Hi, I'm Arthur Nowlin.
00:00:01.06\00:00:02.44
And today, I'm sitting in--
right here, the driver seat.
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Usually this seat
is especially for Kim.
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But today Kim
is in another seat.
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She is being
interviewed today by me.
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Now that's gonna be exciting
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and I'm sure it's
gonna be interesting
00:00:19.91\00:00:21.89
to every one of you today.
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So let's get started.
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Once again I'm Arthur Nowlin
00:00:26.83\00:00:28.85
and welcome to "Making it Work."
00:00:28.88\00:00:31.37
Kim.
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Hey, how're you doing?
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How you feel in
this seat? I feel good.
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I remembering you were
in this seat last season.
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Yes. And now I'm in this seat.
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Well, I feel
good. I feel blessed.
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Really? Okay.
Well, that's great.
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You know,
insurmountable favor. Yes.
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You know, we've been talking
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about this for
quite a while now.
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Yes.
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And you know, I must say that
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I think the Lord is definitely
providing not only you
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but both of us with
insurmountable favor.
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Indeed, yes, He has.
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And I think one of the reasons
for this tremendous favor
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that we're receiving is faith.
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Yes.
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And you know, a lot of
times I think I rely on you
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because I know that
your faith is steadfast
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and some days I
may get a little wary
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because I'm-- I think
my emotions may step in.
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But faith is what we live on.
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Faith is what we thrive on.
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So with all the things
that had transpiring your past,
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let's get started
with some of the things
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that may be affected you
from your family or origin.
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Let's move from
there to another point
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and then to another.
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Well, I was born and
raised in Detroit, Michigan.
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I'm a native of Detroiter,
Detroit Public Schools.
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Also I attended the Seventh-day
Adventist School system.
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And from there I went
on to boarding school,
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Adelphian Academy
in Holly, Michigan,
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a Seventh-day Adventist Academy.
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From there I earned
my high school diploma
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and I'm average student.
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School did not come easy for me.
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I was diagnosed
at a very early age
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with speech
impediments and also ADHD.
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I was constantly
getting in trouble in school.
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I was bored a lot.
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I was-- I felt I was not at
that time challenged enough.
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So I was always the one
creating new activities,
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creating things
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and the teachers would
have a difficult time with me.
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So my parents spent
some-- some time at the school.
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Even at Adelphian Academy?
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No, once I got to
Adelphian Academy I had some--
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I had some
fights, I had some issues,
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but I would never
start those fights,
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those were brought to me
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and I felt like I
had to protect myself.
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But I found myself constantly
in an aggressive situation,
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aggressive mode and I
didn't understand why?
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Okay, so what do you
think even though you say,
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you didn't understand,
what was your reason?
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What made you believe
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that you were just
aggressive towards people?
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Well, one of the things
was my parents got divorced
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I was 12-years-old and I
saw a lot of violence, right.
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My father was a very--
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he was a-- first of all
my father was a alcoholic
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and I didn't know
that for a long, long time.
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Matter of fact, you
brought that to my attention
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as a substance
abuse because I felt like,
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you know, I didn't have
substance abusers in my family
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and you say, Kim,
your father was a alcoholic
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and it really
stunned me, you know,
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and I was like oh, my goodness.
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So when my father drank alcohol
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he became very
abusive toward my mother.
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And I would be in my bedroom
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trying to hide
the sounds and noise
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with a pillow over my
head and it was very difficult.
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But in spite of it all
I still love my father,
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I was very, very
drawn to my father,
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close to my father.
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I love my father very much.
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And so in spite
of what you heard,
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you felt that you
had to do something
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to eliminate some of these
feelings that you're feeling.
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Yeah, it came out
in a negative way,
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but also I became OCD
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in the process on
Over Compulsive Disorder.
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My father was neat--
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my mother ran a very neat home
until this started to happen.
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And I felt that if my dad
saw how clean I kept the home
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because I took over
the household at 12, 13.
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I was the oldest
daughter and so I started,
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I said well, if I
do all these things,
00:05:03.92\00:05:05.95
daddy will come
home, daddy will come home.
00:05:05.98\00:05:08.12
But daddy never came home.
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My dad remarried.
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He moved a few blocks away,
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but the stepmother
didn't want us around.
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She didn't care for
him having children.
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So we never were really loved.
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My brother Kirk, he
would go over and visit
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but we didn't, you know.
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And my mother was
very, very still healing
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from that situation.
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His marriage to her
didn't last too long
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and then he met someone else
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and she was very
kind to us, very loving.
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She opened her home to us.
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So that's when I began
to really start going over
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visiting more with my father.
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In the process
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you say on many occasions
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that you felt that
you were like your dad.
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Yes, I was--
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I looked a lot like my
father and his body frame,
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but I my father is a
risk taker, very aggressive.
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My father was a close horse
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but yeah, I love that
about my day the way he dressed.
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Especially I
recognize Friday night's,
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I was why is daddy so
sharp on Friday night?
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Well, that was payday.
