If there were ever an
example of a life transformed
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by the power of
God, our guest is it...
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stay tuned to meet him
and find out how God took him
00:00:05.81\00:00:08.95
from gangs to glory.
My name is Yvonne Lewis
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and you're watching Urban Report
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report
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My guest today is David Butler
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former gang
member and ex-offender.
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Welcome to Urban Report David...
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I am so glad to have you
here. I have read and heard your
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testimony and it is so
powerful, and I feel like...
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our viewers really need to know
what God has done in your life.
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So let's talk a little
bit about where you come from
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and how you grew up.
Where are you from.. originally?
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Well, I was born in
Hanford, California.
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Oh... California... OK...
OK and did you come from a
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two-parent household
or a one-parent household?
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Two-parent...
Two-parent household...
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Were your parents
strict or how were they?
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My parents... they
were... my dad was strict...
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and I was scared of
my dad growing up...
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he was strict... he was
from Mississippi so he was
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country boy he
wouldn't play around with you
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OK... My dad was strict...
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OK... well... go
ahead... Well, my mom...
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she was more laid
back... you know...
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you know how mothers
are... you all are just loving
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Oh, with the nurture..
right... Right... right...
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yeah, yeah, yeah, so your mom
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was nurturing and
your dad was strict
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and how many brothers
and sisters did you have?
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Well, there were eleven of us,
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six girls and
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I got four other brothers.
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And where were you
in the birth order?
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I'm number nine...
Number Nine... OK... so you are
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close to the end there Right...
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Close to being the
baby... Right, right...
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So were you spoiled? Yes,
'cause you see... my dad...
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he made these kids
with two different women...
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OK... So my mom only had four...
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I'm the only boy and
the rest are girls... so...
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I was her only son...
so... you know, I was spoiled...
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Mothers and sons...
there's a special deal
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with mothers and
sons... Yeah... yeah...
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So, did you grow
up in the inner city
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or where you in the suburbs,
what kind of socio-economic
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level were you... It was both...
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'cause my dad was in dry-wall,
so... he was always in the city,
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or we might be in a suburb..
so.. it was a mixture of both...
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One minute we might be in LA,
next minute... we might be in
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Indio, California... So
you moved around a lot...
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Oh... we moved
around.. a lot... OK...
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I mean... I went to 14 different
schools in 8 different cities
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Wow... in how long a period?
From Kindergarten all the way
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to ninth grade... Wow...
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Fourteen different schools,
when I was growing up...
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I went to four
different High Schools
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and I thought that was bad...
but I don't have anything on 14
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that was a lot... so
how did that affect you
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moving around a lot... like
that how did that affect you?
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Well, when I look back at it now
I believe the reason why I...
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I am a people
person... I can go up to anybody
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don't have to know
them to talk to them
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Hmmm... hmmmm...
and I say that because
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we moved around a lot... because
I always had to meet people
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always had to get
new friends. Yes...
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I truly believe that if
I had stayed in one spot...
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that would have made
me... you know, I select myself
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to other people... so
that's really made me talk
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you know... So, at
what point did you start
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getting involved in
anti-social behavior?
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At what point did you
start going off to a...
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I won't say to the left
but.. going off and being bad...
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I'd say... by the
time I turned thirteen...
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OK... When I turned thirteen,
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it's like...
manhood has hit me. How?
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You know... I turned
13 and... when I turned 13
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I said to myself
No more whippings...
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no more nothing...
and nobody is going to
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put their hands on
me... without struggle...
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without a fight...
and it came from the music
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I was listening to...
'cause... at that time,
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a certain Rap group came
out, and once I heard it...
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and how they were living this
gangster life... selling dope
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and fights and all this...
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I was stuck...
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you know at least
back in the day...
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I had a Jheri Curl... so
I had an LA Raiders hat on
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and a fake gold chain
on... and that was it...
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you know... it
really changed my life...
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it took me down that
direction. You know, David,
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that's a great point,
because so many people
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don't understand
the power of music,
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and the power that it has
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to change your mind-set
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you know... just
like... when we listen to music
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about the Lord... it
can change our mind-set
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and direct our hearts toward
Him so can music about anger
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and violence
and selling drugs...
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that can change our
mind-sets and turn our hearts
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toward the enemy... Right...
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And so, you're telling
us that when you were 13
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that's when, you started
really listening to that music
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and that's when your
values began to change...
