Welcome back! 00:00:14.32\00:00:15.35 What is amazing to me about God as I'm listening to Edwin, 00:00:15.39\00:00:18.58 and his testimony, and how God stood him up in Ministry. 00:00:18.62\00:00:21.77 I am just amazed! 00:00:21.81\00:00:23.08 I go to Jeremiah 29:11 which is my favorite text. 00:00:23.11\00:00:25.89 It was my favorite when God did this same thing 00:00:25.92\00:00:28.55 in my life, but when I watch Him over and over and 00:00:28.58\00:00:31.04 over and over again stand someone else up it reminds 00:00:31.08\00:00:33.71 me of this text again because it says, "for I know the 00:00:33.75\00:00:36.35 thoughts that I think towards you says the Lord, 00:00:36.38\00:00:39.60 thoughts of peace and not of evil, and thoughts to 00:00:39.64\00:00:42.83 give you future and a hope. " 00:00:42.86\00:00:44.58 For a lot of kids coming from the streets, 00:00:44.62\00:00:46.69 for a lot of kids coming from gangs and drugs 00:00:46.73\00:00:48.73 and all that stuff, they don't have a future and a hope. 00:00:48.77\00:00:51.64 We don't even think about tomorrow, yet God says I have 00:00:51.68\00:00:54.52 always thought about tomorrow for you. 00:00:54.55\00:00:55.92 I just trust that. 00:00:55.96\00:00:57.58 And Siki I know that you work with Edwin. 00:00:57.61\00:01:00.00 Your story is not like his. 00:01:00.04\00:01:03.72 Yeah in a way! 00:01:03.75\00:01:05.60 Yeah it is so tell us a little bit about where you 00:01:05.64\00:01:08.66 came from and then how you guys joined up. 00:01:08.69\00:01:11.62 I grew up in an Adventist family. 00:01:13.54\00:01:16.28 I thought I knew God. 00:01:16.32\00:01:19.83 I thought I was living what He wants me to do. 00:01:19.87\00:01:25.65 Doing the right thing? 00:01:25.69\00:01:26.66 Doing the right thing! 00:01:26.67\00:01:27.64 Yet I wanted to do my own thing. 00:01:27.65\00:01:31.42 So it wasn't hard for me to choose between those two, 00:01:32.91\00:01:38.52 I chose my way. 00:01:38.56\00:01:39.58 God is so good because after all these years of choosing 00:01:39.61\00:01:46.27 my way, He still gave me another chance to 00:01:46.30\00:01:50.70 realize that my way is not the right way. 00:01:50.74\00:01:55.10 It didn't work! 00:01:55.14\00:01:56.41 When you say you grew up in an Adventist home, 00:01:56.45\00:01:59.02 your foundation was good, you're very bright? 00:01:59.06\00:02:01.94 I don't know about the very bright thing. 00:02:01.98\00:02:04.79 Well I talked with you so I know you are very bright. 00:02:04.82\00:02:10.29 You know I will agree with you in a way because 00:02:10.33\00:02:15.77 I believed that I was number one. 00:02:15.80\00:02:20.04 I did everything just like that. 00:02:20.08\00:02:22.83 Everything was easy for you? 00:02:22.86\00:02:25.54 I was smoking pot when I was 12 and yet the top people 00:02:25.58\00:02:33.89 in my class was just ahead of me by two points. 00:02:33.92\00:02:38.20 An average grade I'm so I thought I was okay. 00:02:41.24\00:02:44.59 So even you using drugs, your folks don't know it 00:02:44.62\00:02:47.94 and you are doing great in school still? 00:02:47.98\00:02:49.50 Oh yeah, I was, even on the last day I stop doing drugs, 00:02:49.54\00:02:55.00 which was like six years ago, I always believed that I 00:02:55.03\00:03:00.45 live the biggest lie ever. 00:03:00.49\00:03:03.80 I was showing something to somebody, like me being a 00:03:03.83\00:03:08.78 physical therapist, I showed everybody that I was the 00:03:08.81\00:03:13.68 best physical therapist and yet I would sneak into the 00:03:13.71\00:03:18.54 bathroom to do my drugs and nobody knew about it. 00:03:18.57\00:03:24.57 For me to lead that kind of life. 00:03:24.61\00:03:26.93 So you had this double life? 00:03:26.96\00:03:28.69 Did you feel like a fraud? 00:03:28.73\00:03:30.21 Did you feel like somehow... 00:03:30.24\00:03:31.69 now looking back yes. 00:03:31.73\00:03:33.25 During those days I thought I was okay, because I didn't 00:03:33.28\00:03:38.65 steal, I didn't kill for my drugs, I was working hard. 00:03:38.68\00:03:44.01 I was getting paid. 00:03:44.05\00:03:45.39 I was using my money. 