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You know, my daddy
worked at the plant in Detroit
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and get sharp Friday
night and he would hang out,
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and go and I didn't know
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but I just thought you
know, but my mom, we were--
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she was a Seventh-day Adventist
so mom is home on the Sabbath.
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But she's still trying
to keep the family together.
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So, but daddy would come home,
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it will be very late and then
the disturbances will begin.
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Okay, so and that affected you?
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Yes, it did because I felt that
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you know, my
dad-- it wasn't my dad,
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you know, my dad
couldn't do anything wrong,
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my dad didn't do anything wrong.
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And my mother never
said anything to me or--
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yeah, I don't think
any of the other children.
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But I never suspected,
you know, substance abuse.
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I didn't know what
substance abuse was
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because we didn't talk
about it in the church.
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So I never heard
the term substance abuse
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and I didn't hear the
term domestic violence.
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So but, no, my dad you
know, he could do no wrong.
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He could do no wrong
in my eyes, he could not.
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But at one point when dad left
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and you took on
responsibilities of the home,
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you start cleaning
up on a regular basis.
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Something else was
going on at that point
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you know, it became--you became
so obsessed with cleanliness.
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Yes. That also--
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It kind of alienated
you from your siblings
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and from your
mom to some extent.
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Yes, it did because
I was-- I was such a--
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I was such a individual
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who had everything
in order at all times.
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And I remember my mom
would be reading the newspapers,
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she would go take a phone call,
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when she would
come back to newspaper
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would be put back in order.
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She was like I'm reading it
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and I say, well, mommy
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why did you leave the
paper all over the place?
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Can't you read
section by section?
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Well, that's the way she read it
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and it would disturb me.
00:08:00.89\00:08:02.43
And then I would clean one room
00:08:02.46\00:08:04.17
and it would be
messed up another room,
00:08:04.20\00:08:06.46
and I said to myself,
00:08:06.49\00:08:07.80
okay, I did not start
become very aggressive,
00:08:07.83\00:08:10.93
very angry, and I began to
alienate myself for my siblings
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because I-- I begin to
think I'm better than they are,
00:08:14.52\00:08:17.12
I'm cleaner than
they are, I'm organized,
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I'm all that in a
bag of chips, all right.
00:08:19.54\00:08:22.48
Well, but that was
motivation for you.
00:08:22.51\00:08:24.22
It was extreme motivation for me
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because I knew that I
was-- in my mind superior.
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And that I
wanted superior things,
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I wanted to
achieve superior things
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and I knew the
way my home would be
00:08:33.69\00:08:36.36
and the things I
wanted for my life.
00:08:36.39\00:08:38.17
So this is what you
had anticipated that,
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when you had the opportunity
to move into your own home,
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that it was going to
be set up a certain way,
00:08:45.10\00:08:48.44
and you knew that
wouldn't be destroyed
00:08:48.47\00:08:51.16
and we could put things
the way you wanted them to stay
00:08:51.19\00:08:54.15
and so do you anticipated that?
00:08:54.18\00:08:56.88
Oh, definitely but it
started even before that
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my first place by myself.
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But it's started
at boarding school.
00:09:01.41\00:09:03.79
Okay.
00:09:03.82\00:09:04.85
And having all the rooms
and I would go and I would
00:09:04.88\00:09:07.22
earn money by
keeping all the rooms clean
00:09:07.25\00:09:10.54
from the
students who had live in
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more finances and more
financially stable than I was.
00:09:13.23\00:09:17.76
And they didn't know--
00:09:17.79\00:09:19.17
So you were getting
paid to be housekeeper or--
00:09:19.20\00:09:20.35
Oh, yes.
00:09:20.38\00:09:21.42
And I would go from room
to room before room check.
00:09:21.45\00:09:24.46
You know, do you want
me to clean your room?
00:09:24.49\00:09:25.85
Do you need me to do
this? Do you need me to do that?
00:09:25.88\00:09:27.77
Kim, can you come
over. I got it, I got it.
00:09:27.80\00:09:30.09
So this thing was
really getting big
00:09:30.12\00:09:32.00
but you have turned it around.
00:09:32.03\00:09:33.27
And I made money.
Yeah, you were making money.
00:09:33.30\00:09:35.37
I became an entrepreneur
at a very early age.
00:09:35.40\00:09:37.96
Yes.
00:09:37.99\00:09:39.07
Very early age and my mom had me
00:09:39.10\00:09:41.46
in different job core
program, not the job core
00:09:41.49\00:09:44.94
but different
programs to help me
00:09:44.97\00:09:47.51
to become an entrepreneur.
00:09:47.54\00:09:50.10
She saw that skill in me
00:09:50.13\00:09:52.49
and she put me
in ceramic programs,
00:09:52.52\00:09:56.04
how to make ceramics,
00:09:56.07\00:09:57.10
I have my own
business when I was 16.
00:09:57.13\00:09:59.83
And I had a ceramic business.
00:09:59.86\00:10:01.25
So people were
buying things from you?
00:10:01.28\00:10:02.91
Yes, they were
buying things and my mother
00:10:02.94\00:10:04.44
would get the orders
while I was away at school.
