Brother Nevarez

I had a real mom and dad. They taught me the right way as a family oriented life. I came from El Paso, TX. Raised in Juarez, Mx. We lived in New Mexico and Texas. I was born in Hatch, N.M. I moved to Oxnard, CA, then to Ventura, CA then on to Camarillo, CA, then finally to Ontario, CA in 1968.

I went to Jr. High and High School there in Ontario, CA. I was exposed to gangs and drugs while in Jr. High. I wasn’t going to graduate in 1975, because my grades were too low. I made a choice to graduate in 1975. After graduating, I made a mistake in my life by going back to the ghetto I was raised in, in Ontario, CA. I ran back to the gang I used to hang out with. I did what was required in a gang. Robberies, initiations, etc. I ran with this gang for a couple of years. I dealt drugs for a good ten years, along with using the drugs heavily.

One time I was high in a park, and that is when I met my future wife for the first time. We got high together. We ended up getting our own place and having three children together. I would still get high, continued dealing drugs. We eventually moved to another place in Ontario. I got involved with a biker gang. I started dealing heroin. We would steal Porsches, part them out and sell the parts. During this time, I was doing a lot of speed and heroin.

My wife and kids moved out of the area and away from me. I was separated from them for roughly 18 months due to my drug dealing and doing drugs. I moved in with a friend and dealt more drugs. I was with this friend for about one year. Eventually, I moved in to my mom’s home in Ontario. I got heavy into drugs. My cousin from Tijuana was a drug dealer. I sold for him, but also was constantly strung out on drugs and used the drugs I was supposed to sell, so therefore the people that were supposed to get their drugs, never did because I used the drugs myself. I was given Heroin to sell and did the same thing.

My life was threatened. At this point in time I was at my lowest. My future wife called me (she was in church at this time). Her current pastor told her that it was the will of God for the daddy of their three children raise his own kids. I tried three times to go to her, but stuff kept on getting in the way. The third time I had a little money in my pocket and I left Ontario and moved to Manteca.

I went to church and sat in the back. Saw my girlfriend in church. I thought the church was weird. My girlfriend came back and looked at me and told me if I want to be a part of their life that I had to go to the altar and quit sitting in the back pew. I went to the altar on 12/7/91 and God moved on me and filled me with the Holy Ghost.

The pastor of the church put me on 90 days probation to prove myself. I lived in Riverbank for the 90 days. Went to church all the time. We couldn’t live together yet. I would take my kids lunch and clothing. I finally got to move in with my family after we got married. We lived in Manteca for 15 years. I ended up getting my ministerial license and was used in all areas in the church. Sunday School, Prison Ministry, Rest Homes, Outreach, Fundraisers, etc.

God blessed us that during those 15 years we saw three great revivals there. After 15 years there, we felt the need to move and we moved to Red Bluff, CA and was there 4 years. We commuted to Susanville for roughly a year. We came back to the Red Bluff church under a new pastor for roughly 1 ½ years. After living in Red Bluff for 5 years, we felt the need to move to Anderson under Pastor Green’s guidance. God has been so good.