It came as a surprise after speaking at a San Diego prison ministry banquet dinner when Marty Angelo received a special recognition award.

Contact: Marty Angelo, Once Life Matters Ministries, 805-405-8174

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- It is not every day when a prison minister gets the chance to speak at a social event. Therefore, when an offer came asking prison minister Marty Angelo to be the keynote speaker at the Nov. 11th dinner banquet held at the Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon California Angelo really didn't know what he was getting himself into when he accepted.

"It is not every day that I get a call to speak outside of prisons, rehabs and courtrooms." Angelo remarked. "My ministry is mainly conducted behind the scenes so I felt very honored and humbled when my phone rang a few months ago and it was Thomas Heyer coordinator for the church's annual banquet inviting me to be this year's keynote speaker."

According to Angelo the event went far beyond his wildest expectations. There were over 150 people in attendance all with the same passion of wanting to help those incarcerated in the local, state and federal prisons in the San Diego area.

"There were so many exciting testimonies of God's saving grace, mercy and love that I didn't want the evening to end." Angelo continues. "The event's agenda was filled with people who were so deeply touched and changed through Shadow Mountain's prison ministry that by the time I got up there to speak, I felt so blessed by their stories I almost just wanted to close the event in prayer and leave my speech for another day."

A big surprise came after Angelo finished his key note address and he was asked to return to the podium by Thomas Heyer and Angelo's former Prison Fellowship Ministries supervisor Marcial Felan. They presented him with a special recognition award for his 30 years of prison ministry service. Angelo was stunned when he accepted the plaque that read: "To Marty Angelo -- In appreciation for your faithful and tireless efforts in ministering to inmates, ex-offenders, and all those impacted by incarceration, resulting in countless lives yielded to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Marty Angelo started in fulltime ministry back in 1981 after his electrifying conversion to Christianity. He is author of the life-changing book, "Once Life Matters."

Please see martyangelo.com/san_diego.htm for more information.