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Oh yes... there were
three different artists
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that I listened to...
that totally changed...
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one... put down women...
you know.. treating them real...
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I mean... the way that
you shouldn't treat a woman
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so I listened to
that... my whole attitude was
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OK.. I'll tend to be a player...
and do different things
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like that... the other group...
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they were like
Pro-Black, you know,
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so now... it made me have a more
prideful self about being Black
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and like...
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I got along with everybody
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but this made me
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be more proud of
myself in a negative way,
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than in a positive
way... Hmmmm... hmmmm...
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and the other was, of
course, that gangsta lifestyle,
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I mean that totally
changed me you know,
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I wouldn't even play
with my sisters anymore...
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I got violent with them,
you know, it really changed me.
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Hmmmm... hmmm... ... you know...
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How much time were you spending
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listening to
this music every day?
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Oh.. every day.. all the
time... Throughout the day...
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Yeah, throughout the
day, even when my mom...
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'cause one side was
called "Street Side"
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and the other
side was "Radio Side"
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so the Radio Side... I
had a cousin on that side...
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so my mom... would allow
me to play in the car with her
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you know, as long as I
listened to that side...
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so this was... it
really took over...
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so at thirteen... that's
when everything shifted..
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When did you
start selling drugs?
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At fifteen... OK...
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At fifteen... 'cause you see,
I had a dad.. so he taught me...
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my dad was in
dry-wall construction,
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so that's why we
moved around a lot,
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so he taught me a trade...
he taught me how to, you know,
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be a man and work
and stuff like that
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So, when I turned
15... I joined this gang...
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I always was hard-headed...
you know, you can't tell me
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about what you've been through,
I got to learn for myself...
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that was my attitude about
it, so I joined this gang...
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and at fifteen and
after that... I just...
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See... I always had my own
money because I did dry-wall
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so I didn't have
to... like my friends...
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they might get a front
from the drug dealer...
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I just went and bought it myself
I didn't have to go through
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I worked for
myself... I didn't have to
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do it like they did it...
So, you were working at 15...
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Oh yeah... I've been working
since I was 12 years old...
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Wow... I had my
first Bank account
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at 12 years old... Wow...
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I was making
$200 a week... At 12?
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At 12... I didn't
know what to do with it
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so my mom said,
"Put it in the Bank"
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so she had to sign with me...
but I had my own Bank account...
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and it was kind
of messed up because
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if I asked her
to buy me something
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she said... "No" and I said...
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"It doesn't matter
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I got my own money. "
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Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
I'll go... I'll buy it...
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So.. let's... 'cause a
lot of... including myself
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a lot of our
viewers don't really know
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what the process is...
with getting in a gang...
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Like how... did
somebody approach you?
00:08:35.84\00:08:37.88
Did you approached them?
How did you get in the gang?
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Well, I was approached
by two different gangs...
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The Vice Lords and
the Gangster Disciples
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So... for a whole
week... the Vice Lords
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they're trying to
get me to join them...
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How... When I'm with them...
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hanging with them... and they're
showing me their literature
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now they are not supposed
to show you the literature
00:08:57.42\00:08:58.96
because every gang got...
like how the Bible got rules...
00:08:58.99\00:09:02.00
you know... God... They
have written out guidelines
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They got written
out... a book written out
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by-laws of how you got to do...
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I did not know
that... You know...
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It was kind of organized...
Oh yeah... it's organized...
00:09:11.56\00:09:14.10
it's organized... they
got by-laws of rules that
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you got to memorize and know...
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you go to the meeting...
you got to stand a certain way
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at this meeting... and
present these rules and
00:09:23.93\00:09:27.85
guidelines to it... and
then... if... it's so organized
00:09:27.88\00:09:31.67
that if you
messed up on something...
00:09:31.70\00:09:33.22
say you do something
that goes against the gang
00:09:33.25\00:09:35.35
you get a violation
you call it a violation
00:09:35.39\00:09:37.83
and you can get
beaten up... you can get...
00:09:37.87\00:09:40.25
there... somebody will
grab you and somebody'll just..
00:09:40.28\00:09:42.60
you know for how
many different minutes...
00:09:42.63\00:09:44.77
for however long it may be...
so you got different stuff... so
00:09:44.81\00:09:47.89
it's really organized...
