The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
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Parents are
cautioned that some material
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may be too candid
for younger children.
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In part one, we learned about
Latoya Holloman's testimony.
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In part two,
we're gonna focus on
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an exciting
ministry that she has,
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stopped the violence
in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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Join us on The New Journey.
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Welcome back to The New Journey.
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For many of you,
you may not have seen
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part one of Latoya
Holloman's testimony,
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so we'll give you a quick recap
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so that you can enjoy
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some of the info
from her testimony.
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Latoya Holloman,
we like to thank you
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for being back on the program.
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Just to recap a little
bit, where are you from?
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I'm from Baltimore.
Okay, from Baltimore, Maryland.
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And you grew up in
a gang life, right?
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Right.
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And talk a little bit
about your household involvement
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in the streets
and various things
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like that before we move on.
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My household
involved in the streets?
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Yes, like your father,
your mother, your brothers.
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Well, we were all
raised up in that environment.
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Okay.
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Just this life of Baltimore.
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Okay, okay, it's a very
hard place to grow up, right?
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Right, right.
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Okay, now
eventually, you left Baltimore
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and you moved to
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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Why did you
eventually make that move?
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Well, I have been going
back and forth so much anyway
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that I just decided
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to go ahead and relocate
to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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And I ended up staying for good
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because my grandmother
ended up getting sick.
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Okay, okay, now what eventually
happened to your grandmother?
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She was diagnosed
with stomach cancer.
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Okay, and she
eventually passed away?
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Yeah, she had passed away
in 2012 on October the 5th.
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Now when you, when
you came down there,
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you were taking
care of your grandmother
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and things like
that, then she passed away,
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how did that make
you feel internally?
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Ah, I was hurt... Okay.
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I was deeply hurt.
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She was my best friend,
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you know, I could
tell her about anything,
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so definitely took a lot
out of me when I lost her.
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Okay.
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You know, often when a
person's loved one dies
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or a very close
friend or whatever,
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people often feel
resentment to somebody
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or resentment towards God.
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Did you have any of
that resentment within you?
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Not towards God,
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but I had a lot of
anger towards my family.
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Okay, was it, was it pertaining
to your mother's death
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or people taking, not
taking care of your mother.
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Yeah. Okay, okay.
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Now eventually, after
your grandmother passed,
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you got married, and
what happened after that?
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Well, I ended up
getting married to,
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you might as well
say my husband's...
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Okay, so y'all knew
each other for a while?
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Yeah, we knew
each other for forever.
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Okay.
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And we ended up getting married
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and unfortunately,
he ended up getting sick
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with the MD, which
is a muscular dystrophy.
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Okay.
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And he ended up
passing away, October 21st.
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Okay, now how old were
you when you got married?
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I was 24.
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Twenty four years old,
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so when you left
Baltimore, came to Chattanooga,
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your grandmother passes away,
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then you get married,
your husband passes away,
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were you still involved
in the streets at that time
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or had you already kind
of pulled yourself away from?
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I had already
kind of pulled back.
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Okay, and what caused you
to want to take that step back
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and get away
from that lifestyle?
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Just be happy for once.
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I tried everything
but the right things,
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so I felt like it was
time to just buckle down.
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Okay, now eventually you
started a ministry called,
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Stop the Violence.
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I did.
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What motivated
you or prompted you
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to want to start a ministry
entitled, Stop the Violence?
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Just wanted to see
more done in my community,
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wanted to see the youth
do more and the community,
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just letting them know
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that there's a lot more to life
than what they see on the TV,
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what they hear on the radio,
what they see in the streets.
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Okay, so what are
the different facets
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of the Stop the
Violence ministry?
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What are you all involved
in Chattanooga, Tennessee?
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Well, we're
involved in a lot of things.
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We do concerts, marches. Okay.
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My church is very well involved,
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we just recently did a
Stop the Violence rally
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at the Carverc Center,
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which I changed the
name to, Loving My Community,
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and that went very well,
where we gave our clothing.
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We fed the community,
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gave them a
little entertainment,
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prayed for them, we do marches.
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At the Salvation Army,
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I did a week long campaign
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and that made a
magnificent impact.
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Okay. Praise the Lord.
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So at the Salvation Army,
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what did y'all do
at the Salvation Army
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that made that great
impact on the community?
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Well, I just reached
out to a lot of people and,
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got a lot of people involved,
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I reached out to
the Gang Task Force,
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Boyd Patterson,
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and I reached out
some, my church Orchard Park
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and the Salvation Army as well,
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so let me use their building
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and the
Chattanooga Fire Department,
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and we just made it,
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put our heads together
and made a powerful week..
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Okay, praise the Lord.
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Did a little network
and got things going, huh?
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I did.
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Okay, now you
talked about the marches.
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What do y'all
generally do at the marches?
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Or how do you, how do
you even gather people up
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to be involved in a march?
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Well, what I did was
I made an appointment
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at a Power 94 radio station
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and I got it
planned on the radio,
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and I also got it
done and put in an article,
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so that people would know.
