PASTOR Roman Brink Sr.

I was a product of my environment and divorced parents. I decided to hit the streets and find my way early in life. I was raised catholic and my only idea of God was the father and confession. I did what I wanted and lived for the moment, I was the worst of the worst! The one thing that kept me going was basketball; I have always loved playing the game. I was borderline C average to stay on the High School basketball team. Once my grades didn’t qualify me to play I went all out in gang life and started selling drugs for money. I lived everyday like it was my last. I never really felt wanted or important and gangs, drugs and women affirmed my manhood and validated me.

I was a good kid that did bad things, but after my girlfriend got pregnant I wanted to do better for my kid. I found out I was having a son and I wanted to be there for him. I would try and do the right thing but my lifestyle always brought me back to girls, money and my reputation. I was more worried about what people thought of me then the people who loved me. My girlfriend left me and went from Sacramento back to San Pedro. I had a choice to make, my son or myself? I chose to follow my son and went back home, back to my hood. This was when I started to find God and started going to church. I really enjoyed Sunday’s because my girls Mom would fry chicken after church. If you went to church you get lunch! I definitely went to church for the fried chicken, I was still on the fence. 

I was a good dad but I still have not fully given my life to God or my family. I went on a weekend men’s retreat in the mountains with the guys from the church. On a hike to the top of the mountain God changed my heart. I truly had a mountain top experience and gave my Life to Jesus! I was baptized and started to serve at the church, later to become and Elder of the church, a member of the praise and worship team and finally the Youth Pastor. I was ordained by the church in the late 1990’s. God would use me to bring lots of young adults and teenagers to the Lord. I was also coaching basketball at local parks, club teams and finally at San Pedro High School. God gave me everything!! My Family, my church and the game I loved. I served at the church for over 15 years, coached about the same and was married for 25 years.

Everything seemed perfect but I never totally gave God everything! I knew how to do church and I loved Jesus and I believed but I still had pride, lust and selfishness in my heart. When we come to God no matter our title or status HE WANTS OUR HEART! ALL OF IT! I ended up losing my family, walked away from serving at the church and stopped coaching basketball. How good is my God! He not only repaired my heart HE increased my Love for Him and my family!

GOD RESTORES THE BROKEN HEARTED! I finally sold out for Jesus, I finally gave my life to Him and yielded my own desires. I am now remarried, serving again at my church and Iron Sharpens Iron ILWU Fellowship and in my community. I know God can change the hardest of hard heads, because he changed me! I pray my story helps you and my walk is a living testimony for you to follow! I pray God’s favor over you and your family. I now have with my beautiful wife Sara 5 kids, 4 granddaughters and a close knit church family. Always remember GOD is ENOUGH!! I will continue to serve as Pastor of Iron Sharpens Iron, as president of the ILWU Longshore Brotherhood motorcycle club and humbly serve our Union! God Bless the ILWU and let’s continue to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.