Wow... so... you were hanging
00:09:47.92\00:09:52.64
with these two different groups
and they were kind of wooing you
00:09:52.68\00:09:58.94
trying to get you to join
them. Right... right... right.
00:09:58.98\00:10:00.43
Do both groups
have the written out...
00:10:00.47\00:10:02.45
Yes... yes...
they both got it...
00:10:02.48\00:10:04.10
they call it, you
know, Literature...
00:10:04.14\00:10:05.26
it's called Lit... so...
00:10:05.30\00:10:06.54
So... I was with them...
and then... my friend that was
00:10:06.65\00:10:09.09
already in G D and so
I was hanging with him...
00:10:09.13\00:10:12.20
I was already going to
side with being with "Folks"...
00:10:12.24\00:10:16.33
instead of being
with the Vice Lords...
00:10:16.37\00:10:17.79
What's "Folks"? Well,
that's just another name
00:10:17.83\00:10:20.06
you call it GD... Okay...
00:10:20.09\00:10:22.00
and Gangster Disciple
00:10:22.03\00:10:24.19
or another name is
called Folks. OK...
00:10:24.22\00:10:26.55
Or you may hear me saying 7/4...
00:10:26.90\00:10:28.87
if you think about the alphabet,
the 7th letter is a "G"
00:10:28.91\00:10:32.67
the fourth letter is a "D"
so, if you hear somebody say
00:10:32.71\00:10:36.44
seven four... they're saying GD
00:10:36.47\00:10:38.49
I see... So they're
saying what they are.
00:10:38.52\00:10:40.11
So... I sided with the
Gangster Disciples.. you know...
00:10:40.14\00:10:44.60
So... So now, was
the other gang angry
00:10:44.64\00:10:47.32
that you joined...
Yeah... they were mad...
00:10:47.36\00:10:49.43
And would that be
enough to make them want to
00:10:49.46\00:10:51.46
beat you up... or kill
you... or anything like that?
00:10:51.49\00:10:53.46
Yeah... I mean... yeah...
they could try... you know...
00:10:53.50\00:10:55.43
I mean... yeah... yeah...
So... excuse my naieve...
00:10:55.47\00:11:00.00
but... I got to ask you this...
because a lot of people...
00:11:00.04\00:11:03.32
like me... they don't
know how this works...
00:11:03.36\00:11:05.74
So... it's almost any reason...
you could get wiped out...
00:11:05.78\00:11:12.35
just like that... Oh
yeah... any reason...
00:11:12.38\00:11:14.31
it's so funny... it's like...
once you are part of the gang...
00:11:14.34\00:11:20.14
you hate
whatever the gang hates...
00:11:20.17\00:11:22.61
Oh... Instantly...
00:11:22.64\00:11:24.69
you know... you
never met this person...
00:11:24.73\00:11:26.70
you don't know these
people... if you aren't GD...
00:11:26.73\00:11:29.65
I hate you...
and if I see you...
00:11:29.69\00:11:31.98
it's on... you
don't even know...
00:11:32.01\00:11:34.24
whether you're a man or a
woman, you know... it's crazy...
00:11:34.27\00:11:37.40
when I look back
now... that was just dumb...
00:11:37.44\00:11:39.01
Thank God that He... you
know.. He watched over us...
00:11:39.04\00:11:41.53
and protected
us... that's just...
00:11:41.57\00:11:42.77
Yeah... It's just dumb...
00:11:42.80\00:11:44.09
it's even worse... now...
but that's how it is... you know
00:11:44.12\00:11:47.32
Yeah... yeah... so
you joined the gang...
00:11:47.36\00:11:50.30
and what happened...
once you joined that gang...
00:11:50.34\00:11:54.32
what does that
mean... as far as...
00:11:54.36\00:11:56.30
who you are... is concerned?
00:11:56.33\00:11:58.40
Well, you know,
basically I got someone
00:11:58.44\00:12:03.61
that can ride with me...
00:12:03.64\00:12:04.82
no matter what I get into...
no matter what happens...
00:12:04.86\00:12:07.75
I got a group
going to ride with me...
00:12:07.78\00:12:09.81
they aren't going to come
and ask me "What you did?"
00:12:09.84\00:12:11.80
you know... how your parents...
"What you did to deserve this?"
00:12:11.84\00:12:14.12
No... they're going to say...