00:03:45.43\00:03:46.71 I thought I was just doing good. 00:03:46.74\00:03:50.68 What is really interesting and a lot of people don't 00:03:50.71\00:03:53.98 understand is most of the drugs trafficked in the world 00:03:54.02\00:03:57.25 our trafficked by recreational drug users 00:03:57.29\00:04:00.33 that are working full-time. 00:04:00.37\00:04:02.08 And they are looking great. 00:04:02.12\00:04:03.76 So we think it is the gangster that is moving the drugs 00:04:03.79\00:04:06.10 around, more than that, and it is actually the guy 00:04:06.14\00:04:08.30 that is working or a woman that is working. 00:04:08.33\00:04:09.74 I used to believe that it was just a weekend addict, 00:04:09.78\00:04:16.36 I would binge me and my friends would binge on the weekend. 00:04:16.40\00:04:19.16 He grew up to like I said, bringing my stuff to work 00:04:19.19\00:04:23.98 and doing it there every half an hour. 00:04:24.02\00:04:26.60 That I would see another patient and 00:04:26.63\00:04:29.18 do a professional thing. 00:04:29.21\00:04:31.51 I would get away with it. 00:04:31.54\00:04:33.77 When you're habit gets to be like that, no one can 00:04:33.80\00:04:37.66 really tell, I mean you are still looking and not 00:04:37.70\00:04:41.49 shaking, you are not acting crazy, you are pretty much 00:04:41.53\00:04:45.53 doing the amount of drugs you need in order to be 00:04:45.57\00:04:49.00 normal for that day? 00:04:49.04\00:04:50.07 It made my conviction that I am doing good because 00:04:50.11\00:04:53.89 nobody is knowing it. 00:04:53.93\00:04:57.62 I'm working I'm still pulling this off. 00:04:57.66\00:05:00.17 I can still pull it off and I am okay. 00:05:00.20\00:05:02.68 Let's go on. 00:05:02.71\00:05:04.20 I want more. 00:05:04.23\00:05:05.64 So if you are so okay what changed? 00:05:05.68\00:05:07.32 Well there comes a time when you are so high strung 00:05:07.36\00:05:14.12 and then you hear a small voice telling you that you are 00:05:14.15\00:05:20.26 killing yourself and then you do another drug and the 00:05:20.30\00:05:26.38 voice is still there. 00:05:26.41\00:05:28.14 Then you have to somehow... 00:05:28.17\00:05:30.81 it's just God saying Siki you are killing yourself. 00:05:30.85\00:05:33.45 You are destroying every single thing about you. 00:05:35.83\00:05:39.03 Of course, God is so good that He will send people, 00:05:39.06\00:05:43.87 people, people that you hate, people you don't believe 00:05:43.91\00:05:48.24 is in your league, people who you believe are dumb, 00:05:48.27\00:05:53.45 to make you realize that you are wasting yourself. 00:05:53.48\00:05:58.62 For example, I met this guy and I had been doing drugs 00:06:01.53\00:06:07.32 with him and he is so hung up, so drugged out, 00:06:07.35\00:06:12.10 and I was taking my board exam for the physical therapy. 00:06:12.13\00:06:16.01 When I take my boards, I drop off all my drugs 00:06:18.16\00:06:22.47 and pray to God. 00:06:22.51\00:06:23.60 That's right God help me with this test. 00:06:23.63\00:06:26.06 If you make the pass this I'm going to be a pastor, 00:06:26.10\00:06:29.71 I'm going to do whatever You want. 00:06:29.74\00:06:31.25 How can we play God? 00:06:31.29\00:06:33.54 Isn't that a crazy thing that we play Him? 00:06:33.57\00:06:36.16 What is really interesting to me and always has been 00:06:36.19\00:06:38.85 about God, and I think I want to kiss Him on the face 00:06:38.88\00:06:41.50 when I see Him for this. 00:06:41.53\00:06:42.73 Is that He knows we are playing Him and says if you have 00:06:42.77\00:06:45.94 to go through that, go through that. 00:06:45.98\00:06:47.42 I am not leaving you. 00:06:47.46\00:06:48.99 I can even understand that kind of love. 00:06:51.20\00:06:52.95 Because if you played me as often as you played God, 00:06:52.98\00:06:56.38 I would have walked away and said, 00:06:56.41\00:06:57.92 you know what I'm done with you. 00:06:57.96\00:06:59.43 Now that I am a father, I now understand what kind of love 00:07:00.94\00:07:06.82 that is and yet I am man, I'm human. 