00:10:04.47\00:10:07.13
I'll come home
during the Christians
00:10:07.16\00:10:08.25
break or weekend
00:10:08.28\00:10:09.52
and I would make the
orders and deliver the order.
00:10:09.55\00:10:11.93
So you were pretty
talented? I like to say so.
00:10:11.96\00:10:14.39
Okay, did you keep
any of those things?
00:10:14.42\00:10:16.27
Oh, yes, I still
have some of those things
00:10:16.30\00:10:17.41
till this day.
00:10:17.44\00:10:18.47
Oh, great. Yes.
That's fantastic.
00:10:18.50\00:10:21.22
Another thing,
okay, in a process
00:10:21.25\00:10:23.60
you're
graduating from high school.
00:10:23.63\00:10:25.14
Yes. Then you're
moving on to college.
00:10:25.17\00:10:27.42
Yes. How did you
matriculate into college?
00:10:27.45\00:10:30.78
Well, I went to
community college
00:10:30.81\00:10:32.32
because I was
again diagnosed ADHD.
00:10:32.35\00:10:35.52
I had a learning
disability, but my mom was
00:10:35.55\00:10:39.52
very encouraging,
my dad wasn't really
00:10:39.55\00:10:41.36
in the forefront
with our education.
00:10:41.39\00:10:43.59
But she definitely
want me to go on to school
00:10:43.62\00:10:47.17
but she didn't want
me go to away to school,
00:10:47.20\00:10:48.71
she is very concerned.
00:10:48.74\00:10:50.35
So I attended the
community college and I took
00:10:50.38\00:10:53.25
my first three or four classes.
00:10:53.28\00:10:54.74
And I remember one
class in my Speech 101 class,
00:10:54.77\00:10:57.89
I was so impressed because
I got involved with debate
00:10:57.92\00:11:01.65
in the academy and I started
winning the debate competitions
00:11:01.68\00:11:05.73
and speech competition.
00:11:05.76\00:11:07.19
Well, my speech class they'd,
00:11:07.22\00:11:09.74
they had closing party
at the professor's house
00:11:09.77\00:11:12.84
and he had a
waterbed and I was 17
00:11:12.87\00:11:16.10
and I had to get my
mom's permission to go.
00:11:16.13\00:11:18.36
And two other older ladies said,
00:11:18.39\00:11:20.44
we would look after her
and it was like you know,
00:11:20.47\00:11:23.75
nothing in appropriate happened,
00:11:23.78\00:11:25.23
but I was like these
are adults and I never been
00:11:25.26\00:11:27.85
around any adults other
then Seventh-day Adventists.
00:11:27.88\00:11:30.77
Okay.
00:11:30.80\00:11:31.87
And so that was a wakening
to attend community college
00:11:31.90\00:11:35.81
and-- and
associate with older people.
00:11:35.84\00:11:39.53
And it was a rude awakening
that they were more people
00:11:39.56\00:11:43.74
in this world
than inside my church.
00:11:43.77\00:11:45.84
Okay, so that was
something interesting.
00:11:45.87\00:11:48.19
That was very interesting
to me because my mother kept us
00:11:48.22\00:11:50.50
very well protected.
00:11:50.53\00:11:52.78
And where is God in all of this?
00:11:52.81\00:11:55.06
Well, I'm going to
church, I'm upholding
00:11:55.09\00:11:57.59
what God needs me to do, I'm--
00:11:57.62\00:11:59.07
I love church, I love my pastor.
00:11:59.10\00:12:01.67
You know, when I
was a little girl
00:12:01.70\00:12:02.74
from ages of 10 to 18
Pastor Marshall T Kelly
00:12:02.77\00:12:06.18
was my pastor.
00:12:06.21\00:12:07.52
And to coming to
church in the 11o'clock hour
00:12:07.55\00:12:09.72
to hear it takes
everything to serve the Lord.
00:12:09.75\00:12:12.64
I mean, in-- and He
stayed with me all my life.
00:12:12.67\00:12:16.31
So you-- you're
rooted? I'm rooted.
00:12:16.34\00:12:18.66
Rooted in the church,
going to Sabbath dinner,
00:12:18.69\00:12:22.14
Saturday's after church
to my Grandmother Pauline's
00:12:22.18\00:12:24.93
house with all the
cousins and the aunt's.
00:12:24.96\00:12:28.14
It was just
something we look forward to.
00:12:28.17\00:12:30.16
It was wonderful.
Okay, we're moving on.
00:12:30.19\00:12:32.82
After you
graduated from high school
00:12:32.85\00:12:35.29
and you started in
a community college.
00:12:35.32\00:12:37.78
Started in a
community college and I did that
00:12:37.81\00:12:39.55
for a year and
then I matriculated
00:12:39.58\00:12:42.04
on to Oakwood University.
00:12:42.07\00:12:43.48
You know, feeling that you still
00:12:43.51\00:12:45.06
had insurmountable favor?
