Light Has Dawned

From gang life and prison to faith, purpose, and mentoring the next generation.

Growing up in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, Lou Rodriguez was exposed to poverty, violence, and gang life at an early age. With an absent father and a desire to help provide for his family, Lou turned to the streets, where he found acceptance, money, and a false sense of belonging.

By age 17, Lou was serving his first prison sentence. His journey would eventually include three prison terms, surviving nine gunshot wounds, losing close friends to gang violence, and struggling with anger, revenge, and the consequences of his decisions.

But God wasn't finished with his story.

In this powerful From the Vault episode of the Light Has Dawned Podcast, host Omar Calvillo sits down with Lou Rodriguez to discuss his journey from the streets of Chicago to discovering new life and purpose through Jesus Christ.

Today, Lou uses his experiences to mentor and encourage young people through Beast Mode 365, helping them develop discipline, accountability, leadership, and a sense of purpose.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Growing up in poverty and searching for acceptance in Chicago's gang culture.
• Entering prison at just 17 years old.
• Surviving nine gunshot wounds and confronting the reality of death.
• Breaking away from gang life and destructive patterns.
• How an invitation to church became part of his journey to Christ.
• The importance of mentorship, accountability, and renewing your mind.
• Finding purpose through serving and investing in the next generation.

One powerful takeaway: Your past does not have to determine your future. Through Jesus Christ, a life once shaped by darkness can become a testimony of hope, redemption, and purpose.

Whether you're struggling with your past, searching for direction, or believing God for transformation in someone's life, this conversation will encourage you.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

What began as one step of faith became a mission to bring the hope of Jesus Christ into some of the darkest places.

On October 2, 2022, Omar Calvillo launched the Wrong to Strong Chicago Podcast, inspired by Hebrews 11:8 and a willingness to follow God's calling without knowing where the journey would lead.

Four years later, that step of obedience has grown into the Light Has Dawned Podcast, a nonprofit ministry, prison ministry at Cook County Jail, and a media company dedicated to creating transformational Christian content.

In this special four-year anniversary episode, Omar sits down with his wife, Ann Calvillo, to reflect on God's faithfulness, the challenges behind the scenes, and the incredible doors that have opened through sharing powerful testimonies of redemption.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Four Years of Podcasting: How Wrong to Strong Chicago became Light Has Dawned and the biblical foundation behind the mission.
• From Podcasting to Prison Ministry: How sharing Christian testimonies opened doors to minister inside Cook County Jail and other correctional facilities.
• Loving the Incarcerated: Ann asks a powerful question: "Do you love the prisoner?" A conversation about compassion, discipleship, and seeing people through the eyes of Christ.
• Reaching Prisoners Through Edovo: How our faith-based devotionals have reached 839 incarcerated learners, generating 283 hours of engagement.
• From Darkness to Light: The Gospel Journey: The story behind Omar's first book, the spiritual opposition surrounding its release, and the vision to bring the Gospel into prisons in English and Spanish.
• Faith, Obedience, and Perseverance: Why following God's calling doesn't mean the journey will be easy.
• What's Next for Light Has Dawned: Expanding prison discipleship resources, publishing Christian content, and preparing for a new season of ministry.

Throughout the conversation, Omar and Ann share personal reflections on marriage, ministry, sacrifice, and the importance of remaining faithful to God's calling.

This episode is more than a celebration of four years of podcasting. It's a testimony of what God can do when we step out in faith and trust Him with the results.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

FROM THE VAULT: In this powerful testimony of redemption, Omar Calvillo sits down with Victor Perez of Baytown, Texas, to hear his journey from the streets to a life transformed by faith.

Growing up around drugs, crime, and the street life, Victor began hustling at a young age. His choices eventually led to arrests, jail, broken relationships, and a cycle he struggled to escape.

While incarcerated, Victor began reading the Bible, joining prayer circles, and asking deeper questions about God and his purpose. But his journey was far from over.

Years later, while back in the streets, Victor was involved in a devastating head-on collision that nearly took his life. He suffered severe internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen, a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and hip, and damage to an artery near his heart. Doctors weren't sure he would survive.

Then, while recovering in the hospital, a man entered Victor's room with a message he would never forget:

“God told me to come talk to you.”

What followed became another turning point in Victor's journey toward faith, purpose, and surrender to God.