00:07:06.85\00:07:10.19 I was telling my friends earlier, while we were driving 00:07:10.23\00:07:13.67 here, what more God can do to us, 00:07:13.71\00:07:16.54 how much He really loves me. 00:07:16.58\00:07:17.88 To be long-suffering and patient to me. 00:07:17.92\00:07:21.48 To play Him every day, every minute promising Him if I 00:07:21.51\00:07:26.53 Pass this, if You make me get out of this trouble, 00:07:26.57\00:07:31.55 I'm going to do everything that You want. 00:07:31.59\00:07:33.16 Everything, everything. 00:07:33.19\00:07:35.14 I like it that you said if I pass the state board, 00:07:35.17\00:07:37.30 you get me through this one I'll even be a pastor. 00:07:37.33\00:07:39.43 That is a funny thing that you said to Him. 00:07:39.46\00:07:41.41 The most funniest thing is that after I pass the board exams 00:07:41.45\00:07:44.37 I ended up in the hospital, do you know why? 00:07:44.41\00:07:47.71 No, why? 00:07:47.75\00:07:48.72 Ten days of doing drugs, I was celebrating. 00:07:48.73\00:07:51.00 I was celebrating because for three months I was clean. 00:07:51.04\00:07:55.97 Studying and kneeling down everywhere I can saying 00:07:56.00\00:08:00.95 Lord please I know you will make this happen for me. 00:08:00.98\00:08:05.90 After I passed the test, the first thing I did was 00:08:07.68\00:08:10.56 hooked up again with all my friends and do the same thing. 00:08:10.59\00:08:13.66 Did you hear that voice during that time? 00:08:13.69\00:08:15.31 Oh yeah, oh yeah! 00:08:15.34\00:08:17.32 I thought you told Me you were going to give Me your life? 00:08:19.13\00:08:22.52 Well I'm a physical therapist now, I'll talk to You later. 00:08:22.56\00:08:26.27 I have money now, I have a job, I'm going to be successful, 00:08:26.31\00:08:29.99 I don't need You right now. 00:08:32.13\00:08:33.10 I grew up, like I said, having that kind of mentality that 00:08:35.76\00:08:40.15 I create things around me. 00:08:40.18\00:08:42.25 You set them up so you can break them down 00:08:42.29\00:08:47.31 or put that back again. 00:08:47.34\00:08:49.22 There is no picture of me submitting to God or to be 00:08:49.25\00:08:57.90 more realistic with my mom. 00:08:57.94\00:08:59.71 She was the only one there for us. 00:08:59.75\00:09:03.74 I didn't have a father figure. 00:09:03.78\00:09:06.24 So your mom was a single mom? 00:09:06.28\00:09:08.67 Yes, but she prayed all those years. 00:09:08.71\00:09:11.50 Now she has passed away, but now I believe that her 00:09:11.53\00:09:16.99 prayers, in fact if she was alive right now and she would 00:09:17.02\00:09:21.94 see this segment with you and the things I was doing, 00:09:21.98\00:09:26.87 I'm sure she would drop dead. 00:09:26.90\00:09:29.13 She would weep. 00:09:29.16\00:09:31.50 So don't you want to say to somebody listening, 00:09:31.53\00:09:35.66 if they are mother praying for somebody out partying? 00:09:35.70\00:09:39.34 Keep on praying! 00:09:39.38\00:09:40.78 Never give up, never give up. 00:09:40.82\00:09:42.93 Because even in your drugging you heard that voice. 00:09:47.20\00:09:49.06 It had to be your mom's prayers. 00:09:49.10\00:09:51.03 That voice never let go. 00:09:51.06\00:09:53.65 The thing that drives me now 00:09:53.68\00:09:57.08 is the fact that nobody besides 00:09:57.11\00:10:00.25 my mom really told me to stop. 00:10:00.29\00:10:03.36 There is a better life and I want to be that person right 00:10:03.40\00:10:08.23 now, I want to be that person that would serve God, 00:10:08.27\00:10:11.02 to tell the next person beside me that what you are doing 00:10:11.06\00:10:15.25 is really not good for you. 00:10:15.29\00:10:17.11 It's taking everything, it's destroying you. 00:10:17.15\00:10:21.12 Maybe just maybe it will make an effect on them. 00:10:21.16\00:10:25.06 It may change them I don't know how, just to put a seed. 00:10:25.10\00:10:30.52 Let me say this and you can hit me if I am out of line. 00:10:30.55\00:10:35.02 I can see that you probably were a little arrogant? 