00:12:45.09\00:12:47.13
Favor, you
know, and I knew God--
00:12:47.16\00:12:49.11
But you had
opportunity to go to college.
00:12:49.14\00:12:50.78
Yes, I have the
opportunity that BOG grant
00:12:50.81\00:12:53.05
and I was gonna use a grant.
00:12:53.08\00:12:55.58
And I didn't take advantage
that but I did not want
00:12:55.61\00:12:59.32
to attend Oakwood.
00:12:59.35\00:13:00.62
I wanted to go to the
school of the prophet.
00:13:00.65\00:13:02.64
I want to sit and
listen to E. E. Cleveland
00:13:02.67\00:13:05.72
and I wanted to
hear the different
00:13:05.75\00:13:09.51
professors talk about
the Great Controversy.
00:13:09.54\00:13:14.01
But also I wanted
to have the experience
00:13:14.04\00:13:15.62
of a national to go to
historical black college.
00:13:15.65\00:13:18.82
Okay, so you had
that opportunity?
00:13:18.85\00:13:21.82
I had that
opportunity. It's phenomenal.
00:13:21.85\00:13:23.43
It was there with the
best four years of my life
00:13:23.46\00:13:27.34
to you know as I did
five years of college.
00:13:27.37\00:13:29.03
Okay.
00:13:29.06\00:13:30.11
And if I had to
do it all over again
00:13:30.14\00:13:32.85
it was the best--
00:13:32.88\00:13:33.91
great friends, great experience.
00:13:33.94\00:13:35.97
I had
opportunity to be the reader
00:13:36.00\00:13:37.75
for Dr, Henry Wright,
00:13:37.78\00:13:40.08
Pastor Kelly into be
in the chaplain there,
00:13:40.11\00:13:41.90
so he was there.
00:13:41.93\00:13:44.01
All the great
prophets to see C.D Brooks
00:13:44.04\00:13:46.60
to walk the
campus and Elder Bradford
00:13:46.63\00:13:48.86
to walk to campus and walk up
00:13:48.89\00:13:50.88
to him and St. Richard I mean--
00:13:50.91\00:13:52.64
You see these are real, well,
ridged speakers and pastors.
00:13:52.67\00:13:57.80
These are the
prophets. And leaders.
00:13:57.83\00:13:59.03
Yes. Okay.
00:13:59.06\00:14:00.09
And we were right
there to see them,
00:14:00.12\00:14:02.48
it was just amazing.
00:14:02.51\00:14:03.54
Okay. You know.
00:14:03.57\00:14:04.60
Moving on to
college you eventually--
00:14:04.63\00:14:08.24
are you going
to not only Oakwood
00:14:08.27\00:14:10.81
but you went to A&M.
00:14:10.84\00:14:11.90
Alabama A&M
00:14:11.93\00:14:13.01
because I was in the
speech pathology program.
00:14:13.04\00:14:14.89
Okay.
00:14:14.92\00:14:15.95
And they worked out a
program where I could be
00:14:15.98\00:14:17.93
a co-up soon to
go to both schools,
00:14:17.96\00:14:20.78
so that I can
complete my degree.
00:14:20.81\00:14:22.86
And I thank God
for Dr. Mervin Moran
00:14:22.89\00:14:25.81
and Dr. McDonald, Mrs. McDonald
00:14:25.85\00:14:28.20
for opening that
door in that relationship,
00:14:28.23\00:14:30.42
with Alabama A&M.
00:14:30.45\00:14:31.65
Insurmountable favor.
00:14:31.68\00:14:32.94
Insurmountable favor
and I just recently saw
00:14:32.97\00:14:34.96
the McDonald's not too long ago
in Huntsville and I thank them,
00:14:34.99\00:14:38.69
every time I see them
because I would not have
00:14:38.72\00:14:42.02
this education
and the opportunity
00:14:42.05\00:14:43.83
if they did not
take a risk on me.
00:14:43.86\00:14:45.83
So eventually you
got your bachelors?
00:14:45.86\00:14:47.79
Got my bachelor's
degree and it was exciting,
00:14:47.82\00:14:51.15
and then I started
to come back to my state
00:14:51.18\00:14:53.28
because I had to do another part
00:14:53.31\00:14:54.69
of my speech pathology program.
00:14:54.72\00:14:56.46
I had to do a practicum.
00:14:56.49\00:14:57.71
Okay, so now we're back home?
00:14:57.74\00:14:59.20
We're back home, I came
back home finished all of that
00:14:59.23\00:15:02.91
and then I got into
the grad school program.
00:15:02.94\00:15:04.59
Okay, in the meantime
while you're getting into this
00:15:04.62\00:15:08.18
grad school, you were
still experiencing life.
00:15:08.21\00:15:11.65
Yes.
00:15:11.68\00:15:12.72
You did some things
that you enjoyed doing
00:15:12.75\00:15:16.04
such as skating.
00:15:16.07\00:15:17.19
I went skating, I went
to different activities
00:15:17.22\00:15:21.06
still involved
with the church choir.
00:15:21.09\00:15:23.91
And still doing responsible
at home and I worked.