"What.. come on... let's go... "
00:12:14.16\00:12:16.61
So you have
protection... Hmmm... hmmmm...
00:12:16.64\00:12:18.60
You have protection
and then you have...
00:12:18.63\00:12:20.52
is it like you're
looking for somebody to care?
00:12:20.55\00:12:23.97
Like they really care
about you, like a family?
00:12:24.00\00:12:26.96
No... because I always...
I came from a big family...
00:12:26.99\00:12:29.92
and I was spoiled... so I
always had that... you know
00:12:29.96\00:12:32.85
So it wasn't about
that? Hmm... hmmm...
00:12:32.88\00:12:34.22
it wasn't about that...
it wasn't about money...
00:12:34.25\00:12:37.36
because my dad always
had money so... truthfully...
00:12:37.40\00:12:40.48
I don't know what...
When I really look back...
00:12:40.52\00:12:43.30
it's something that I
had... I was hard-headed,
00:12:43.33\00:12:46.08
I got to find out for myself...
00:12:46.12\00:12:47.25
You know...
'cause you could tell me
00:12:47.29\00:12:49.26
not to do something...
I'm like... "Why not?"
00:12:49.29\00:12:51.36
Then I ask the question...
"Have you ever done it?"
00:12:51.39\00:12:53.32
and they tell me "No"
and I say, "Wait... then...
00:12:53.35\00:12:55.24
you can't tell me that... "
00:12:55.28\00:12:56.45
because you haven't experienced
it so what you know about it?
00:12:56.49\00:12:59.08
you know... so I had
to figure it out myself...
00:12:59.12\00:13:02.59
Not realizing that it
could have taken you out...
00:13:02.63\00:13:05.14
Right... ... forever...
00:13:05.17\00:13:06.47
and you wouldn't even
00:13:06.51\00:13:07.74
be here today... That's
why... I'm glad the Lord
00:13:07.77\00:13:10.68
didn't let me die...
Yes... yes... praise God...
00:13:10.71\00:13:13.20
So tell us some of the
things that happened to you
00:13:13.23\00:13:15.69
while you were in
the gangs... OK...
00:13:15.72\00:13:17.81
Gang life... there's... you
know violence... fighting...
00:13:17.85\00:13:23.48
shoot-outs... got
into a couple of shoot-outs
00:13:23.52\00:13:26.97
you know...
even... Were you shot?
00:13:27.00\00:13:29.52
No... never been shot... Wow...
00:13:29.55\00:13:32.03
Praise the Lord... you
know... never been shot...
00:13:32.07\00:13:33.42
almost... because I
got in one shoot-out
00:13:33.45\00:13:35.96
with this gang
called "Lion Kings"
00:13:35.99\00:13:38.46
and as I was in the car
00:13:38.49\00:13:42.59
we were at the Stop
Light... we're in the car...
00:13:42.63\00:13:45.68
and they surrounded the
car... throwing bottles...
00:13:45.71\00:13:48.73
and two of them had
a gun on each side...
00:13:48.76\00:13:51.17
Now... the man on my side...
00:13:51.21\00:13:54.88
he was no farther than
maybe three arm reach...
00:13:54.91\00:13:59.51
and I see
him... I see the gun...
00:13:59.55\00:14:01.48
at his waist... he's
trying to pull it out...
00:14:01.52\00:14:03.80
now... if you got a
gun on your waist...
00:14:03.83\00:14:05.65
it's easy to pull
it out... Right...
00:14:05.69\00:14:07.44
...when I think
back now... it's easy...
00:14:07.47\00:14:09.19
Right... I truly believe
00:14:09.41\00:14:11.11
that God sent an
angel... because I'm seeing...
00:14:11.15\00:14:13.09
he got his hands on the
handle he couldn't get it out...
00:14:13.12\00:14:15.64
Wow... I know God sent the angel
00:14:15.67\00:14:17.26
to keep it...
because I'm like...
00:14:17.30\00:14:18.58
"Why isn't he shooting?"
But this dude had his out
00:14:18.61\00:14:21.55
on this side... and he
just started shooting...
00:14:21.80\00:14:23.51
But did he shoot the other guy
that was in the car with you?
00:14:23.54\00:14:26.80
No... because I'm saying..
"Hey man" from the bus...
00:14:26.84\00:14:28.27
get down... and my
friend is saying...