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And then I also
did by word of mouth,
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you know, what happened was
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this young lady by
the name of Kea Shaffoy.
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She was shot in the
head due to gang violence,
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but she survived,
praise God she's still living.
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And we did a march for
her to stand against violence.
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Do you generally
see a great turnout
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from the church,
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from other
churches in Chattanooga,
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from the
community at these marches?
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I do, from my
church Orchard Park
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and from the
East Lake Community.
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Okay, okay, that's
great, that's great.
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Now you also have
the street ministry.
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What's the components
of the street ministry?
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Well, the street ministry,
we're still working on,
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we've already started
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for as the campaigning
and pitting our rallies,
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but what I want to happen
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is to have different
counselors to come out
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and counsel these
women and these young guys
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and have job programs for them,
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just offer job training
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and minister, do
door-to-door work
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and just kind of
influence the youth
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in a positive way
and in innovative way.
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Okay, now at the
concerts that you have,
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one, how is the
turnout at the concerts
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and two, what's all
involved in the concerts
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and how do you get
people to come to the concert,
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how do you get various artists
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and things like
that at the concerts?
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Well, what I do is I do research
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and actually, the concert,
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I had a flyer on a
board at the Salvation Army
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and these two guys
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by the name of a Terry
Davis and Michael Kelly,
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they reached out to me
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and said, "We
like what you're doing.
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My name, they call me
Big Mike, and I do rap,
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you know, I rap
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and I'm out to do the
same thing you're doing,
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doesn't make a
difference in the community."
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So that's how I started
networking with the talent.
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It's through him.
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Okay, now for the
Stop the Violence,
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is it, is it pretty much
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that you're doing
the work all alone
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or do you have a team
or how does that work?
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Well, I started it
all alone by myself,
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started doing networks
and stuff by myself and then,
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my church got involved
and started helping me,
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like they gave
away food, clothing,
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and they even gave
away bags at the campaign
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with different
hygiene products and stuff.
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Okay, so that's great
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that you got the church support,
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very great that you
have the church support.
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In the various things
that you do in the ministry,
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what impact have you
seen it have on the community?
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I know, I know, of course,
we all pretty much know that,
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you know, violence is
still going to be around,
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but what kind of
impact have you seen thus far?
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I've seen a great impact.
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I got little kids
coming up to me saying,
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"Stop the violence."
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You know, when are
you gonna do another one
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and violence is definitely,
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definitely still a
part of the community,
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but it's not as bad as it was.
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Okay, okay.
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Now somebody,
because pretty much
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your ministry is focused
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in Chattanooga,
Tennessee, right?
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So if somebody wanted to
let's just say in Philadelphia,
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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or anywhere in
the United States,
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they wanted to start a Stop
the Violence program ministry,
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something like yours,
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what steps do they need to
take to do something like that?
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Just pretty much stay prayed up,
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know that, know that
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you know that you want to do it.
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Okay, you said,
know that you know
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that you want to do it,
that's interesting, okay.
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And do network,
lot of network. Okay.
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Find different
talents from nationwide,
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don't be picky with the talent
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and try to find youth that is,
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that would like to be involved
in doing something positive
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'cause what you want to
happen is influence youth
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and it start with us,
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so you also want the
youth to be a part of it.
00:10:18.41\00:10:20.62
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, definitely,
seems like, you know,
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when they're
actually a part of it,
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they're more interested in it.
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And from the,
from the young people,
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say around ages 13 to 17,
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do you get a pretty good turnout
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of those ones involved
or coming to the rallies
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and different things like that?
00:10:36.80\00:10:38.13
I do.
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Actually, one of the ones
that came and performed was 13.
00:10:39.53\00:10:43.77
Thirteen years old? Okay. Okay.
00:10:43.81\00:10:46.14
They one day performed at
this last event that we had.
00:10:46.17\00:10:48.41
Okay.
00:10:48.44\00:10:49.78
Now in the work
that you're doing,
00:10:49.81\00:10:52.85
does it involve
any type of mentoring,
00:10:52.88\00:10:55.28
like kind of sitting down
one on one with a young person?
00:10:55.32\00:10:59.95
How could, if a young person
wanted to ask you something,
00:10:59.99\00:11:02.49
what do they need to do?
00:11:02.52\00:11:03.86
Can they come sit
down, you mentor them,
00:11:03.89\00:11:05.49
give them the word of God,
00:11:05.53\00:11:06.86
what would, what
would take place?
00:11:06.90\00:11:09.06
They can definitely come to me.
00:11:09.10\00:11:10.57
I'll pray with
them, minister to them,
00:11:10.60\00:11:12.73
invite them to my church.
00:11:12.77\00:11:15.40
Just influence
them in a positive way,
00:11:15.44\00:11:17.81
help them in a way that I can.
00:11:17.84\00:11:19.41
Okay, you know, the
reason I asked that is,
00:11:19.44\00:11:21.64
I'll tell a quick story.