00:15:23.94\00:15:26.32
I worked every
opportunity, temporary services,
00:15:26.35\00:15:29.34
I believed in work.
00:15:29.37\00:15:31.26
I had the-- we
were taught to work.
00:15:31.29\00:15:33.35
Okay, now in process of
you going to the skating rink,
00:15:33.38\00:15:38.88
you met somebody.
00:15:38.91\00:15:40.18
I met someone, yes,
00:15:40.21\00:15:41.54
I did and it
changed my life, you know.
00:15:41.57\00:15:45.38
I fell in love, okay,
at 17, 18 but my mother
00:15:45.41\00:15:50.68
was not gonna hear of
it, was not gonna have it.
00:15:50.71\00:15:53.84
So she couldn't wait to
shift me back to Oakwood
00:15:53.87\00:15:57.58
and that was when I
was going back and forth.
00:15:57.61\00:15:59.07
I met this
person when I was 17, 18
00:15:59.10\00:16:01.81
during the summer break.
00:16:01.84\00:16:03.27
And my mother was
not gonna have him
00:16:03.30\00:16:05.09
because she didn't want
anyone to interrupt my--
00:16:05.12\00:16:08.83
during my goals in life.
00:16:08.86\00:16:11.26
But it was still hear my heart,
00:16:11.29\00:16:13.50
but I went back and I
have friends at Oakwood,
00:16:13.53\00:16:16.27
I dated at Oakwood
and but still that person
00:16:16.30\00:16:21.15
was always in my heart.
00:16:21.18\00:16:22.30
Well, you still
continue relationships
00:16:22.33\00:16:23.73
from those guys there.
00:16:23.76\00:16:25.21
Oh, still have
good relationships.
00:16:25.24\00:16:26.71
And some of the
roommates that you had.
00:16:26.74\00:16:28.62
Oh, we still interact, I
just recently saw my college
00:16:28.65\00:16:30.77
roommate at our camp meeting
that we convened every year
00:16:30.80\00:16:34.36
at Cassopolis
and she surprised me.
00:16:34.39\00:16:37.09
And she was there
and I'd seen Erin about--
00:16:37.12\00:16:40.21
I know over 10 years.
So you are about 23, 24.
00:16:40.24\00:16:44.34
No, I'm not-- yeah
I was say 22, 23. Yes.
00:16:44.37\00:16:48.01
Yes, and you're back home
and in a process of meeting
00:16:48.04\00:16:51.46
somebody you
develop a relationship.
00:16:51.49\00:16:53.26
I develop a relation
with the same person and I'm--
00:16:53.29\00:16:56.64
I've getting my
masters degree and I'm getting
00:16:56.67\00:17:02.62
enrolled into the PhD
program and we began to
00:17:02.65\00:17:07.27
build a relationship.
00:17:07.30\00:17:08.62
Okay. Yes.
00:17:08.65\00:17:09.71
What happen out
of that relationship?
00:17:09.74\00:17:11.14
Out of that relationship
was disobedience to God,
00:17:11.17\00:17:15.42
disobedience to my
mother, but a child came forth.
00:17:15.45\00:17:20.36
And a decision had to be made
00:17:20.39\00:17:23.18
whether or not I
was going to keep her
00:17:23.21\00:17:27.66
and I made up
my mind before hand
00:17:27.69\00:17:30.23
that I was not
going to keep her.
00:17:30.26\00:17:33.28
So that must have been
really devastating for you
00:17:33.31\00:17:35.64
and your family.
00:17:35.67\00:17:38.34
For me, no,
because at the time I was--
00:17:38.37\00:17:40.77
I was in a selfish mode,
I didn't have room for this.
00:17:40.80\00:17:44.38
So to me it was not
going to be interruption,
00:17:44.41\00:17:46.90
it was not a
problem and I had not told
00:17:46.93\00:17:49.78
a lot of my family
members, they didn't know.
00:17:49.81\00:17:52.30
And so it was kept
a secret, you know.
00:17:52.33\00:17:55.35
So how long did that continue,
00:17:55.38\00:17:57.88
where the rest of the family
didn't know what was going on?
00:17:57.91\00:18:00.60
About three months. Okay.
00:18:00.63\00:18:02.68
Three months.
00:18:02.71\00:18:04.04
I went up to
where she was to sign
00:18:04.07\00:18:06.94
the final adoption papers
and I felt career comfortable
00:18:06.97\00:18:11.19
because one my former
teachers could not conceive
00:18:11.22\00:18:15.88
and I found out
they wanted to adopt
00:18:15.91\00:18:18.13
and I felt very safe and I said,
00:18:18.16\00:18:20.15
this will be a
good place to place her
00:18:20.18\00:18:22.04
and I would know where she was.
00:18:22.07\00:18:24.03
But when I went in to
sign the papers three times,
00:18:24.06\00:18:29.02
a cry came from her voice.