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.36
"Man he ain't gonna
do... " and they started...
00:14:30.40\00:14:31.96
he started letting
loose... so... nobody got hit...
00:14:31.99\00:14:36.07
and we left that scene...
because earlier that day...
00:14:36.11\00:14:40.21
all day long... I
was on the mission
00:14:40.25\00:14:42.37
to kill one of them...
so I had my gun with me
00:14:42.41\00:14:44.77
earlier that day...
and I was looking for them
00:14:44.81\00:14:47.10
I'm talking about...
since 8 o'clock in the morning
00:14:47.13\00:14:49.55
till 3:00 o'clock...
p. m... all day long...
00:14:49.58\00:14:52.57
and we passed... what
had happened at was...
00:14:52.60\00:14:55.55
where they live
at... so, all day long...
00:14:55.58\00:14:58.45
I was looking for these people,
I got tired... put my gun up...
00:14:58.48\00:15:02.46
went to the liquor
store... we listened to Tupac...
00:15:02.49\00:15:05.26
music again... we
listened to Tupac...
00:15:05.29\00:15:07.22
and drinking...
Hmmmm... hmmmmm...
00:15:07.25\00:15:09.11
So, passed the
house... now, they're outside...
00:15:09.15\00:15:12.97
so I couldn't believe it... now,
it's like 20 of them outside
00:15:13.00\00:15:16.29
so I'm all like...
"Where you all was at all day?"
00:15:16.47\00:15:19.81
Wow... But you were
looking for one person or...
00:15:19.84\00:15:23.15
No... I was after the bosses...
as many as I could... no...
00:15:23.19\00:15:25.85
I was going to kill them...
And if you went down in the
00:15:25.88\00:15:27.94
process... or... well?
Like where is that concern
00:15:27.98\00:15:32.16
for your life?
Like... where is that?
00:15:32.19\00:15:34.75
It's not there...
'cause my dad asked me...
00:15:34.79\00:15:37.86
I was 18 years old...
18... and my dad asked me...
00:15:37.89\00:15:41.57
How long do you want to live?
and my dumb self at that time
00:15:41.60\00:15:46.17
said... "21 is a
good old age to die"
00:15:46.20\00:15:51.19
A good old age to
die... at 21... that's...
00:15:51.23\00:15:55.74
I'm 39 now... Praise the Lord...
00:15:55.77\00:15:57.90
...that's stupid... I'm like...
00:15:57.93\00:15:59.98
I'm like Lord...
because different stuff like,
00:16:00.02\00:16:03.21
one day I was at the park...
00:16:03.24\00:16:04.52
Yeah... ... And another gang...
00:16:04.56\00:16:05.77
The Stones... they were at
the park... having a meeting
00:16:05.80\00:16:09.35
We... we... that made us mad...
so... it was summer time...
00:16:09.39\00:16:12.90
see that's the...
Satan loves summer time...
00:16:12.94\00:16:15.65
OK... Because summer time...
00:16:15.68\00:16:17.15
everybody is out... and it's
nothing but a lot of killings...
00:16:17.18\00:16:21.09
you know... Yeah...
00:16:21.13\00:16:22.25
I mean... for no reason
at all, just... killings...
00:16:22.28\00:16:24.59
I went to the house... I
saw them having a meeting
00:16:24.63\00:16:27.58
we all broke up... went
to the house to get my gun
00:16:27.61\00:16:30.52
so... I'm going to the house...
my gun is under the couch...
00:16:30.56\00:16:34.25
my dad is sitting on the
couch, I grabbed the gun...
00:16:34.29\00:16:37.40
He said, "What are you doing?"
I said... well... I told him...
00:16:37.43\00:16:39.92
so he tried to talk me out...
you know... talked to me...
00:16:39.96\00:16:42.96
this and that... we
talked for a minute...
00:16:42.99\00:16:44.36
and I'm like,
"Man... it don't matter"
00:16:44.39\00:16:45.68
and so that's when he asked
me how long I wanted to live...
00:16:45.72\00:16:47.59
After I told him
that... my dad went out
00:16:47.63\00:16:49.27
and put a big life
insurance policy on me...
00:16:49.31\00:16:52.96
'cause he just figured...