This episode is a reminder that no matter how far someone has gone, Jesus Christ still changes lives.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

From a pastor's kid to a life consumed by drugs, alcohol, and destructive choices. From financial success to losing everything and sleeping in his truck. Vinny De Leon's story is a powerful testimony of redemption, restoration, and the life-changing grace of Jesus Christ.

In this From the Vault episode of the Light Has Dawned Podcast, host Omar Calvillo revisits an unforgettable conversation with Vinny De Leon, a Texas barber, entrepreneur, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Growing up in a Christian home, Vinny knew about God but eventually chose a different path. His pursuit of pleasure, money, and worldly success led him into addiction, broken relationships, and ultimately homelessness.

One of the most heartbreaking moments came when Vinny found himself celebrating his young daughter's birthday while secretly living out of his truck. That experience became a turning point in his life.

Through the prayers of his parents, the Gospel he had heard growing up, and an encounter with a pastor at a barbershop, Vinny eventually surrendered his life to Jesus Christ.

Today, Vinny shares how God restored his life, reunited him with his daughter, blessed him with a new family, and gave him a business that serves as a platform for sharing the Gospel.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Growing up in a Christian home and walking away from God.
• The destructive consequences of drug addiction and alcoholism.
• Losing his career, marriage, home, and financial security.
• The heartbreaking reality of homelessness and fatherhood.
• How a barbershop became part of his journey back to Christ.
• Building a successful business while remaining committed to serving God.
• Using entrepreneurship and everyday conversations to share the Gospel.
• The importance of obedience, stewardship, discipleship, and keeping Jesus Christ first.

A message of hope

Your past does not have to define your future. Vinny's testimony reminds us that no matter how far someone has wandered, there is hope, forgiveness, and new life in Jesus Christ.

Whether you're hearing this conversation for the first time or revisiting it with us, we pray it encourages your faith and reminds you of the transforming power of the Gospel.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

🎙️ FROM THE VAULT

We're revisiting conversations from our podcast archive, bringing you powerful stories of redemption. Whether you're hearing them for the first time or listening again, we pray these testimonies remind you that through Jesus Christ, a new life is possible.

In this episode of the Light Has Dawned Podcast, Omar Calvillo sits down with Javier Garcia to hear his remarkable testimony of growing up on the streets of Chicago, becoming involved in gang life, surviving violence, facing federal prison, and ultimately discovering the life-changing grace of Jesus Christ.

After years of chasing money, respect, and acceptance, Javier found himself facing the consequences of the life he had chosen. Looking at the possibility of spending 10 years to life in federal prison, everything changed when he encountered the Gospel and realized that no one is beyond God's mercy.

In this conversation, Javier shares:

• Growing up in Chicago
• Life in gangs and street violence
• Being shot and living a dangerous lifestyle
• Facing federal prison and a possible life sentence
• Hearing the Gospel in prison
• Surrendering his life to Jesus Christ
• Finding purpose, freedom, and hope through God's grace

No matter what your past looks like, God's grace is greater. Your story is not over, and Jesus Christ is still transforming lives today.

Thank you for listening to the Light Has Dawned Podcast. If this testimony encourages you, follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear that a new life is possible through Jesus Christ.

Stories of redemption. Lives transformed by Jesus Christ. All glory to God.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

In this short episode, I share the heart behind my new book, From Darkness to Light: The Gospel Journey, and the biblical theme that inspired it.

From the opening pages of Genesis to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, the theme of darkness and light runs throughout Scripture. It is also a theme that became deeply personal in my own journey of coming to faith in Christ.

From Darkness to Light is an eight-lesson journey through the Gospel, from creation, darkness, and sin to Christ, the cross, the resurrection, and new life in Him. Throughout the book, I also share portions of my personal testimony, showing how these biblical truths became real in my own life.

The book is also available in Spanish as De la Oscuridad a la Luz: El Camino del Evangelio.

📖 Available now on Amazon in English and Spanish.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

Welcome to a new chapter.

After nearly four years of sharing powerful stories of transformation, redemption, faith, and hope, the podcast is moving forward with a new name: The Light Has Dawned Podcast.

The name has changed, but the mission remains the same.

In this special announcement, host Omar Calvillo shares the heart behind the new name, the biblical foundation found in Matthew 4:16, and the vision for what comes next.