00:18:29.05\00:18:31.09
Three times and it
was like a mother's cry
00:18:31.12\00:18:36.37
and I put the pen down,
00:18:36.40\00:18:38.71
and the woman that was
going to adopt her say,
00:18:38.74\00:18:40.89
go and look at her be sure,
00:18:40.92\00:18:43.15
be sure and
when I looked at her,
00:18:43.18\00:18:45.03
I picked her up and I
walk through the living room
00:18:45.06\00:18:49.08
and I said to them,
I'm bringing my baby home,
00:18:49.11\00:18:51.97
I'm taking her home with me.
00:18:52.00\00:18:53.99
So now we're talking about
some really drastic changes
00:18:54.02\00:18:57.79
that are about to be
implemented in your home.
00:18:57.82\00:19:02.61
In my home with my
family and the church
00:19:02.64\00:19:05.43
because remember
a lot of my family
00:19:05.46\00:19:08.09
really no one
knew, no one really knew,
00:19:08.12\00:19:10.48
my mom, my father did not
know, my brother did not know,
00:19:10.51\00:19:15.85
my cousin Karen did not
know, we're very close to.
00:19:15.88\00:19:20.24
And because I've been an example
00:19:20.27\00:19:23.07
and a role model in
her life how do I tell her
00:19:23.10\00:19:25.61
that her oldest
cousin has had a child?
00:19:25.64\00:19:29.07
And it was really interesting
00:19:29.10\00:19:31.28
how she found out she called me.
00:19:31.31\00:19:32.89
I was talking to
the-- on the phone with her
00:19:32.92\00:19:35.34
and she heard, Micha
cry, she said what is that--
00:19:35.37\00:19:41.13
and she said, is that a baby?
00:19:41.16\00:19:42.79
And I said, yes.
00:19:42.82\00:19:45.31
She said, you have a baby--
no, you don't, I'm your baby.
00:19:45.34\00:19:48.84
You don't have a baby?
00:19:48.87\00:19:50.20
And I said, and
that's how I told her.
00:19:50.23\00:19:52.82
And but everyone took to Micha,
they loved her, everyone--
00:19:52.85\00:20:00.11
Karen just took
right to her father,
00:20:00.14\00:20:02.19
such a great
support from my Uncle Kenny,
00:20:02.22\00:20:04.54
who is Karen's father.
00:20:04.57\00:20:06.27
My father
stepped up when he came
00:20:06.30\00:20:08.31
and what happened
was, Micha got very sick.
00:20:08.34\00:20:10.89
Okay.
00:20:10.92\00:20:11.97
And I went to rush
into children's hospital
00:20:12.00\00:20:14.39
and we almost
lost her this night.
00:20:14.42\00:20:16.17
Really?
00:20:16.20\00:20:17.23
And-- yes, and she was
having like 13 stools a night
00:20:17.26\00:20:20.26
and they didn't understand
00:20:20.29\00:20:21.32
why or whatever
operation on her.
00:20:21.35\00:20:23.88
So my mom said you
need to call everyone
00:20:23.91\00:20:26.03
and I really didn't want
to, because I was still in that,
00:20:26.06\00:20:28.93
you know, disappoint
mode, what are you gonna say.
00:20:28.96\00:20:31.55
So I called my
brother, my oldest brother,
00:20:31.58\00:20:33.71
my god brother, I
called other family members,
00:20:33.74\00:20:37.24
my grandmother,
00:20:37.27\00:20:38.62
and they were like
why are you crying?
00:20:38.65\00:20:39.99
My father, I said, daddy,
00:20:40.02\00:20:41.58
I need you to
come to the hospital.
00:20:41.61\00:20:43.03
Come to the
hospital, what's wrong?
00:20:43.06\00:20:44.10
So you hadn't
informed anybody about
00:20:44.13\00:20:47.28
why you wanted them
to come to the hospital?
00:20:47.31\00:20:49.61
No, and then I said,
you just need to come.
00:20:49.64\00:20:51.42
They said, children's hospital?
00:20:51.45\00:20:53.17
You know, why would you
be at children's hospital?
00:20:53.20\00:20:54.68
I said, you need to come.
00:20:54.71\00:20:55.92
So they all came, they
were in the waiting room,
00:20:55.95\00:20:58.22
I walked in, I told them,
00:20:58.25\00:20:59.37
I said, I have
something to tell you
00:20:59.40\00:21:02.68
and I said, I have a baby.
00:21:02.71\00:21:05.52
Everybody was like what baby?
00:21:05.55\00:21:07.21
I said, I have a
baby. And my brothers were--
00:21:07.24\00:21:11.51
they were furious
and they were like
00:21:11.54\00:21:13.29
I'm so tired of these
secrets in this family.
00:21:13.32\00:21:16.39
The secrets destroy families.
00:21:16.42\00:21:19.05
And I said, I know you're hurt.
Oh, my brother was so hurt.
00:21:19.08\00:21:21.91
So when they
brought-- when they said,
00:21:21.94\00:21:23.97
that I could release
her, I went back to get her
00:21:24.00\00:21:27.18
and I stayed at the
hospital with her everyday.