00:10:35.06\00:10:39.49 Very, very! 00:10:39.53\00:10:41.24 Very arrogant, and I can do what I want to do. 00:10:41.28\00:10:44.68 I am not getting into anybody's way and I have the money. 00:10:44.72\00:10:48.03 I'm successful and things are happening.. 00:10:48.06\00:10:50.43 So how did you let that go? 00:10:52.19\00:10:55.19 So you hear the voice of God and hearing all that stuff 00:10:55.23\00:10:57.75 but arrogance is a tough one. 00:10:57.79\00:10:59.64 God can get through almost everything else but that is a 00:10:59.68\00:11:02.15 tough one, that pride stuff. 00:11:02.19\00:11:03.66 It was very hard for me, in fact it is my everyday battle. 00:11:03.70\00:11:07.94 It's a thorn in your flesh? 00:11:07.97\00:11:09.70 Yes it's growing up and having everything my way and then 00:11:09.74\00:11:14.85 suddenly giving it up to some body, God who is in the Bible, 00:11:14.89\00:11:20.13 who you cannot see but you know He is doing 00:11:20.16\00:11:24.62 something for you. 00:11:24.65\00:11:25.77 It is very hard and every day is a challenge, giving it up, 00:11:25.81\00:11:30.92 giving it up, giving it up for my friends. 00:11:30.95\00:11:33.26 Okay you speak first, you do it first. 00:11:33.30\00:11:35.57 I watched you do that. 00:11:35.60\00:11:36.57 I watch you and I watched the battle that happened first. 00:11:36.58\00:11:41.15 Then you say, why don't you speak. 00:11:41.18\00:11:44.46 Did you see it this morning? Yes! 00:11:46.39\00:11:48.76 Yes because I want to. 00:11:50.17\00:11:51.51 Exactly I want to praise God. 00:11:51.55\00:11:53.90 I believe I had the best story. 00:11:53.93\00:11:56.25 Me too! 00:11:57.91\00:11:58.88 It is humbling to be a people that has a better story, 00:12:00.41\00:12:07.36 maybe not a better story, but God has time for everything. 00:12:07.40\00:12:14.31 Time for everything so to me to submit to that, 00:12:14.35\00:12:19.66 to really humble myself to do that is exciting. 00:12:19.70\00:12:24.98 I wish we had so much more time. 00:12:27.04\00:12:28.98 When you talk about that, coming to God and not only, 00:12:29.02\00:12:33.44 it sounds like giving up the drugs and binges and that 00:12:33.47\00:12:36.75 kind of thing might have been a little easier then giving 00:12:36.78\00:12:40.02 up it's about me. 00:12:40.06\00:12:42.68 So God is just saying, let's give up some of that stuff and 00:12:42.71\00:12:47.41 let Me teach you how to submit, so what was that like with Him? 00:12:47.44\00:12:52.10 Is there any, when you are talking to somebody that 00:12:52.78\00:12:55.56 says why would I want to do that? 00:12:55.60\00:12:58.03 Anything cool about that? 00:12:58.07\00:12:59.82 Well that is so hard for me to understand first. 00:12:59.85\00:13:06.82 I set myself to understand that God is teaching me right 00:13:08.73\00:13:12.83 now a lesson, an important lesson that unless I will be 00:13:12.86\00:13:16.92 the last, I will not make there. 00:13:16.95\00:13:20.90 Exactly! 00:13:20.94\00:13:22.38 It was the example that He gave me and He is the only One 00:13:22.42\00:13:26.72 that I am looking up to now. 00:13:26.75\00:13:28.24 I love when He says, so weird, but He says humble yourself 00:13:28.28\00:13:32.63 and let Me lift you up because it is different. 00:13:32.66\00:13:35.22 You don't even know what part of you is so cool. 00:13:35.26\00:13:38.54 You think it is cool that you can out smoke someone. 00:13:38.57\00:13:41.78 You know when I was doing it, I always prided myself with 00:13:41.82\00:13:45.61 everybody being knocked out already and I am still the 00:13:45.65\00:13:49.41 voice of the group, I can still drink. 00:13:49.44\00:13:53.34 If everybody is strung out with weed, I would still be 00:13:53.37\00:13:58.66 the last one smoking. 00:13:58.69\00:14:00.31 I would be the last one doing everything. 