I'm not going to cash in
00:16:53.00\00:16:57.73
on my son because I already
know because my other brothers
00:16:57.77\00:17:00.32
they've been in
and out of prison,
00:17:00.35\00:17:01.73
their whole lives
00:17:01.76\00:17:03.35
I got a brother
now... in his 50s...
00:17:03.39\00:17:05.01
still in prison...
00:17:05.04\00:17:06.66
I got a brother
now... he's been in prison
00:17:06.69\00:17:08.70
since he was 18 and
he's like 50 something too
00:17:08.73\00:17:12.01
he's still in
prison... you know...
00:17:12.05\00:17:14.43
Yes... yeah... yeah... yeah...
So it's like... it's crazy...
00:17:14.46\00:17:17.64
It is... it's such
a web... that Satan,
00:17:17.67\00:17:22.60
you know... Satan weaves
this web and we talk about it on
00:17:22.64\00:17:26.57
Urban Report all the
time... there's God's plan
00:17:26.61\00:17:28.94
and then there's Satan's plan...
Satan's plan... is to destroy...
00:17:28.98\00:17:32.85
and he'll give you the illusion
of wealth... and stuff...
00:17:32.89\00:17:39.84
and sex... and
anything... drugs...
00:17:39.88\00:17:43.03
anything that you might
want and then you're just
00:17:43.07\00:17:45.68
sucked down into
this... like the tub...
00:17:45.71\00:17:48.06
like the drain in the tub...
00:17:48.10\00:17:49.44
It's just like... as you
see in the movie stars... right?
00:17:49.47\00:17:53.53
and the music
stars... and the actor stars...
00:17:53.57\00:17:56.36
and all these
stars... but in the hood...
00:17:56.39\00:17:59.05
you got ghetto stars...
and I used to be a ghetto star
00:17:59.08\00:18:02.70
everybody knows you
everybody wants a piece of you
00:18:02.74\00:18:06.32
you know what I mean... Yes...
00:18:06.35\00:18:07.55
everybody wants
to hang around you...
00:18:07.58\00:18:09.24
everybody offers you
all kinds of stuff...
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.16
so... you get addicted to
that you know... you want that
00:18:11.19\00:18:14.56
no matter what you
do... It's like celebrity...
00:18:14.60\00:18:16.78
Yeah... yes... Like
being a celebrity...
00:18:16.82\00:18:18.67
people know you...
they're drawn to you...
00:18:18.71\00:18:20.49
Right... right... .. and
I had... I was talking to
00:18:20.53\00:18:23.05
a young man that
is a gang member now
00:18:23.09\00:18:25.80
and he said...
"Everywhere I go.. they know me"
00:18:25.84\00:18:28.88
they know me...
like... "I'm the man"
00:18:28.92\00:18:32.18
and it's like...
OK... but you put your life
00:18:32.22\00:18:35.56
on the line for
that? Yeah... that's...
00:18:35.60\00:18:39.11
'cause it's like... they knew
00:18:39.14\00:18:41.34
how I act... now I've been
skinny and little all my life...
00:18:41.38\00:18:44.53
but they knew...
00:18:44.57\00:18:48.68
not to mess with me...
00:18:48.71\00:18:49.82
you know what I
mean... like if I got...
00:18:49.86\00:18:52.01
I'm going to have to kill him,
'cause he ain't going to go...
00:18:52.04\00:18:55.13
you know... he
ain't going to stop...
00:18:55.16\00:18:57.07
he ain't going to go...
so if I mess with him...
00:18:57.10\00:18:58.61
I got to kill this
man... and I kept pistols on me
00:18:58.64\00:19:01.39
my dad... I grew up and my dad
00:19:01.42\00:19:03.47
always had
guns... you know... so...
00:19:03.51\00:19:06.35
I always loved pistols...
and like New Year's Eve
00:19:06.38\00:19:09.19
I used to take all the
pistols put it in the car
00:19:09.22\00:19:12.37
just go to the
Projects... or in the streets
00:19:12.40\00:19:15.52
there's shooting...
and I tell you something...
00:19:15.55\00:19:18.69
it's dumb... I'm not proud of
it but I'm in front of my dad's
00:19:18.73\00:19:23.82
house I got one of my dad's
rifles... I got it loaded...
00:19:23.85\00:19:27.22
and... like a block
away... maybe two blocks away
00:19:27.25\00:19:30.58
I see a man... just
got out of his car...
00:19:30.61\00:19:32.85
standing at his car... right...
