired me and that’s where I met Brother Mel.  He taught our church to suit-up and boot-up with God’s arsenal of protection.

The Good Lord has completely delivered me from Heroin, smoking, coffee and He has healed me from Hepatitis C.  I’m now at a Level II prison and very active in ministry here at “Chucky’s House”, Blythe, CA.  The Lord uses me in church to open in prayer, scripture reading, directing services and I’m on a regular rotation to share the Word of God.  I’m a gang-banging yard evangelist, with our Lord Jesus Christ using me to reach the hard-to-reach.  Praise God for His Mercy and Grace.  No more “vata loco, pinta poster pin-up boy, it’s all about being a “demon chasing, devil stomping, resurrected Soldier in Jesus Christ” (2Tim. 2:3).  We love ya Mel. Lord bless you.

                                                                                    Eddie Gonzales