00:11:21.68\00:11:24.45
I remember when
I changed my life
00:11:24.48\00:11:25.98
and the mother of
this young man asked me,
00:11:26.01\00:11:28.85
she asked me, to, you know,
00:11:28.88\00:11:30.69
kind of mentor her son
00:11:30.72\00:11:32.62
and so I did, he
was 16 at the time,
00:11:32.65\00:11:34.62
and, you know, I tried to
share my experiences with them,
00:11:34.66\00:11:37.76
you know, the
streets, to being incarcerated,
00:11:37.79\00:11:39.93
various things
like that and, you know,
00:11:39.96\00:11:41.63
sometimes we get in
our heads that, you know,
00:11:41.66\00:11:44.93
even though somebody is
trying to steer me differently,
00:11:44.97\00:11:47.64
we're so bent on doing wrong
00:11:47.67\00:11:49.44
'cause we want to see
how it is for ourselves.
00:11:49.47\00:11:51.21
You know what I'm saying, right?
00:11:51.24\00:11:52.57
Right, right.
00:11:52.61\00:11:53.94
My mom used to
call me, bull-headed.
00:11:53.98\00:11:55.98
I had to learn the hard
way, so anyhow, I, you know,
00:11:56.01\00:11:58.68
I got involved with
mentoring the young man,
00:11:58.71\00:12:01.15
really schooling him
on how the streets work
00:12:01.18\00:12:03.59
and the reality what I
tried to get across to him
00:12:03.62\00:12:05.99
is some people die out there,
00:12:06.02\00:12:07.82
or some people get incarcerated
for years and years,
00:12:07.86\00:12:11.19
and the sad thing is
last year January 2012,
00:12:11.23\00:12:17.27
he, a week after he
turned 19 years old,
00:12:17.30\00:12:19.77
he was murdered,
got shot five times,
00:12:19.80\00:12:21.84
and got shot five
times and they determined
00:12:21.87\00:12:24.94
that the bullet through the neck
00:12:24.97\00:12:26.31
was the one that killed him.
00:12:26.34\00:12:27.74
And, you know, it was, it
really had an impact on me
00:12:27.78\00:12:30.61
because here is one
that I spent time with,
00:12:30.65\00:12:33.08
studying the word of God with,
00:12:33.11\00:12:35.42
trying to get him to see
00:12:35.45\00:12:37.79
the reality of the
streets and, you know,
00:12:37.82\00:12:40.86
it saddens my heart that
it didn't have the impact
00:12:40.89\00:12:44.49
that I hoped or that
I expected out of it.
00:12:44.53\00:12:48.90
So what have you seen
00:12:48.93\00:12:50.37
thus far in the ones or
one that you have mentored?
00:12:50.40\00:12:54.40
What impact or
what have you seen
00:12:54.44\00:12:57.64
from working with individuals?
00:12:57.67\00:12:59.37
Well, I had a
next door neighbor,
00:12:59.41\00:13:03.38
her name was Amanda,
and she very bull-headed...
00:13:03.41\00:13:09.98
Yeah, that's most of us really.
00:13:10.02\00:13:11.35
Right, right.
00:13:11.39\00:13:12.72
And very
outspoken, quick-tempered,
00:13:12.75\00:13:17.46
and I started just going
over there to check on her
00:13:17.49\00:13:21.20
and just started
mentoring to her,
00:13:21.23\00:13:22.70
started praying
with her and it's funny
00:13:22.73\00:13:26.00
because one night,
I was in my kitchen
00:13:26.03\00:13:30.41
and some shots went off,
00:13:30.44\00:13:32.41
and she was a
victim of being shot.
00:13:32.44\00:13:34.84
Okay, now, let me...
00:13:34.88\00:13:37.01
She was shot but the
bullet wasn't intended for her?
00:13:37.05\00:13:39.91
No, it was.
00:13:39.95\00:13:41.28
It was intended,
okay, okay. It was, it was.
00:13:41.32\00:13:43.28
And I had the opportunity
to leave out my door,
00:13:43.32\00:13:46.89
she called my name
as soon as she got shot,
00:13:46.92\00:13:49.42
and I had the
opportunity to pray with her,
00:13:49.46\00:13:52.03
while we were
waiting on the ambulance,
00:13:52.06\00:13:54.66
and that definitely
made an impact on her life
00:13:54.70\00:13:57.93
and it was good to see,
00:13:57.97\00:13:59.53
good for her to see
somebody praying with her
00:13:59.57\00:14:01.64
and ministering her
and encouraging her.
00:14:01.67\00:14:04.44
We got, is there any decisions
00:14:04.47\00:14:06.21
or any bad thing
that she ever did.
00:14:06.24\00:14:08.01
Okay.
00:14:08.04\00:14:09.38
Now let me go
back to this, you said,
00:14:09.41\00:14:11.51
if somebody wanted to
get involved with like,
00:14:11.55\00:14:13.31
Stop the Violence,
00:14:13.35\00:14:14.85
doing something
like this in the city,
00:14:14.88\00:14:16.82
you said that they need to know
00:14:16.85\00:14:18.35
that they know
that they want to do it.
00:14:18.39\00:14:20.36
Why do you specifically say,
00:14:20.39\00:14:21.96
know that they know
that they want to do it?
00:14:21.99\00:14:24.39
Well, a lot of people
are easily influenced.
00:14:24.43\00:14:29.16
A lot of people
easily prefers it.
00:14:29.20\00:14:31.63
Yeah, that is true.
00:14:31.67\00:14:33.00
And a lot of people,
00:14:33.03\00:14:35.17
it's in them to want
to do the right thing,
00:14:35.20\00:14:37.81
but they're not bold to step up
00:14:37.84\00:14:41.31
and do what it
is they want to do
00:14:41.34\00:14:43.11
because they want,
don't want to have that title
00:14:43.14\00:14:45.55
of being weak or sorrowful,
whatever the case may be,
00:14:45.58\00:14:49.52
so and if you know that
you know that you want to do,
00:14:49.55\00:14:52.85
and you're bold about
it then it will be success,
00:14:52.89\00:14:57.56
but if you kind of if ye...
00:14:57.59\00:14:59.63
Yeah, if ye about it.
00:14:59.66\00:15:01.00
And kind of still
in a state of mind
00:15:01.03\00:15:02.60
where you're worrying about
what the next person will say,
00:15:02.63\00:15:05.03
or, you know, you're
still in a state of mind
00:15:05.07\00:15:08.04
where you don't wanna
be called weak and stuff
00:15:08.07\00:15:10.17
and, might wanna
just keep praying and...
00:15:10.21\00:15:13.07
Okay, so being that you
have a background in the gangs,
00:15:13.11\00:15:17.41
in streets, in using drugs,
and various things like that,
00:15:17.45\00:15:20.92
while you're out there,
you know, being in the streets,
00:15:20.95\00:15:23.08
looking for
people, knocking on doors,
00:15:23.12\00:15:25.09
whatever you all are doing,
00:15:25.12\00:15:27.06
do you ever find
yourself saying to yourself,
00:15:27.09\00:15:29.59
you know, what if I just go
back to this type of lifestyle?
00:15:29.62\00:15:32.96
Or have you come to
the, come to the conclusion,
00:15:32.99\00:15:34.90
I'm through with it completely?
00:15:34.93\00:15:37.93
We all go through a battle
00:15:37.97\00:15:39.77
and it definitely, it's
definitely still a battle
00:15:39.80\00:15:43.34
and I think it to be a
battle till the day we die.
00:15:43.37\00:15:46.47
Yeah.
00:15:46.51\00:15:48.11
But to me the important
thing is to just keep praying
00:15:48.14\00:15:51.21
and keep that desire, that fire,
00:15:51.25\00:15:53.15
you have people not
only do you keep praying,
00:15:53.18\00:15:55.48
have people to pray for you.
00:15:55.52\00:15:57.42
Oh, yeah.
00:15:57.45\00:15:58.79
And, you know, and
that's great encouragement
00:15:58.82\00:16:00.16
because some people may say,
"Well, I can't overcome this."
00:16:00.19\00:16:02.59
They're trying
and they're trying,
00:16:02.62\00:16:04.09
but they can't and they
find themselves "backsliding"
00:16:04.13\00:16:07.86
because they don't
feel that they can overcome
00:16:07.90\00:16:10.20
whatever, whatever it is
00:16:10.23\00:16:11.57
that they're, that
they're dealing with
00:16:11.60\00:16:13.03
and it's
encouragement to know that,
00:16:13.07\00:16:14.84
even though that you're tempted,
00:16:14.87\00:16:16.50
you can still overcome
and continue to press forward,
00:16:16.54\00:16:20.11
just as the Bible says
in the Book of Revelation,
00:16:20.14\00:16:22.31
"Heaven is for the overcomers."
00:16:22.34\00:16:24.51
So it's overcoming
everything in our lives
00:16:24.55\00:16:27.22
and it does take time.
00:16:27.25\00:16:28.88
It does. It takes a lot of time.
00:16:28.92\00:16:30.45
My motto is
adjust, adapt and overcome.
00:16:30.49\00:16:32.79
Adjust, adapt and overcome.
00:16:32.82\00:16:34.89
And often that's what it is.
00:16:34.92\00:16:37.06
I know for myself,
when I was making a change,
00:16:37.09\00:16:39.46
it wasn't easy
when I made the change,
00:16:39.49\00:16:42.03
you know, I was so addicted
00:16:42.06\00:16:43.40
and I was used to
doing so many things,
00:16:43.43\00:16:47.50
that just saying, "Okay,
I'm ready to change now."
00:16:47.54\00:16:51.07
Things then
stopped cold turkey for me.
00:16:51.11\00:16:53.51
You know, it was a
process that I had to go through
00:16:53.54\00:16:56.44
but praise the Lord, God
has brought me to the point
00:16:56.48\00:16:58.91
where I'm not tempted
with those things anymore,
00:16:58.95\00:17:01.88
it's kind of like, God
has worked on me so much
00:17:01.92\00:17:04.05
that the cigarettes,
the alcohol, the drugs,
00:17:04.09\00:17:06.82
those things aren't even
temptations to me anymore,
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.52
and I believe that as
we continue to resist,
00:17:09.56\00:17:13.29
the Bible says,
"Resist the devil
00:17:13.33\00:17:15.13
and he will flee from you."
00:17:15.16\00:17:16.83
So as we continue
to resist those things
00:17:16.87\00:17:19.10
time and time again,
00:17:19.13\00:17:21.17
eventually, those things
stop becoming a temptation.
00:17:21.20\00:17:24.37
How have you seen
that in your own life?
00:17:24.41\00:17:28.78
I definitely
agree with you on it.
00:17:28.81\00:17:31.95
So he trembles to
the word of Jesus,
00:17:31.98\00:17:34.78
to the name of Jesus.
00:17:34.82\00:17:36.45
So when I found myself
going through something
00:17:36.48\00:17:39.39
I don't think I can handle
00:17:39.42\00:17:41.49
well, I think the
devil is just out to give me,
00:17:41.52\00:17:43.32
I'll just call His name out.
00:17:43.36\00:17:44.69
Oh, yeah, call on
the name of Jesus.
00:17:44.73\00:17:47.20
So your ministry,
Stop the Violence ministry,
00:17:47.23\00:17:49.90
how long have you been,
00:17:49.93\00:17:51.27
how long have you been
doing this ministry now?
00:17:51.30\00:17:53.23
Well, it started
back in October 2012.
00:17:53.27\00:17:57.61
Okay, so from 2012 until?
00:17:57.64\00:18:00.11
Until now. 2013, okay.
00:18:00.14\00:18:03.21
How long do you plan on
continuing this ministry
00:18:03.24\00:18:06.55
or are there other facets
that you're gonna add to it?
00:18:06.58\00:18:10.29
I don't plan on stopping.
00:18:10.32\00:18:11.65
Okay, praise the Lord.
00:18:11.69\00:18:13.46
I might actually want
to go back to my hometown,
00:18:13.49\00:18:17.36
and start it there.
00:18:17.39\00:18:18.73
Okay, in Baltimore, right?
00:18:18.76\00:18:20.10
Okay, now what kind of impact
00:18:20.13\00:18:21.60
do you think, is
Baltimore and Chattanooga,
00:18:21.63\00:18:23.33
it's similar but it's
a little bit different.
00:18:23.37\00:18:25.43
It is.
00:18:25.47\00:18:26.80
What kind of impact
00:18:26.84\00:18:28.17
do you think it may have
in a place like Baltimore?
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.61
I think it would
be a great impact.
00:18:30.64\00:18:33.51
I'd say chips of that often
00:18:33.54\00:18:36.54
and I definitely
think that it is needed
00:18:36.58\00:18:42.02
and I think that the
youth would definitely enjoy it
00:18:42.05\00:18:45.49
to see some, the other youth
00:18:45.52\00:18:48.12
in something that is so powerful
00:18:48.16\00:18:50.29
and that would leave a mark,
00:18:50.33\00:18:51.66
so I definitely think
that is good to get out there
00:18:51.69\00:18:57.67
and kind of work the
streets of Baltimore.
00:18:57.70\00:18:59.03
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:18:59.07\00:19:00.40
So do you think your background
kind of gives you that passion
00:19:00.44\00:19:03.64
for wanting to
see the violence stop?
00:19:03.67\00:19:07.58
Not only my background,
00:19:07.61\00:19:08.94
just having a
heart for my community.
00:19:08.98\00:19:10.91
Okay, just that
genuine love for people.
00:19:10.95\00:19:13.52
That's the one.
00:19:13.55\00:19:14.88
Yeah, because I've
never been a victim
00:19:14.92\00:19:19.85
of losing a family
member by the gun or knife
00:19:19.89\00:19:24.73
or stuff like that,
00:19:24.76\00:19:26.23
it's just in my heart
00:19:26.26\00:19:27.60
to just see my community change.
00:19:27.63\00:19:29.10
Okay, as I said, do
you get a lot of support
00:19:29.13\00:19:31.90
from other than your church?
00:19:31.93\00:19:34.47
Do you get a lot of
support like you go,
00:19:34.50\00:19:35.84
going into projects
00:19:35.87\00:19:37.44
and you're not gonna endorse
trying to get people involved,
00:19:37.47\00:19:40.74
do you get a lot of
support from various people
00:19:40.78\00:19:42.74
in the project
areas you're working
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.28
or do people be like, nah,
not really interested in it?
00:19:44.31\00:19:47.82
It's kind of balanced.