00:21:27.21\00:21:29.57
After classes I'd go back
and forth to the hospital.
00:21:29.60\00:21:32.55
Brought her in and my
oldest brother held her,
00:21:32.58\00:21:35.26
he walked her and from that day
00:21:35.29\00:21:37.60
forward everyone just
said, this is our baby.
00:21:37.63\00:21:40.78
Okay, you know.
00:21:40.81\00:21:41.86
And there was no problem,
00:21:41.89\00:21:43.74
I was we re-baptized
on my mother's request
00:21:43.77\00:21:48.09
and she asked me
not to go to church
00:21:48.12\00:21:49.87
until I was re-baptized.
00:21:49.90\00:21:51.70
And I respected her wishes
00:21:51.73\00:21:54.41
and I went to church and
no one could say anything.
00:21:54.44\00:21:57.86
And-- but I was
not able to serve,
00:21:57.89\00:22:02.80
but for a period of time
and then they were like--
00:22:02.83\00:22:06.05
they allowed me to
star serving again.
00:22:06.08\00:22:07.64
Well, how did that affect you
about not being able to sevice?
00:22:07.67\00:22:11.56
It's almost like
the church had said,
00:22:11.59\00:22:14.14
these principles
that we implemented--
00:22:14.17\00:22:16.21
implement we're not
going to let you violate them
00:22:16.24\00:22:20.32
under any circumstances.
00:22:20.35\00:22:21.69
Well, this was-- that
was the order of the church.
00:22:21.72\00:22:23.36
Okay. And I had to respect that.
00:22:23.39\00:22:25.10
And so that was
you did respect them.
00:22:25.13\00:22:27.16
Right, and my mama told me,
00:22:27.19\00:22:28.53
and I knew, I've been
in the church all my life.
00:22:28.56\00:22:31.10
My grandmother was
head deaconess for 27 years,
00:22:31.13\00:22:34.02
my brother was over
Praise and Worship hospitality,
00:22:34.05\00:22:37.30
he was stewardship leader,
my mom was head usher forever,
00:22:37.33\00:22:41.51
my cousin was organist pianist,
00:22:41.54\00:22:44.11
another cousin was
in the Seminary Andrews,
00:22:44.14\00:22:47.30
he was also assistance pastor
00:22:47.33\00:22:48.85
to one of our
assistant churches.
00:22:48.88\00:22:50.45
So we were a
family that was recognized
00:22:50.48\00:22:53.75
and known for the
work of the church.
00:22:53.78\00:22:56.42
Now this family
had come together
00:22:56.45\00:22:59.90
to provide you with the
support that you needed.
00:22:59.93\00:23:03.21
And to let you know
that everything was okay.
00:23:03.24\00:23:06.28
Yeah, they really
wanted me to finish school,
00:23:06.31\00:23:08.64
earn my PhD and go forward.
00:23:08.67\00:23:11.34
And they said, just
as long as you stay focus
00:23:11.37\00:23:14.28
we are here to help you.
00:23:14.31\00:23:15.76
You know, I remember so
many times that you know,
00:23:15.79\00:23:18.00
my Uncle Kenny
would come I was going,
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.37
I was working, I
was going to school,
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.64
I was picking up Aron, I mean,
Micha, Aron is at other door.
00:23:22.67\00:23:27.50
But he says, I tell you
what, why don't you let Karen,
00:23:27.53\00:23:31.01
I'll get Karen pick
you up, give Karen the key
00:23:31.04\00:23:34.20
and she'll watch her
00:23:34.23\00:23:35.59
and everybody just stepped
up to the plate to help me.
00:23:35.62\00:23:38.34
Man, that was fantastic.
00:23:38.37\00:23:39.56
So this gave you opportunity
to do complete your studies.
00:23:39.59\00:23:42.57
They gave me opportunity
to complete my studies,
00:23:42.60\00:23:44.19
also work and to
start my business.
00:23:44.22\00:23:46.27
Oh, that was fantastic.
00:23:46.30\00:23:47.94
Insurmountable favor.
00:23:47.97\00:23:49.68
So you're really
motivated, you know,
00:23:49.71\00:23:52.24
to make sure that your
business is moving forward
00:23:52.27\00:23:56.17
and that you're
independent businesswoman.
00:23:56.20\00:24:00.00
I was in the beginning stages
00:24:00.03\00:24:01.70
and going to
meetings and networking
00:24:01.73\00:24:04.07
and doing a lot and
my baby was right there
00:24:04.10\00:24:06.39
by my side and
going to meetings.
00:24:06.42\00:24:08.54
People everyone knew
her, everyone knew her
00:24:08.57\00:24:10.73
and what was really amazing
was that I didn't allow them
00:24:10.76\00:24:16.39
to hold me back, but
Micha was my motivation.
00:24:16.42\00:24:20.04
I had to provide for her
00:24:20.07\00:24:22.30
and something
devastating happened to me
00:24:22.33\00:24:25.86
and my brother came
to my home and he said,
00:24:25.89\00:24:29.51
you know, what are you gonna do?