00:14:00.34\00:14:02.84 If everybody was drunk I would be driving because I 00:14:02.88\00:14:05.47 am not drunk, you guys are drunk, I'm not. 00:14:05.51\00:14:08.06 So unless you had a Breathalyzer, 00:14:08.09\00:14:11.44 with a Breathalyzer you may have been drunk. 00:14:11.48\00:14:15.94 You are just saying that with God He is saying that you 00:14:15.98\00:14:21.66 think that that's cool and I cannot teach you what is 00:14:21.69\00:14:27.30 good about you, what is cool about you, what is cool about 00:14:27.34\00:14:29.60 life until you submit that, because that is twisted. 00:14:29.63\00:14:33.85 I mean you actually were twisted, and I want to untwist 00:14:33.89\00:14:38.07 you and bring healing into your life. 00:14:38.11\00:14:39.66 When you allow God to untwist you, like I am allowing Him 00:14:39.69\00:14:45.08 to untwist me now, you will see wonderful changes. 00:14:45.11\00:14:48.93 It's not, some will be instantaneous, some of them take 00:14:48.97\00:14:55.28 time, and I asked God when is it going to happen? 00:14:55.31\00:14:58.30 I wanted to happen now. 00:14:58.33\00:15:00.19 Like always we want it now. 00:15:00.22\00:15:02.05 With my friends, with my family, with anybody I talk to, 00:15:03.69\00:15:10.87 or make a relationship with. 00:15:10.91\00:15:12.73 Sometimes or most times my being, I'm Siki, I'm going to do 00:15:12.77\00:15:19.74 it my way, sometimes it shows and then I realize that 00:15:19.78\00:15:25.89 to what, you want God in you, 00:15:27.71\00:15:30.39 you want Christ in your life. 00:15:30.42\00:15:33.07 Then submit yourself. 00:15:33.11\00:15:34.68 What is really funny Siki is that it is cool sitting next 00:15:34.72\00:15:41.28 to you and hanging out with you. 00:15:41.31\00:15:42.55 You have such a neat spirit about you. 00:15:42.58\00:15:45.03 I know that is the Spirit of the Lord. 00:15:45.06\00:15:47.43 You know I know that is the God and so what God is saying 00:15:47.47\00:15:51.09 to you and to me or to anybody is that I want to put 00:15:51.12\00:15:55.73 that Spirit in you. 00:15:55.77\00:15:57.12 I want to develop that part of you so when you laugh, 00:15:57.15\00:16:00.19 when you share with people, when you hang out that 00:16:00.22\00:16:02.85 you are really affirming and lifting each other up. 00:16:02.89\00:16:05.17 You are not using each other or playing each other. 00:16:05.21\00:16:07.42 So He is trying to teach us, and we are like these addicts, 00:16:07.46\00:16:10.55 and He is trying to teach us. 00:16:10.59\00:16:11.67 He is trying to teach us that He does have a better way. 00:16:11.71\00:16:14.69 Yes, He has a better way. 00:16:14.73\00:16:16.15 This makes me look back, there were times even when you 00:16:17.53\00:16:21.74 are talking with a group of people and out of drunkenness 00:16:21.78\00:16:25.95 you just talk about God. 00:16:25.98\00:16:27.79 I would always make them, this is God, this is God. 00:16:27.82\00:16:36.42 Because coming from an Adventist family, 00:16:36.46\00:16:39.87 growing up in the Adventist school, 00:16:39.90\00:16:41.78 so I know something but not really the right thing. 00:16:41.82\00:16:46.50 I always thought I could still teach them. 00:16:46.54\00:16:49.66 Now that I'm really trying to know God, how cool is it 00:16:49.69\00:16:55.45 to be here with you, talking with you about these things, 00:16:55.48\00:17:01.20 and with my friends here with the same background. 00:17:01.24\00:17:03.63 Exactly, we are going to open it up to Edwin. 00:17:03.67\00:17:07.39 I want to bring you back in because we are talking about 00:17:07.42\00:17:11.18 what God has done in your life in Siki's life. 00:17:11.22\00:17:14.83 The people that you influence as a group. 00:17:14.87\00:17:19.21 It is funny because you are from different places yet 00:17:19.24\00:17:23.02 God is working with you on the same issue of arrogance 00:17:23.05\00:17:26.80 and pride and those things. 