00:19:47.85\00:19:51.42
It's 50% here, 50% there.
00:19:51.45\00:19:54.29
Some want and some don't?
00:19:54.32\00:19:55.99
Okay, what have you
seen that has made some say,
00:19:56.02\00:20:00.20
"Nah, I don't really
want to be involved?"
00:20:00.23\00:20:01.56
Because it seems
like a good thing.
00:20:01.60\00:20:03.50
You know, to stop the
violence, to stop the murdering,
00:20:03.53\00:20:06.03
to stop the drugs,
various things like that,
00:20:06.07\00:20:08.57
that are killing
off the community,
00:20:08.60\00:20:11.51
Why have...
00:20:11.54\00:20:12.87
What have you seen thus
far, that has made someone say,
00:20:12.91\00:20:15.11
"No, I don't
really want to be involved
00:20:15.14\00:20:16.85
in something like this."
00:20:16.88\00:20:18.21
Well, I talked to a
young lady a while back...
00:20:18.25\00:20:22.38
Back in
November, I believe it was.
00:20:22.42\00:20:24.72
Okay.
00:20:24.75\00:20:26.39
It's good thing you're doing
00:20:26.42\00:20:27.79
but it ain't,
violence will never stop
00:20:27.82\00:20:30.16
so, you know, that's what,
that's how people are thinking
00:20:30.19\00:20:33.73
and then you've got those
ones who have been victim of it,
00:20:33.76\00:20:36.46
lost a child or
closed loved ones
00:20:36.50\00:20:39.23
that they just don't,
they just don't decide
00:20:39.27\00:20:41.87
to be part of
anything like that no more
00:20:41.90\00:20:44.31
'cause they're so
deeply ruined it, yeah.
00:20:44.34\00:20:46.91
Yeah, hurt by the situation
00:20:46.94\00:20:48.28
and, you know, they
want to see things stop.
00:20:48.31\00:20:51.55
True, the
violence will never stop,
00:20:51.58\00:20:53.65
you know, it's going to,
00:20:53.68\00:20:55.02
until Jesus comes
it's always going to be so,
00:20:55.05\00:20:56.38
but we can each play our part
00:20:56.42\00:20:58.19
in stopping it a little
bit in our areas, right?
00:20:58.22\00:21:01.09
Right, right, absolutely.
00:21:01.12\00:21:02.76
And all we have to
do is have that will,
00:21:02.79\00:21:04.63
that determination
00:21:04.66\00:21:06.03
and a trust in God
to open up those doors
00:21:06.06\00:21:07.93
to be able to do
something like that, right?
00:21:07.96\00:21:09.46
Right, just
come together as one.
00:21:09.50\00:21:11.27
Okay, okay.
00:21:11.30\00:21:13.90
For the various
people that want to,
00:21:13.94\00:21:15.77
that want to get
involved in something like this,
00:21:15.80\00:21:19.77
but they don't
have the background
00:21:19.81\00:21:21.18
that you and I have,
00:21:21.21\00:21:22.58
you know, they have an
interest for the community,
00:21:22.61\00:21:24.71
they have a love for people,
00:21:24.75\00:21:26.41
but they haven't
been incarcerated,
00:21:26.45\00:21:27.95
they haven't used
drugs, they haven't sold drugs,
00:21:27.98\00:21:31.35
but they have that
loving desire for people.
00:21:31.39\00:21:34.79
Would you encourage them
00:21:34.82\00:21:36.16
to get involved in
something like this?
00:21:36.19\00:21:37.56
Absolutely, I would.
00:21:37.59\00:21:38.93
Okay, now my second
question that would be.
00:21:38.96\00:21:41.56
Why would you encourage them
00:21:41.60\00:21:43.67
to get involved in
something like this?
00:21:43.70\00:21:45.27
There's some
positives, it's leaving a mark
00:21:45.30\00:21:48.64
and regardless
of your background
00:21:48.67\00:21:50.34
it's always good to
spread the word of Jesus.
00:21:50.37\00:21:52.17
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:21:52.21\00:21:53.54
So how do you all
00:21:53.58\00:21:54.91
in the Stop the
Violence program,
00:21:54.94\00:21:56.28
how do you
incorporate the biblical aspect
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.41
along with just
stopping the violence,
00:21:58.45\00:22:00.45
just you know, say no
to guns, say no to drugs,
00:22:00.48\00:22:03.28
how do you incorporate
Jesus into this whole ministry?
00:22:03.32\00:22:07.16
Well, ministry,
just praying with people.
00:22:07.19\00:22:13.63
Okay.
00:22:13.66\00:22:15.00
Encouraging people, why?
00:22:15.03\00:22:17.23
It goes deep.
00:22:17.27\00:22:19.53
It definitely goes deep.
00:22:19.57\00:22:20.94
You definitely had to
have the love for Christ
00:22:20.97\00:22:24.14
as well as for people.
00:22:24.17\00:22:25.51
Okay.