00:24:29.54\00:24:30.94
You have a child.
00:24:30.97\00:24:32.29
He threw the
Detroit newspaper in my lap,
00:24:32.32\00:24:35.08
I was sitting in
the corner crying
00:24:35.11\00:24:37.15
and because I lost my business,
00:24:37.18\00:24:38.70
my business was stolen
from me, lots of money.
00:24:38.73\00:24:41.43
And he says, snap out
of it, get up, find a job.
00:24:41.46\00:24:48.25
And as soon as I
opened the paper,
00:24:48.28\00:24:50.25
I saw a job for a
sex abuse therapist.
00:24:50.28\00:24:54.34
And I'm-- I've
had my own business
00:24:54.37\00:24:56.33
making lots of money,
00:24:56.36\00:24:58.29
I can't go to work for someone?
00:24:58.32\00:25:00.47
To me that was like,
huh, to go back and do
00:25:00.50\00:25:03.46
that nine to five and I
can't, I've had my own business.
00:25:03.49\00:25:07.49
Yes, but it took a low
humility for you to do that.
00:25:07.52\00:25:10.52
The Lord was
really His-- He remind me
00:25:10.57\00:25:12.45
what I went through like Moses.
00:25:12.48\00:25:14.38
He put you in
the palace to make--
00:25:14.41\00:25:16.55
to allow you to lead the
people to the Promise Land.
00:25:16.58\00:25:20.01
And that's what God did with me.
00:25:20.04\00:25:22.67
He allowed me to go
through and I took that job
00:25:22.70\00:25:26.15
and I worked my
way up in seven years.
00:25:26.18\00:25:28.13
Really?
00:25:28.16\00:25:29.20
And not only that, seven
years and then I was able to do
00:25:29.23\00:25:31.79
my practicum internship
and get paid at the same time.
00:25:31.82\00:25:36.42
But I went to the
Lord and I said, Lord,
00:25:36.45\00:25:39.17
if they ask me to
do more than the hours
00:25:39.20\00:25:42.21
that I am doing then I'm
going to start my own business.
00:25:42.24\00:25:44.96
That's my sign
to step out on faith
00:25:44.99\00:25:47.57
and start my own business again.
00:25:47.60\00:25:50.20
Because when I went to
court after losing my business
00:25:50.23\00:25:52.76
the judge said to
me, what do you want?
00:25:52.79\00:25:55.34
And I looked in the eyes
and my daughter was at school,
00:25:55.37\00:25:58.13
and my mom was there and I said,
00:25:58.16\00:25:59.60
all I want is my name,
can I walk out with my name,
00:25:59.63\00:26:03.75
Dr. Kim Logan and my license?
00:26:03.78\00:26:06.90
And he said, I grant you that.
00:26:06.93\00:26:08.99
And he said to me, be careful
who you go into business with.
00:26:09.02\00:26:12.04
And from that day forward
I never went into business
00:26:12.07\00:26:14.09
with anyone else but God.
00:26:14.12\00:26:15.69
So the people that you
are in business at that point,
00:26:15.72\00:26:20.69
they turning their back
on you and became a tragedy
00:26:20.72\00:26:25.62
because you indicate
that you lost a lot of money.
00:26:25.65\00:26:28.26
Right, they were--
they were very nice,
00:26:28.29\00:26:30.08
they taught me a
lot, but they were--
00:26:30.11\00:26:33.66
they were motivated by greed
and I got caught up in that,
00:26:33.69\00:26:37.92
and I took my eyes
off of what I was doing,
00:26:37.95\00:26:41.12
went to my bank account one
day and all my money was gone.
00:26:41.15\00:26:45.08
Well, this is going to
lead us into another segment.
00:26:45.11\00:26:48.23
Yeah.
00:26:48.26\00:26:49.29
So we're very
fortunate to hear your story
00:26:49.32\00:26:52.23
and it's going to offer a lot
of insight to a lot of people
00:26:52.26\00:26:55.53
who may be going
through some of the same things
00:26:55.56\00:26:57.97
that you experience.
00:26:58.00\00:26:59.69
So we really
appreciate you taking the time.
00:26:59.72\00:27:03.19
Thank you.
00:27:03.22\00:27:04.25
And providing us
00:27:04.28\00:27:05.52
with a transparent
observation of who you are.
00:27:05.55\00:27:09.88
Thank you.
00:27:09.91\00:27:11.01
And the
blessings that how the Lord
00:27:11.04\00:27:13.06
still got you through.
00:27:13.09\00:27:14.14
So we're gonna
really be prepared to watch
00:27:14.17\00:27:17.20
the next segment
that will follow up
00:27:17.23\00:27:20.55
what we're talking about today.
00:27:20.59\00:27:22.43
Oh, thank you very
much. It's been a pleasure.
00:27:22.46\00:27:24.51
Okay.
00:27:24.54\00:27:26.04
So we're asking that you
join us next time for part two
00:27:26.07\00:27:29.49
and we can follow up with,
what's going on with Dr. Kim.
00:27:29.52\00:27:33.55