00:17:26.83\00:17:28.35 You guys are both standing up together, 00:17:28.39\00:17:30.62 is that getting in the way ever? 00:17:30.65\00:17:33.03 Well that is so hopeful, that I have somebody next to me 00:17:33.07\00:17:36.51 who I could share my problems with. 00:17:36.54\00:17:38.44 I can talk to him and he can talk to me and we can grow 00:17:38.47\00:17:41.67 in Christ together. 00:17:41.71\00:17:42.77 I am thankful for that. 00:17:42.80\00:17:43.80 It's like you both in the struggle that I saw in his eyes, 00:17:43.83\00:17:47.67 I see that your eyes too. 00:17:47.71\00:17:49.32 What is really funny is that you can be setting next to 00:17:49.35\00:17:51.83 each other and who is going to go first, and they both 00:17:51.86\00:17:54.41 want to, they both looked at each other like you go first. 00:17:54.45\00:17:56.96 Normally I want to go first, and he wants to go first, 00:17:58.32\00:18:00.34 but have to humble ourselves. 00:18:00.37\00:18:03.67 Which is way cool. 00:18:03.71\00:18:05.37 Yeah it is. 00:18:05.41\00:18:06.38 So do you have anything you would like 00:18:06.39\00:18:09.22 to add to Siki's testimony? 00:18:09.25\00:18:10.78 Sometimes I have to thank God because although we make 00:18:13.29\00:18:16.70 many mistakes in our lives, and we do bring about our 00:18:16.74\00:18:20.11 own problems, a lot of people blame it on God but it is 00:18:20.14\00:18:22.66 really our fault, the things that we have done too. 00:18:22.69\00:18:27.25 But I'm thankful that God takes those and twists it and 00:18:27.28\00:18:31.81 He teaches us that through that. 00:18:31.84\00:18:33.57 What I lack in my wisdom He did for him while 00:18:33.61\00:18:38.50 he grew up and taught him so when He puts us together 00:18:38.54\00:18:41.70 what I lack he can supply, what he lacks I can supply 00:18:41.74\00:18:44.87 and that is how we grew together as a church. 00:18:44.90\00:18:47.23 Isn't that incredible? 00:18:47.27\00:18:49.11 I thank God for the problems because He gets me out 00:18:49.15\00:18:52.31 of them and teaches me as He gets me out. 00:18:52.35\00:18:54.63 The next time you stand in that very same spot 00:18:54.67\00:18:57.43 you are stronger. Yeah! 00:18:57.47\00:18:58.58 Well Damien, we have had you on another program, 00:19:01.30\00:19:03.89 but you are a part of this group. 00:19:03.92\00:19:05.06 As you are hearing Edwin and Siki speak what do you 00:19:05.09\00:19:10.40 want to add to that? 00:19:10.43\00:19:11.48 Well it is a wonderful thing to see everybody here 00:19:11.52\00:19:15.02 together. 00:19:15.06\00:19:16.14 What I can add is just this was calling I believe God 00:19:16.17\00:19:21.17 calls me for. 00:19:21.20\00:19:22.67 There is nothing about me but... 00:19:22.70\00:19:24.91 you are the baby of the group? 00:19:24.95\00:19:27.13 Oh really. 00:19:27.16\00:19:28.16 Aren't you, you are like 22. 00:19:29.27\00:19:30.98 Yeah I guess in a sense, but being I guess with 00:19:31.01\00:19:35.24 the youngest age, even though my wife is younger than me, 00:19:35.27\00:19:37.43 I keep them together. 00:19:37.47\00:19:39.30 That is not a high though, I keep them together, 00:19:42.16\00:19:45.01 I'm pretty influential in that, I calling them up. 00:19:45.04\00:19:47.82 I call him and make sure everything is going down right. 00:19:47.85\00:19:50.62 We worked together on that. 00:19:50.66\00:19:53.50 Something I can add about Siki is that he taught me 00:19:53.53\00:19:57.13 practical Christian living. 00:19:57.17\00:19:58.74 Not just sounding good when you speak, it's necessary, 00:19:58.78\00:20:02.42 but actually going out there and doing what you say. 00:20:02.46\00:20:06.36 One time we were at a church and he just said come on 00:20:06.39\00:20:09.75 let's go out there and go to the Journal Square in 00:20:09.79\00:20:12.70 Jersey City and let's bring this bread to some people 00:20:12.74\00:20:15.62 that needed it and we went out there and 00:20:15.65\00:20:17.98 did it without hesitating. 00:20:18.01\00:20:19.29 He was the one that came up and just lead out. 00:20:19.32\00:20:22.29 So you're saying is not just about teaching? 