Hollywood Veteran Erik Estrada on Importance of Loving Your Neighbor Well

Actor Erik Estrada has come full circle in his acting career. Best known for his role as Frank Poncherello (Ponch) on the hit 1970’s television series CHiPS, the 76-year-old Brooklyn, New York native actually began his acting career at age 19 in an early faith-based movie, The Cross and the Switchblade.

Over the years, he has acted in more than 170 movies and television shows, but he feels his latest project might be the most important. Streaming now on UPtv Faith & Family, Divine Renovation: Destination New England provides home enhancement and spiritual uplift to families in need as neighbors, churches, and businesses join in the restoration effort. Now in its second season, Estrada and friends venture to rural Connecticut where they assist and provide improvements to a service-dog training facility, a local food shelter, and the home of a quadriplegic child that desperately needs to be made handicap accessible.

While not the type of programming that brought Estrada fame and fortune nearly 50 years ago, Divine Renovation has provided him with something that money can’t buy: a way to bless others as God has blessed him.

I recently sat down with the gregarious Estrada to discuss how small fixes can create big miracles, why it is important to focus on themes of compassion and loving your neighbor well, and who benefits the most from helping others.

If you were trying to convince a friend to take the time to watch an episode of Divine Renovation: Destination New England what would you say to encourage them? What would your sales pitch be?

This show is good for your soul. It will really just make you feel all around good and emotional, and you might think of Jesus and God, having faith and having hope.

Also, to see the happiness of people like a special needs child getting a ramp for their home. Or a guy with PTSD getting a trained dog that will help him along. It's beautiful to see the smiles and the happiness in the eyes of people. I do it because I know it's good for my soul and because I figured God is working on me indirectly and quietly. My first movie when I was 19 years old, was The Cross and the Switchblade. I played Nicky in that. It was the first major Christian type movie of its kind. And it's a true story. Nicky, who I played, is still bringing people to the Lord. He's still out there banging it out. And David Wilkerson, of course. He has passed away but he had a beautiful ministry on Broadway in New York.

Before we dig into the show a bit, I understand that Divine Renovation’s motto is “small fixes can make big miracles”.  From your perspective, what does that mean for you?

Well, let's take for instance, the Munn family and the two episodes we shot in Torrington, Connecticut. These episodes were pertaining to a police officer's family. They have a son who has a really odd debilitation going on that has forced him into a wheelchair. We got the company 101 Mobility, who builds aluminum ramps that are removable and movable to different locations, to take on this case. We were able to give them a beautiful ramp. And then this child has to be carried into the bathroom. So, we built a track on the ceiling to take him from his bedroom on a hoist all the way to a redone bathroom, bigger, safer, more accessible, and easy.

We do things like that. That's for starters. Then we have a homeless shelter that’s also a food pantry. And so, we fixed their kitchen floor, which was shot. We fixed the outdoor steps and we provided a flagpole for an American flag. That really pleased some homeless veterans there. And it was wonderful to see their faces when we put up the American flag. When it was finished we had a salute from the local veterans organizations. And to see those people just look up, hands on their heart, and saluting the flag was beautiful. It’s just things like that. If you're not there, you're never going to see it. So we film it and we want the world to see it. Our hope is that a lot of good will come out of it.

This show seems to focus on themes that highlight stories of strength, courage, enduring love and resilience. Why is it so important to show these types of themes based on the world we are living in these days?

Look at your options. If you want to watch TV now, you’ve got to watch it with your remote control in your hand. Because if you turn on a channel, you don't know what you're going to see and what you're going to hear. You’ve got to be ready to switch channels, because nowadays, television has changed quite a bit in what it is putting out there. This is the type of show that you could park your kids and the family in front of and just sit and watch. You will walk away with a smile and possibly tears in your eyes. You'll be happy.

Personally, what do you find most satisfying about doing this show?

That it makes me feel good. And I know that it's good for my soul. I think it's something that the Lord wants me to do, period. You know, all you’ve got to do is ask Him to point you in the right direction. And if you are quiet enough, you'll hear what it is and you'll do it. He gave me what I wanted when I was 19. My first movie was a Christian movie, a landmark movie. And today, He's leading me around doing things like this.

In filming these episodes, did you learn anything new about people and their capacity to make a difference that you never realized before? Something that really warmed your heart?

The fact that when you're doing something that they couldn't do for themselves because of financial or physical purposes, you bring it to them, to see the glow in the eyes, the smile, the shyness, or the shining of their face with gratitude. It brings out the humility in them. That's a beautiful quality to have. Humility.

And to see all that, it's really nice. You’ve got to be there to see it. You see it on their face, and see them shine and glow like a light bulb. There are a lot of people out there who really want to do good. There are a lot of people that want goodness, and they get something good done to them, and they'll pass it on. They'll pay it forward.

Anybody that ever gets tapped by God will do something from that day on to pay it forward so that they expose somebody else to getting tapped by the Lord.

After people have had a chance to watch an episode or hopefully the entire series of Divine Renovation: New England, what would you like to see people get out of that viewing experience? What is the greatest hope for the show?

It's really simple. It's okay to do good for others. When you see a first responder, it’s ok to say good morning. Good afternoon. How's your day? We should make it a priority to be open, to be kind, to be warm instead of pointing your finger and judging people and criticizing them. And it's good to throw good positive vibes at people instead of negativity. That’s our goal with the show.

Divine Renovation: Destination New England is available to stream right now. For more information, please visit UPtv Faith & Family.

WATCH A TRAILER FOR DIVINE RENOVATION: DESTINATION NEW ENGLAND: