In February 1994, Edier arrived at Bellavista
Prison, where he had to constantly watch
his back because he had so many enemies
within the walls. When he arrived on the 8 th
cell block of Bellavista, he soon heard about
the price on his head of $150 million pesos or
US$175,000. Edier’s life was in danger daily.
After serving a few years, some Christians
within the prison introduced Edier to Jesus,
offering him the chance to change his life.
Several of the new converts included men
who had once worked for him. He thought
they were crazy because he never liked
Christians.
After several attempts on his life (a couple
times he was severely wounded) and trans-
ferring prisons multiple times for protection,
he began to receive encouraging notes from
those old friends who had converted. They
shared that they had changed, that the Bible
had transformed their lives. But Edier just
laughed and made fun of their decisions.
The new believers continued to send
him letters, telling him that Jesus loved him
despite his past, but Edier thought, “How
could God forgive a man as evil as I? How
could a person who murdered so many, who
had left mothers without their sons, wives
without their husbands, children without
their parents be loved and forgiven?”
Near the end of 1996, Edier was trans-
ferred again to the high security wing of
Bellavista after another attempt on his life.
Here he reunited with those friends who had
found Christ. They faithfully shared Jesus
with him in prison. Then, in the middle of the
night, he heard a voice that said his power
was greater than all the power Edier had ever
had in the world. The voice said he should
call to him, and he would teach Edier mighty
hidden things that he did not know. Edier
thought he was going crazy. For two nights,
the voice was constant, calling him, telling
him that he was Edier’s Savior, that he was
created with a purpose to be a man who was
more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ.
Here is the rest of the story in Edier’s own
words, “On the morning of November 27,
1996, I heard singing, and God told me to
leave my cell and go to the singing. I arrived,
and there were the “hallelujah people.”
About 50 inmates were praising, exalting,
and glorifying the name of God. I stood at the
entrance and started to shake. I just wanted
to get out of there, but when I ran out, they
had closed the gate so I couldn’t leave. The
Christians came to me and prayed over me.
While they prayed, I was stretched out on
the floor. Then, they opened the gate, and I
fled to my cell and began to cry. One brother
brought me a Bible and said, ‘Look, boss,
from now on this is your weapon. It has 66
shots. Take it! You will be alright, don’t wor-
ry. We are your brothers. We will help you.
We will care for you in Jesus’ name. Press
on!’ As I wept, I began to read the Bible. I
spent the next three to four days reading it
and praying about my shameful state before
God, asking forgiveness, repenting of my
sins and all I had done.
“Then I heard God say, ‘If today you wish
to believe in my beloved son, Jesus Christ,
you shall be a new creature. All the old
things shall pass away from your life, and all
shall be made new.’
“On that day, I surrendered all.”
In 2005, Edier was released from prison
after serving just 11 years. He reunited and
reconciled with his family, got married, was
baptized, and began to regularly share his
faith. After a year of faithfully volunteering,
Prison Fellowship offered him a role on the
evangelism team to work in the prison. OMS
Colombia missionaries discipled him, and
he served with ECC for four years.
Today, Edier and his wife lead a church.
He returned to school and studied at the
Colombia Biblical Seminary. God also gave
him the courage to face his victims’ families
to ask for forgiveness. Total reconciliation is
so powerful, and so is our God.
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