00:20:22.33\00:20:24.90 If you are not daily living what you teach. 00:20:24.94\00:20:27.44 Never, you are an actor, you are reading a script 00:20:27.47\00:20:32.49 that sounds good, but you are not actually living it 00:20:32.52\00:20:37.50 out in your real life and that is a problem. 00:20:37.54\00:20:40.80 That is what he has shown me because some of us 00:20:40.84\00:20:44.07 tend to do that straight off. 00:20:44.10\00:20:45.69 We sound good and we want to go first to speak, 00:20:45.72\00:20:48.98 but at the same time are we really exhibiting those 00:20:49.02\00:20:52.25 characteristics we uplift so high. 00:20:52.28\00:20:54.46 That is so very important. 00:20:54.49\00:20:56.28 The same thing with Edwin to he has taught me a lot of 00:20:56.32\00:20:59.56 things, he brings a lot to the table about his computer 00:20:59.60\00:21:02.81 graphics skills where he designed the website 00:21:02.84\00:21:05.66 and everything. 00:21:05.70\00:21:07.97 So God really knew who he was getting together to just 00:21:08.00\00:21:12.18 keep a tight knit between us and how we use each other's 00:21:12.21\00:21:16.35 talents that He has given us to just become 00:21:16.39\00:21:19.20 this Ministry, Our Higher Calling. 00:21:19.23\00:21:20.72 That is incredible! 00:21:20.76\00:21:22.24 You know what is incredible, thank you Damien, what's 00:21:22.28\00:21:25.50 incredible Siki is as he was saying that you guys are all 00:21:25.53\00:21:28.72 coming from different places but working on the same 00:21:28.76\00:21:33.44 issues and keeping each other accountable as you learn 00:21:33.48\00:21:38.13 to stand up and minister. 00:21:38.17\00:21:40.17 I'm thinking that is so God. 00:21:40.20\00:21:42.13 In fact our most, if I can say this, our most beloved 00:21:42.17\00:21:49.64 topic is Jesus Christ by faith. 00:21:49.67\00:21:51.85 Explain what you mean by that? 00:21:53.78\00:21:55.29 We cannot do anything without Him. 00:21:55.33\00:21:57.69 Everything that we do now is to glorify God. 00:21:57.73\00:22:02.03 Everything that we say, think. 00:22:02.06\00:22:04.09 Let me just say, I am going to come from a kid that, 00:22:04.13\00:22:08.55 I came from 10 years on the street, 00:22:08.58\00:22:11.34 drugs and all that stuff. 00:22:11.38\00:22:12.54 If I would have heard you say that I would have said 00:22:12.58\00:22:14.58 that sounds so lame, what are you talking about? 00:22:14.62\00:22:16.66 So saying in a way that I will not say that. 00:22:16.69\00:22:18.70 Do you know what I mean? 00:22:18.74\00:22:19.71 Because any Christian knows exactly what you just said. 00:22:19.72\00:22:22.11 A non-Christian doesn't. 00:22:22.14\00:22:23.96 A non-Christian person who just like me, because I never 00:22:23.99\00:22:28.39 called myself Christian when I was doing those things. 00:22:28.42\00:22:35.54 The biggest thing that kept me back from it is that it's 00:22:35.58\00:22:42.66 not, you don't see it in most people. 00:22:42.70\00:22:45.65 You hear it but you don't see them doing that. 00:22:45.68\00:22:50.08 So the biggest thing for them is to see it in me. 00:22:50.12\00:22:54.44 So when you hear what they believe about their spirituality 00:22:54.48\00:22:58.31 or what they believe about the Bible, but if you watch 00:22:58.35\00:23:00.46 their life you wouldn't think that they actually. 00:23:00.50\00:23:03.29 My life right now is my biggest testimony. 00:23:03.33\00:23:06.09 Like my brother Damien here said, we can talk the talk 00:23:06.12\00:23:09.95 but do you walk the walk? 00:23:09.99\00:23:12.28 So somebody here is recovering, I am still in recovery. 00:23:12.31\00:23:18.24 Every day of my life I am in recovery from what 00:23:18.27\00:23:20.85 I have done to myself. 00:23:20.88\00:23:22.12 So you are taking care of yourself, you are resting, 00:23:22.16\00:23:24.26 you're eating well and doing all those things that 00:23:24.30\00:23:26.37 you need to do in order to be in recovery? 