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”
— Matthew 4:16 (NKJV)

Over the years, we’ve sat across the table from former gang members, men and women who have been incarcerated, pastors, chaplains, community leaders, and everyday people whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ.

That mission continues.

The Light Has Dawned Podcast will continue bringing you raw, honest conversations and powerful testimonies that show there is hope in the darkest places, redemption is possible, and Jesus Christ still transforms lives.

This isn't the end of something. It's the beginning of the next chapter.

Thank you to everyone who has listened, watched, shared an episode, prayed, or supported this journey.

The name has changed. The mission remains the same.

Light Has Dawned Podcast
Bringing light into dark places.

We're on a mission from God.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

🎙️ FROM THE VAULT

Throughout the month of August, we're revisiting conversations from our podcast archive. Whether you're hearing them for the first time or listening again, we pray these stories continue to point people to Jesus Christ.

In this episode of the From Wrong to Strong Podcast, Omar Calvillo sits down with Hector Gomez to hear his powerful story of growing up in Chicago, entering the foster care system, becoming involved in gang life, and living with the deep wounds of rejection and abandonment. 

After being removed from his home as a young boy, Hector spent years moving between foster homes, searching for acceptance and belonging. As he grew older, that search led him into the streets, where gangs offered the family he longed to have. But beneath the tough exterior was a heart still longing for a mother's love. 

Everything began to change when someone showed him a kind of unconditional love he had never experienced before—a love that opened the door to understanding the love of God. 

In this conversation, Hector shares:

•  Growing up in Chicago. 
•  Entering the foster care system. 
•  The search for acceptance and belonging. 
•  Gang life and the choices that followed. 
•  The lasting effects of childhood trauma. 
•  Learning to receive unconditional love. 
•  Finding hope through God's grace. 

No matter what you've experienced or where your journey has taken you, your past does not have to define your future. There is hope in Jesus Christ.

Thank you for listening. If this episode encourages you, consider following the podcast, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who needs hope today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

🎙️ FROM THE VAULT

Throughout the month of August, we're revisiting conversations from our podcast archive. Whether you're hearing them for the first time or listening again, we pray these stories continue to point people to Jesus Christ.

In this episode of the From Wrong to Strong Podcast, Omar sits down with Roger Cadena to hear his incredible testimony of redemption.

Growing up on Chicago's Southwest Side, in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, Roger was drawn into gang life at a young age. Violence, drugs, prison, and brokenness seemed to define his future. But through the faithful prayers of his mother, the loving example of his brother, and the life-changing power of Jesus Christ, God completely transformed his life. 

In this conversation, Roger shares:

•  His childhood growing up in Chicago. 
•  How he became involved in gang life. 
•  Violence, addiction, and prison. 
•  The prayers that never stopped. 
•  The people God used to lead him to Christ. 
•  How Jesus restored his marriage, family, and purpose. 
•  What it truly means to experience new life in Christ. 

No one is beyond the reach of God's grace. If God could transform Roger's life, He can transform yours.

Thank you for listening. If this episode encourages you, consider sharing it with someone who needs hope today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned

Are you living for God's approval or the approval of people?

In this devotional, Cisco Terrazas walks through Galatians 1:10, reminding believers that following Jesus often requires standing for biblical truth even when it costs us acceptance, comfort, or popularity. Discover why the fear of man can become a spiritual trap, how Jesus modeled unwavering obedience to the Father, and why our ultimate goal should be to please God above everyone else.

This devotional explores:

•  Galatians 1:10 and what it means to be a servant of Christ 
•  How people-pleasing weakens our spiritual convictions 
•  Why biblical courage matters in today's culture 
•  Jesus' example of obedience to the Father's will 
•  How to overcome the fear of rejection 
•  Living for God's approval instead of public opinion 

As followers of Christ, we are called to love people without compromising the truth of God's Word.

Key Scriptures:

•  Galatians 1:10 
•  Proverbs 29:25 
•  John 15:18 
•  John 6:38 
•  Acts 5:29 

From Wrong to Strong Ministries exists to share stories of redemption and biblical encouragement that point people to Jesus Christ.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📖 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE GOSPEL JOURNEY book

Eight lessons. One Gospel. A journey from darkness to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

Available on Amazon in English & Spanish versions.

ENGLISH: https://a.co/d/091DmTxC
SPANISH: https://a.co/d/0a70Efda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lighthasdawned