“I was a former alcoholic; a beer guzzling man. Yes, I was raised in church but forgot about God and who He is. I used to drive home every day, but not before buying a couple of six-packs of Coors and beer nuts. I was just existing. I was living a miserable life. I was too much of a coward to shoot myself, but I could drink myself to death!! And you know what… I didn’t care!

One random day, while working at Happy Homes Farms in Lodi, a man named Eugene gave me a Chick Tract and I remembered what I was taught in church about the Lord. While driving home that day, I began to sing church songs that I remembered learning as a kid. I was 28 years old and that’s when God saved me.

Days later, I went to a missionary service at an Assembly of God church with Pastor Montelongo and that is where God called me into the missionary field. I began volunteering for San Joaquin County Jail Social Services for four years under Fred Voltz. From there, I got involved with the Teen Challenge Prison Ministry. I had weekend services at the County Jail and then moved onto Peterson Hall and then Mary Graham Hall. I was told by numerous people to leave the ministry I started and created. I was told I was in the way. Imagine if I did? I kept going. I had to keep going!

God then gave me a vision of brick. I went downtown and saw a brick building. I knew what God wanted me to do. I opened a coffee house on Market Street. I met a lot of people, mainly homeless people, but if that’s who God wanted me to reach, then so be it! I was able to keep the coffee shop open by cutting people's lawns. While I was out cutting lawns to collect the rent, of course, I had to lock the door. As I was driving by my coffee shop, the Holy Spirit told me, ‘You wanted a place to work out of and you left the door locked.’ I parked my truck and walked back in to open my coffee shop. I needed to walk by faith.

In 1983, I was invited to go to Faith Fellowship Church pastored by Don Levy. It is there I met a widow, Irene Sauseda of Acampo. We became good friends. She helped me with my ministry, and next thing you know, she became my wife. God is good!

Teen Challenge was going through a change, and I had to make important decisions about my future with them. God sent me one of my supporters, who became a good friend, Gary. He said, ‘Hey, start your own church. Call it Jesus Saves Ministries.’ Well, that’s what Irene and I did. We incorporated ourselves in 1985. We found a building for our church and lived downstairs in its basement, until the city condemned our property and the entire block in 1987. God then moved us to Sutter Street and there is where we continued our ministry. Our ministry, Jesus Saves Ministries, Sutter Street Mission and here we are.

My lasting thoughts: Jesus said count the cost. When a man takes his hand to the plow he can't look back because he's not fit for the kingdom of God. There is always a price to pay. I went through a divorce and lost my house. All I had was a coffee house, a place to work out of. My advice to the young ones who want to start a ministry: if you feel like God’s calling you, He will supply all your needs.

God has been good. God will continue to be good. GOD IS GOOD!”