00:23:26.40\00:23:28.45 You are connecting with God because you believe Him. 00:23:28.48\00:23:31.24 Not because it is the right thing to do, I believe Him. 00:23:31.28\00:23:34.00 I believe He is my life. 00:23:34.04\00:23:35.52 What I am doing right now doesn't earn me anything. 00:23:35.56\00:23:39.45 God doesn't look at me like okay Siki you are much 00:23:39.49\00:23:43.35 better and I'm going to give you this gift. 00:23:43.38\00:23:44.98 Siki you are not doing drugs now, I'll be nicer to you. 00:23:45.02\00:23:51.79 I'll give you a car because, it is not that way! 00:23:51.82\00:23:54.87 And I wish it was I need a car. 00:23:54.90\00:23:57.72 The reason why I'm doing this now, I saw how sinful I was. 00:23:57.75\00:24:02.56 When you realize that these things, which I first taught 00:24:02.60\00:24:07.95 were okay things, normal things, but when you realize 00:24:07.98\00:24:13.30 that it is not that you asked for forgiveness. 00:24:13.33\00:24:17.38 Then realizing, knowing that He has forgiven you, 00:24:17.41\00:24:21.42 then that makes a change. 00:24:21.46\00:24:23.84 That makes you want to do things 00:24:23.88\00:24:27.64 He wants you to do. 00:24:27.68\00:24:28.96 It was a burden to me to go to church before. 00:24:28.99\00:24:32.37 But now I love it. 00:24:32.40\00:24:34.96 It was a burden for me to do good things before. 00:24:34.99\00:24:40.20 But God made it happen to me. 00:24:40.24\00:24:43.58 So when you look at Christ, when you say it is all about 00:24:43.61\00:24:49.72 Christ, what you are saying is that I so saw His character, 00:24:49.76\00:24:53.07 who He was and I know it is good. 00:24:53.10\00:24:57.18 I know that it is right. 00:24:57.21\00:24:58.81 So it is not that I'd just surrendering because it is God, 00:24:58.84\00:25:02.08 I'm surrendering because I saw His character. 00:25:02.11\00:25:03.69 I saw who God is and I believe my life is wrong, it is 00:25:03.73\00:25:08.26 hurtful, is dark, is twisted, and the only way I am 00:25:08.29\00:25:12.79 going to untwist is if I hold on to You. 00:25:12.83\00:25:14.69 Once you realize how much of a lie your life is, then you 00:25:14.72\00:25:21.04 will wonder if they are on another life, is there a flip 00:25:21.08\00:25:27.36 side to this? 00:25:27.39\00:25:28.36 Then if you taste it, you'll never thirst, you will just want 00:25:28.37\00:25:34.87 that, that kind of life. 00:25:34.91\00:25:37.22 I have got to say that I just have been blessed watching 00:25:37.26\00:25:40.55 you work, I've watched you guys work with at-risk youth. 00:25:40.59\00:25:43.85 I watched you stand up and minister to them. 00:25:43.88\00:25:47.16 I've watched you stand up and minister with me when we 00:25:47.19\00:25:50.51 first met, with who you are, and then I watched you keep 00:25:50.55\00:25:53.84 each other accountable in Ministry to each other. 00:25:53.87\00:25:55.83 I want to say don't let anybody get in the way of that 00:25:55.86\00:26:00.18 hold on to God no matter what. 00:26:00.22\00:26:01.53 And thank you for sharing with us. 00:26:01.57\00:26:03.80 It has been amazing. 00:26:03.84\00:26:05.51 We are going to take a break and come back. 00:26:05.54\00:26:08.79 I pray that you have seen the difference in these two 00:26:08.83\00:26:14.46 testimonies and how God individually stepped in. 00:26:14.50\00:26:18.60 He didn't look at them as two separate, 00:26:18.64\00:26:20.82 it didn't look at them as the same person, 00:26:20.86\00:26:22.01 or that I'm going to come in with all the same stuff. 00:26:22.05\00:26:25.39 God came to Edwin in a certain way. 00:26:25.43\00:26:27.65 God came to Siki in a certain way and every single 00:26:27.68\00:26:30.53 day when their needs come up, He specifically, 00:26:30.56\00:26:33.37 individually meets those needs. 00:26:33.41\00:26:35.26 I love that about Him because I feel like that is the 00:26:35.29\00:26:37.88 same in my life and I know it's good to be 00:26:37.92\00:26:39.52 the same in your life. 00:26:39.55\00:26:40.52 We will be right back! Stay with us! 00:26:40.53\00:26:41.66