00:19:32.89\00:19:34.92
hmmmm... hmmmm...
probably just got off work...
00:19:34.95\00:19:37.18
and my dumb
self... standing outside
00:19:37.21\00:19:40.42
in front of my house
started shooting at the man
00:19:40.45\00:19:45.07
I'm just "pow"
"pow" "pow" you know...
00:19:45.11\00:19:48.52
and I know... he
didn't fall but I know...
00:19:48.56\00:19:51.94
the Lord had just sent
His angels to do whatever
00:19:51.98\00:19:54.73
with those bullets Yes...
00:19:54.76\00:19:55.95
you know... so it's like
00:19:55.99\00:19:57.11
you know... you get stuck
on... we really didn't care
00:19:57.15\00:20:00.71
about what we're doing...
00:20:00.75\00:20:02.02
Yes... yes... you
know at that time...
00:20:02.06\00:20:04.74
So how did God...
get His hands on you...
00:20:04.77\00:20:07.38
what did He do...
because our God is so awesome...
00:20:07.42\00:20:10.38
What did He do?
00:20:10.41\00:20:11.52
Oh... OK... so in
1997... got in a car accident
00:20:11.56\00:20:17.71
broke my neck... so
after going through that
00:20:17.74\00:20:23.82
that sent me to the Church...
so... went to the Church
00:20:23.86\00:20:28.78
started serving the Lord...
00:20:28.82\00:20:31.27
but the streets were still
00:20:31.30\00:20:33.68
holding on to me... so I
went back into the streets
00:20:33.72\00:20:36.83
and I say it that way because
I didn't have the truth...
00:20:36.87\00:20:43.66
Hmmmm... ... and I know now...
00:20:43.70\00:20:46.55
the only thing that can
hold you is the truth...
00:20:46.59\00:20:49.32
you know... lies
can't hold you. Right...
00:20:49.36\00:20:51.75
So now... it's like 2007...
00:20:51.78\00:20:56.68
can't get a job...
00:20:56.72\00:20:59.00
can't use my trade...
00:20:59.03\00:21:01.27
tried to sell
dope... can't even do that...
00:21:01.31\00:21:04.20
can't do nothing... so..
I... nothing worked for me
00:21:04.23\00:21:07.30
a friend of mine... that
lived in Marion, Illinois
00:21:07.33\00:21:10.36
called me to come
do a job with him...
00:21:10.39\00:21:12.32
I come down and do
the job with him...
00:21:12.35\00:21:14.24
What kind of job? Dry-wall job
00:21:14.27\00:21:15.84
Oh Ok...
00:21:15.88\00:21:16.91
So I went to the house with him
00:21:16.94\00:21:18.09
and I'm staying with his parents
00:21:18.13\00:21:21.10
I did the house... maybe $1,600
00:21:21.14\00:21:24.08
I bought a truck for
$950, the rest of the money
00:21:24.11\00:21:26.38
I just drank it
away... ate and drank...
00:21:26.41\00:21:29.29
so I'm down to my last $50
so now I'm all like... OK...
00:21:29.32\00:21:32.74
What am I going to do? I
don't want to sell drugs...
00:21:32.77\00:21:36.15
I'm not going to do
that... I got an idea...
00:21:36.19\00:21:39.14
I can start collecting cans...
so I figure... I got a truck..
00:21:39.17\00:21:42.54
I'll wait at night... go
through the garbage at night
00:21:42.58\00:21:45.41
ain't nobody going to see
me... I'll start doing that...
00:21:45.44\00:21:48.17
so I'm sitting at the table...
I got all these beer cans...
00:21:48.20\00:21:50.90
because I'm drinking
while I'm thinking this...
00:21:50.93\00:21:52.01
and something impressed me
to go outside to the garbage can
00:21:52.04\00:21:55.90
and check the garbage...
outside the trailer...
00:21:55.94\00:21:58.20
but it's like 10:30 at night...
so I'm fighting with myself...
00:21:58.24\00:22:00.95
I said.. "No... I'm not feeling
good... it's cold out there. "
00:22:00.98\00:22:03.65
So... I'm really having
this conversation with myself...
00:22:03.69\00:22:06.09
Right... right...
00:22:06.12\00:22:07.28
I'm like... I'm
not going to do that...
