Chaplain Ed

http://www.prisonkey.org

I first was arrested at the age of 12 years old, by 14 I was doing time. Starting with Juvenile Hall, then graduating to California Youth Authority and finally into the California Department of Corrections. In total I spent about 15 years locked up. At 22 years old I found myself in San Quentin in the early 70's when it was considered the most violent prison in the country.

At the age of 31 I got out for the last time. That was over 27 years ago. Got a big break and was able to get a job in aerospace working for Northrop Aircraft. It is what helped to first turn things around for my. I had a good job and had found a good women who would two years later become my wife.

Two years after I got out became a pivotal time in my life in many ways. Our first of five children ( Jessica ) was born. It was also when I first gave my life over to Jesus Christ as my Savior.

My wife Allison gave me four more children, Aaron, Brendon, Lindsay and Caitlyn. We recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.

From the time I first became a Christian I have always been involved in some kind of ministry. But it would take over a dozen years before I would ever got involved with any kind of prison/jail ministry. I just didn't want to go back. Didn't think they would let me if I ever tried. 27 years ago there was no such thing as a three strike law, good thing, I have 8 strikes! I also didn't want to got back because I had seen as much of those places as I ever wanted to see. Then a former Pastor of mine said I needed to pray about starting a prison ministry.

Jesus Is The Key Ministries: All started as a prison ministry in 1996. But actually the training started many years before, in the mid 60's doing 15 years time in and out of the jails and prisons I would one day return to as a Chaplain.

We are now going into the California Institution for Women (CIW) in Corona,CA and into California Institution for Men (CIM) in Chino CA. Other prisons we have visited on special occasions are, California Men's Colony, Northern California Women's Facility, San Quentin and R.J. Donovan, Ironwood and Chuckawalla; all California Department of Corrections facilities.

Then there were the visits back east to South Wood State Prison and Jessup State Prison, both in Maryland. Dietz Prison, Tegel State Prison, Butzbach State Prison and Friedberg State Prison, all In Germany.

In February 2007 we went to 10 prisons in three countries of Central America. El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Birthplace if both the MS-13 and 18th Street gangs.

Soon after the ministry began we started doing yard concerts at many of these prisons in the spirit of the evangelistic crusades done on the "streets" (free world), like the Billy Graham Crusades or the Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie. It is our prayer to do many more, in as many institutions as will let us. We have had well known groups such as Ordinary People, Scarlet Hope, The Kry, Heather Henry, Real Truz, Brothers in Blues, Kings & Priest, Two or More, Hannah Ford and Gutierrez Brothers, as well as some awesome groups from church worship teams, who have given of their time and talents to make the outreaches the success they have been. We hope to attract other groups who will want to come worship and share the gospel with us.

The ministry took a personal turn for me in October of 2000 when jail ministry became full time. It was then that I became the Senior Protestant Chaplain for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Men's Central Jail. Men's Central Jail is the largest jail in the world, with a population of 7,000 men. Everyone who is a Chaplain for the County of Los Angeles does it on a volunteer basis. So it has been through donations that I am being funded as a missionary to serve in this position. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be doing what I am, and now I can't imagine doing anything else. As of March 2003 we have now become a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit California corporation, trusting that the Lord will continue to guide us.

In June 2004 I had the privilege of serving as the chairman of the Prison Outreach Committee for the Los Angeles Billy Graham Crusades. They were able in about a six month period to conduct nearly 70 different outreaches within some 35 different facilities all over the Southern California area. Never in the 55 year history of the crusades had they had as many prison / jail outreaches as part of the Billy Graham Crusades. Nearly 10,000 inmates heard the good news of Jesus Christ.

It is our hope we can go to other churches and come along side them in forming their own prison ministries. Get Bibles and other Christian materials into the jails and prisons. And assist the institution Chaplains with their programs in any way we can.

If interested in more information or in having a presentation at your church, you can contact us at www.prisonkey.org