It can sometimes be easier to turn to crime when hope for a better life feels distant—especially when facing a prison sentence that could take up almost a quarter of your life.

This was what Edsen Sentero, 67, felt when he first arrived at the New Bilibid Prison’s (NBP) Maximum Security Compound in 1999. Just like that, he felt his life was over. He had just been sentenced to 18 to 24 years for estafa.

A son of a Chinese father and a Filipina mother, Edsen is the eldest of five siblings. He recalled the disappointment of his parents upon learning of his conviction, but for him, the dream of a better life for his family had driven him to crime.

"Ayoko sundan yung papa ko eh kasi 60 plus na, nagtra-trabaho pa. Masakit eh, naalala ko yun. Siguro yun ang nag-trigger sakin para gumawa ng ganito (I didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps because he was already over 60 and was still working. It hurt—when I thought about that, and it stayed with me. Maybe that was what triggered me to do this)," he said.

As he was brought to the Maximum Security Compound, Edsen blamed God for his misfortune, wondering why this was happening to him.

"Sabi ko dito na ko mag 'the end'. Kung lalaya man ako, ex-con na ko. Sinong tatanggap sa akin? Senior na ko. Pano na buhay ko? (I said I would end it here. Even if I do get out, I’ll be an ex-con. Who would accept me? I’ll already be a senior. What will happen to my life)," he said.

Edsen Sentero, now known as “Pastor Ed,” continues to share the Word of God with inmates in various jail facilities, offering hope and a chance for redemption.

Initially, he turned to illegal activities inside the NBP—gambling and drugs—hoping to secure a better future. A fellow inmate and notorious drug lord took him under his wing because he could speak some Chinese. For the first two years, money was his god. He recalled getting P20,000 every single day from their illegal rackets.

While financially secure, the schemes came at a cost. His marriage suffered, and he sometimes cursed at his wife for failing to visit weekly. Inmates constantly pressured him for loans to gamble, growing resentful when he refused. Slowly, the toll of this life began to wear on him.

Then came a pivotal moment. He was invited by an inmate to join a church activity. At first, he went only to ease boredom and enjoy the merienda, hoping it might even reduce his sentence. Despite attending, he could not immediately let go of his illegal rackets.

Yet the head pastor encouraged him to continue: "Kikilos naman si God sa'yo eh. Dadating yung oras na aayaw ka na (God will move in your life. The time will come when you will no longer want this)."

Eventually, that is what happened. Edsen said there was no dramatic moment of revelation—no kneeling, no flash of epiphany. He simply woke up one day determined to leave crime behind.

"Yung peace na hinahanap ko, di ko makita sa pera eh (The peace I seek cannot be found in money)," he said.

He attended Bible school inside the NBP and was eventually ordained through SONlight Ministries and the Disciples of Christ Church, guided by senior pastor Oliver Tuico Sr., and William and Joannie Feuerstein of Face to Face Ministries, who refused to give up on him.

"Ako si Edsen na galing na sa basura, basura na ang ex-con eh...Isang basura, pinulot ng Diyos, ngayon ginagamit ulit (I am Edsen—someone who came from the trash. An ex-con is already considered trash… yet here I am: discarded, picked up by God, and now being used again)," he said.

Edsen was released in 2017 after serving 18 years. He believes his time in prison was not wasted. Now an evangelist, he returns not only to NBP but to other jails to inspire inmates, showing them that God has plans for them.

Looking back, he admits regret for the opportunities lost. He could have owned a house and a car like his friends. Yet reflecting on Matthew 6:19-21, he realized true treasures are spiritual.

"Nag-iisip ako noon, anong i-istore ko eh penniless ako ngayon? (I remember thinking then—what could I possibly store away, when I was already penniless?)" he said.

"Ah ito pala. Itong mga taong na 'to itong mga preso na 'to na nakakilala sa Panginoon. Ito pala yung mga treasure na sinasabi ng bible (Ah, so this is it. These people—these prisoners who have come to know the Lord—these are the treasures the Bible talks about)," he added.

After his release, Edsen earned a Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership (MATL) at the International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL) with the help of pastor Kenneth Loki. Today, he continues to preach in various jail facilities—Calamba, Imus, Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong—alongside other former convicts turned ministers, planting seeds of hope in the lives of inmates.

Edsen, once driven by money and immersed in vice, found redemption through faith.

"It’s such a wonderful feeling to truly experience God’s love, knowing He never abandoned you, never gave you up on you," he said.