Work Week: Israel’s Story

Hello again KCB Blog readers..

This “Work” week, George sat down with Israel Prado, a dedicated member of the GSI crew who's been working hard to turn a tough past into steady progress. Working at GSI has been a major turning point for him, and a place where he's found respect, routine, and a real way to have the means to show up for his kids.

Israel first heard about GSI through a mutual friend who stopped by Kingdom Causes Bellflower for help with an Edison bill. During her appointment, she noticed GSI crew members moving through the office and asked for information. She got the details and passed the word along to him. “After hearing about the opportunity, I came in to apply, and the rest is history.”

Before GSI, finding steady work felt impossible because of his background and the years he spent incarcerated. “It made it difficult to get opportunities, but I was determined to work and move forward.” He applied day after day, everywhere he could think of, but doors kept closing. He was down on his luck with employment, caught in a cycle that felt endless.

But getting hired here and starting a new, stable journey has changed a lot for him and those around him. “Having stable employment made a big difference in my life,” he said. “I’m able to buy my own meals, take my kids out to eat and spend time with them, pay my bills, and be a provider.” In his life, Israel feels people have started treating him with more respect and dignity now that he’s made a positive change. In a way, it’s given him a quiet pride and proof to himself that he’s on the right path. Israel's story echoes what Scripture promises about how new beginnings aren't earned by perfection, but instead received through grace, and how His mercies are new every morning. For Israel, that fresh mercy shows up in a green GSI uniform, a real paycheck, and needed time with his kids. “Having a job gave me structure and stability, and people recognize that. It made me feel proud and showed me that I was moving in the right direction for myself and my family.”

Beyond the work and structure, KCB and GSI continue to wrap around him with practical support: clothing, help with transportation, food when things get tight, and access to groups and bible studies and community resources right here at the Community Center, places where people open up and remind each other that God's not done writing their story. “All of it has been very helpful and supportive throughout my process. Knowing there was a local community willing to help, people who showed up even when they had their own struggles, means everything. It feels good to know there are people who truly want to see you succeed. It also gave me hope to see that there are still people in the world who care. You just have to be willing to accept the help.”

This experience has reshaped his outlook on a lot. “This experience helped put me into work mode after spending many years in prison. It gave me the motivation to stay focused, work hard, and do what it takes to move forward and reach my career goals.” Now his focus is clear and grounded: providing for his children, keeping the bills paid, getting out of debt, and building something lasting in the place he calls home.

Good Soil Industries (GSI) has a tag-line: Lawn Care With a Cause, and stories like Israel’s prove that it’s true. At its core, GSI exists because the cause is the people.. and the program was intentionally designed for people exactly like Israel. Jesus consistently chose and elevated those whom society scoffed at.. the overlooked, the marginalized, the ones labeled by their past mistakes. When He could’ve chosen anyone, He chose fishermen with rough edges, tax collectors others avoided, women dismissed by the religious elite.. Why? Because He didn’t see their mistakes, He saw their worth, He called them by name, and He invited them into purpose. GSI reflects that same heart in a practical, everyday way. It exists for them.. for the ones who feel invisible because of bad choices or hard seasons. It exists for us.. for the whole community, reminding us that no past is too messy for new soil to grow in.

When someone like Israel steps onto a GSI crew, it's way bigger than just trimming bushes or mowing lawns or blowing leaves.. it’s about showing up, being seen, earning trust, and remembering that progress is really possible.

Israel puts it this way: “I’ve learned that change is possible if you truly want it. You just have to be willing to put in the work and stay humble. Even small progress is better than no progress at all.”

Programs like this matter in a place like Bellflower because as Israel puts it: “they give people a chance to keep going, even when it feels like you have nothing. They’re here to help, not to harm, and they guide you to move out of a negative mindset and into a better path.”

Having this place to work now means “I can be productive, useful, and focused, which is something I didn’t have before.” Before stability, life was “mostly about prison, making wrong choices, and overreacting. It was a tough cycle that I needed to break out of.” George, Gene, and Andrew have made a lasting impact for Israel. “The leaders at KCB/GSI show real love and respect. For them, it’s not just about business, they genuinely care. Even after hours, they go out of their way to help and support you, which is rare these days.”

Before, he didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere. Now, belonging means “being part of a community that supports me, respects me, and helps me grow. It’s knowing that people care, that I can learn and improve, and that I’m not alone. It’s having structure, guidance, and hope for my future while reconnecting with my family and building a better life.” That's the belonging Jesus modeled while He was here on Earth.. inviting the outcast to the table, calling them friend, and showing there's always room for one more.

That’s Israel.. a man who went from struggling to find work because of his background to getting a chance and seizing it with GSI.. to having a seat at the table.. to being called “friend.” He’s moving forward, one day at a time, and the best part.. being rooted in the same community that once felt closed off.

Israel... keep making progress, man! We’re proud of you. May the God who redeems and restores continue to bless your steps, your kids, and those conversations with people that haven’t even happened yet.

Thanks for reading... Until next time...