00:22:25.54\00:22:26.88
And God just take
you from there, you know.
00:22:26.91\00:22:29.71
Okay, praise the Lord.
00:22:29.74\00:22:31.08
I want to back up a little bit.
00:22:31.11\00:22:33.05
You said, some while ago
where you started studying
00:22:33.08\00:22:36.52
the Bible with your grandmother.
00:22:36.55\00:22:38.29
And you know,
00:22:38.32\00:22:39.65
this is what kind of
started sparking that change.
00:22:39.69\00:22:42.16
What were you
seeing in the Bible
00:22:42.19\00:22:44.56
that was making you want
to gravitate to Jesus Christ?
00:22:44.59\00:22:48.76
Well, it was just a lot of stuff
00:22:48.80\00:22:51.77
that was being
pointed out to me.
00:22:51.80\00:22:53.70
Actually not
with my grandmother,
00:22:53.74\00:22:56.00
Janice Wolman.
00:22:56.04\00:22:57.37
Okay, yeah.
00:22:57.41\00:22:58.74
And she started pointing
out different stuff to me
00:22:58.77\00:23:02.94
and it started making sense.
00:23:02.98\00:23:04.48
Okay, what were
some of those things
00:23:04.51\00:23:06.08
that she was pointing out
00:23:06.11\00:23:07.45
that, that started to
make sense or register?
00:23:07.48\00:23:09.48
Well, I loved the fact
that anything she told me,
00:23:09.52\00:23:11.79
she could show
me in the Bible...
00:23:11.82\00:23:13.15
Yeah, okay. That
especially about that.
00:23:13.19\00:23:16.02
And then she allowed me to
see how much Jesus loved me.
00:23:16.06\00:23:19.29
Okay.
00:23:19.33\00:23:20.66
And how much, how important
it was to love Him back.
00:23:20.70\00:23:23.60
And how
important it was to let go,
00:23:23.63\00:23:28.80
just let go with the God.
00:23:28.84\00:23:30.27
Oh, yeah.
00:23:30.31\00:23:31.64
And she will call me
00:23:31.67\00:23:35.04
and just say, I
want to pray for you.
00:23:35.08\00:23:37.95
Amen.
00:23:37.98\00:23:39.31
Or she will come by and say,
00:23:39.35\00:23:40.68
well, did you
read your Bible today
00:23:40.72\00:23:42.48
or did you pray about
or call whatever issue
00:23:42.52\00:23:44.72
and she, did you pray about it?
00:23:44.75\00:23:46.72
So she taught me the importance
of praying and reading.
00:23:46.76\00:23:50.96
And then I was
starting to become interested
00:23:50.99\00:23:54.33
in what I was reading
and what she was saying,
00:23:54.36\00:23:56.23
I'd ask the lot of questions.
00:23:56.26\00:23:57.73
Okay.
00:23:57.77\00:23:59.10
Now, talk about the
experience of being baptized
00:23:59.13\00:24:02.27
into the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:24:02.30\00:24:03.64
Talk about the
joy that you have,
00:24:03.67\00:24:05.61
because you know, many young
people are watching the program
00:24:05.64\00:24:09.44
and, you know, they want
to gravitate to the streets.
00:24:09.48\00:24:12.91
You know, they're not
interested in ministry,
00:24:12.95\00:24:14.75
you know, they
think it's boring,
00:24:14.78\00:24:16.82
there's no excitement in it,
00:24:16.85\00:24:18.72
but talk about that joy
00:24:18.75\00:24:20.62
that you, that you
received from being baptized,
00:24:20.66\00:24:23.43
from coming into the
church, from doing ministry?
00:24:23.46\00:24:26.23
Well, I was just
overwhelmed with joy.
00:24:26.26\00:24:31.47
It really made me feel good,
00:24:31.50\00:24:34.24
my life has been
blessed ever since.
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.37
Okay.
00:24:36.40\00:24:38.21
When I'm down, I got
tons of church members
00:24:38.24\00:24:41.54
that I can call and
they can pray with me.
00:24:41.58\00:24:44.15
And youth, young
adult group is awesome,
00:24:44.18\00:24:47.88
we have gang nights
00:24:47.92\00:24:49.55
and it just, it's just
awesome to have a church family
00:24:49.58\00:24:52.35
outside of your,
your family, right.
00:24:52.39\00:24:53.72
Yeah, outside of your
regular natural family.
00:24:53.76\00:24:56.59
So do you think in making
that transition in your life,
00:24:56.62\00:25:00.20
being baptized, going to church,
00:25:00.23\00:25:03.67
involved in ministry,
00:25:03.70\00:25:06.00
do you think that all
of these things have helped
00:25:06.03\00:25:09.24
keep you into the church,
00:25:09.27\00:25:10.61
because what tends to happen
00:25:10.64\00:25:12.17
is someone may
come into the church
00:25:12.21\00:25:14.41
and because maybe they're
not rooted enough in Jesus,
00:25:14.44\00:25:17.65
they eventually walk away,
00:25:17.68\00:25:19.01
they have this problem
or they have that problem
00:25:19.05\00:25:20.38
and they
backslide, they walk away.
