Lee and Morningstar Aviles <leemorningstar@sbcglobal.net>

My three younger siblings and I were raised in Southern California by our single mother. When I was 16 years old, my mother was violently murdered. My younger siblings were put into foster homes, but I was able to elude the Social Services. I went from being part of a family to having no family at all. I became reckless and got heavily involved in gangs, heroin, and alcohol. I spent much of my youth and early adulthood incarcerated. I've been in gang shootouts, and I've even been shot once. God has spared my life numerous times.

I moved my family to Sacramento in 1980. I know what it is to be self-centered. I never cared for, or loved many people other than my seven kids. For five and a half years I smoked pot every day, all day long, except for when I slept. I had been led to the Lord, but I was backsliding often until in 1992, when my youngest son Dana contracted bacterial meningitis that required hospitalization. He was only three months old and deathly ill. I knew at this time I had no right to ask God for any favors, but I cried out to God, offering my life in exchange for Dana's.

Dana survived, and I began to surrender my life and desires to God. God began to use me in small ways, reaching out to young gang members and young wannabes. I began working with the Sacramento Native Community in 1996. Life was better, but still bad. I was living with an abusive wife who beat my oldest son simply because he looked like me. Finally I decided enough was enough. During my bitter divorce, I moved in with my oldest daughter and her family. I then met Cynthia in 1997. After a short time of dating, we began living together out of wedlock for 6 months.

Our son Mathew invited us to The Rock, but it took a while before we attended. The first time, we felt people were too friendly and nice to be true, but we agreed to return because David, our 16 year old, seemed to like it. We joined the Berger's small group to meet people; many people began to prophesy over us how the Lord would use us. We went home saying if they only knew we lived in sin they would not say this over us. After a few Sundays Pastor Francis called us into his office. He somehow knew about our living arrangements and he very lovingly reminded us about the wages of sin. I felt the Holy Spirit's conviction at the same time Cynthia did about this; I slept on the couch from that day until our wedding day. I asked Pastor Francis if he would help us get married in the church, and he gladly accepted to help us do the right thing.

Pastor Francis and Frank's transparency were shocking to me; I didn't understand why they would share personal issues. Soon I learned how to be transparent with others. We became Rock Partners; it was now obvious we were at the Rock by divine appointment. Cynthia and I believe God led us to The Rock to be spiritually restored and prepared for ministry. I was in training to become Microsoft certified when God called me to full-time ministry; I pretended I was spiritually deaf until I could no longer ignore God's call. I soon surrendered my Microsoft dreams to serve God the rest of my life, trusting him for all provisions. I no longer desire gold or silver, only God's desires for my life.

-Lee Aviles