00:25:20.42\00:25:22.22
But you on the other hand,
you got involved in things,
00:25:22.25\00:25:24.52
you got involved
in youth ministry,
00:25:24.55\00:25:26.29
you got involved
in your own ministry,
00:25:26.32\00:25:29.32
you're very close
with your church family,
00:25:29.36\00:25:31.06
do you think those things
00:25:31.09\00:25:32.46
helped you stay
rooted into Jesus Christ?
00:25:32.49\00:25:35.93
I do.
00:25:35.96\00:25:37.30
Okay.
00:25:37.33\00:25:39.80
Just that desire
to just want more,
00:25:39.83\00:25:41.87
to want to do better, to
know that you can do better.
00:25:41.90\00:25:45.34
And people rooting for you,
they're praying for you, so.
00:25:45.37\00:25:48.61
Oh, yeah.
00:25:48.64\00:25:49.98
Now as I stated earlier,
there's many young people that,
00:25:50.01\00:25:53.42
you know, they see TV shows,
00:25:53.45\00:25:56.18
they hear the music
00:25:56.22\00:25:57.59
and they have this
addiction to that lifestyle,
00:25:57.62\00:26:01.32
I want to try that lifestyle.
00:26:01.36\00:26:03.56
What would you say
to that young woman
00:26:03.59\00:26:05.53
or that young boy
00:26:05.56\00:26:06.90
that wants to try things out
00:26:06.93\00:26:09.93
but doesn't find that,
00:26:09.96\00:26:13.54
doesn't find that he
can have that joy in church,
00:26:13.57\00:26:15.54
he wants to go
out to the streets,
00:26:15.57\00:26:16.91
she wants to go
out to the streets.
00:26:16.94\00:26:18.27
What can you give them?
00:26:18.31\00:26:19.64
What word of
advice can you give them?
00:26:19.67\00:26:22.18
Stay rooted.
00:26:22.21\00:26:23.55
Stay rooted in Jesus.
00:26:23.58\00:26:24.95
Okay.
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.38
And know that you can do
it, don't without a doubt,
00:26:27.42\00:26:30.69
just never doubt
yourself, believe in yourself.
00:26:30.72\00:26:33.19
Okay.
00:26:33.22\00:26:34.56
And know that you
can overcome anything...
00:26:34.59\00:26:37.46
Oh, yeah, okay.
00:26:37.49\00:26:38.83
With the help of Jesus. Okay.
00:26:38.86\00:26:40.56
And lastly what I want
to briefly talk about is,
00:26:40.60\00:26:44.40
pertaining to the ministry
Stop the Violence ministry,
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.24
you going into the communities,
people's lives are changed
00:26:47.27\00:26:52.51
and people coming to church,
00:26:52.54\00:26:54.74
have you seen the joy yet
of someone coming into church
00:26:54.78\00:26:58.75
and accepting Jesus as yet?
00:26:58.78\00:27:00.92
Yes. Okay.
00:27:00.95\00:27:02.55
I have a couple of
young ladies in my community.
00:27:02.58\00:27:07.26
Praise the Lord.
00:27:07.29\00:27:08.62
They don't go to my
church but they're in a church.
00:27:08.66\00:27:11.49
And just praise God for that.
00:27:11.53\00:27:13.29
Okay.
00:27:13.33\00:27:14.66
And one of the
young lady said that,
00:27:14.70\00:27:16.67
"Me talking to her and
giving her hug everyday
00:27:16.70\00:27:20.10
and asking, how she was doing
00:27:20.14\00:27:21.47
and seeing me
just smile and be happy
00:27:21.50\00:27:24.61
really helped her out a lot."
00:27:24.64\00:27:26.51
Okay. Okay.
00:27:26.54\00:27:27.88
So that's awesome for her.
00:27:27.91\00:27:29.34
You know, Lato, I
want to congratulate you
00:27:29.38\00:27:31.11
on your ministry
00:27:31.15\00:27:32.48
and having that determination
to want to do right
00:27:32.51\00:27:35.48
and to get
active into the church.
00:27:35.52\00:27:37.99
So many people
they walk away from God
00:27:38.02\00:27:41.09
because they're
not getting involved.
00:27:41.12\00:27:43.09
And the reality is
00:27:43.12\00:27:44.46
that we need more
young people like yourself,
00:27:44.49\00:27:46.29
like myself, I'm 30-years old,
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.40
that are interested
in seeing lives changed.
00:27:48.43\00:27:52.07
So I just want to encourage
you keep on doing the work.
00:27:52.10\00:27:55.00
Stay focused on God
and keep going forward.
00:27:55.04\00:27:57.94
I'd like to thank you all
00:27:57.97\00:27:59.31
for tuning into
"The New Journey".
00:27:59.34\00:28:00.68