00:22:07.31\00:22:08.77
I said, "Look, I'm
not going to do it... "
00:22:08.80\00:22:10.27
that's it... I went to
sleep... woke up in the morning
00:22:10.30\00:22:12.98
got up at 7:00...
put on my Rap music again
00:22:13.02\00:22:15.90
cracked a beer
open... started drinking...
00:22:15.93\00:22:18.78
At 7:00 a. m. 7:00 a. m.
00:22:18.81\00:22:20.39
the family I was staying
with... they're all off to work
00:22:20.42\00:22:23.30
said "Bye" to them... I said...
"Let me check this garbage"
00:22:23.33\00:22:26.17
I checked the garbage...
and go to get the cans...
00:22:26.21\00:22:28.03
but sitting on top
of the cans I found...
00:22:28.06\00:22:30.65
at the time... I
thought that it was a DVD
00:22:30.68\00:22:33.27
It said, "My
Fear 1 and My Fear 2"
00:22:33.30\00:22:35.63
and so now I'm happy...
I'm going to watch some killing
00:22:35.67\00:22:38.25
this morning... I'm
going to see some violence
00:22:38.28\00:22:40.14
you know... I'm real happy...
I mean... I'm yelling...
00:22:40.18\00:22:42.11
I'm so happy...
right... I go back in the house
00:22:42.15\00:22:45.47
that's how happy I
was... I go back in the house
00:22:45.50\00:22:48.79
I put them down,
00:22:48.82\00:22:50.09
grab another beer...
boom... I put it in...
00:22:50.13\00:22:53.12
boom... nothing comes on TV...
so... but I start hearing a
00:22:53.15\00:22:59.06
a person
speak... so I find out...
00:22:59.09\00:23:01.93
that it was a
CD... and it was this man
00:23:01.97\00:23:05.10
from New York...
that was Italian...
00:23:05.14\00:23:08.24
that he was in a mob...
and he was giving his testimony
00:23:08.28\00:23:11.15
on how he found Jesus Christ...
so I'm listening to that
00:23:11.19\00:23:14.03
his life was kind of like mine,
and it really touched my heart
00:23:14.06\00:23:16.92
it broke me down...
and I started crying...
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.83
and I got on my knees...
and repented of everything
00:23:19.86\00:23:23.74
that I could
possibly remember you know...
00:23:23.78\00:23:25.85
I mean... I cried for over
an hour... I mean... snot...
00:23:25.89\00:23:28.28
I'm huh... huh...
huh... on of those...
00:23:28.32\00:23:30.26
Yes... you got convicted...
Oh man... it was painful...
00:23:30.29\00:23:35.00
I just felt like I
was going to die...
00:23:35.04\00:23:36.87
Like the Lord
forgave me right now...
00:23:36.90\00:23:38.66
You know... so... I
started going to Church
00:23:38.70\00:23:43.06
with my neighbors...
and so I stopped drinking
00:23:43.10\00:23:47.43
stopped cussing...
and where I was at...
00:23:47.46\00:23:49.74
the family that I was
with... they're good people but
00:23:49.77\00:23:51.70
they're used to
having me acting the fool
00:23:51.74\00:23:54.67
I wasn't acting like that...
so they had a problem with me
00:23:54.71\00:23:57.78
Hmmmm... So
now, I checked myself
00:23:57.82\00:23:59.84
into the Shelter
so I was homeless
00:23:59.87\00:24:01.82
for like 3 months...
still couldn't find a job
00:24:01.85\00:24:04.75
didn't know what to do...
00:24:04.78\00:24:06.17
But were you holding
on to Jesus at this point?
00:24:06.20\00:24:09.90
Yes... yes... So my
family is calling me
00:24:09.94\00:24:11.52
and telling me to
come where they're at...
00:24:11.56\00:24:13.08
my friends in Chicago
are telling me to come
00:24:13.11\00:24:14.88
where they're at... my
other family in Mississippi
00:24:14.92\00:24:18.22
is telling me to
come where they're at...
00:24:18.25\00:24:19.61
and I'd have been
all over the place,
00:24:19.64\00:24:20.97
I never found
Jesus in those places...
00:24:21.00\00:24:22.75
never found Him there... I
found Him in Marion, Illinois
00:24:22.79\00:24:26.33
it wasn't even
Marion, Illinois Yeah...
00:24:26.37\00:24:28.71
It was hard... I
was homeless, no money,
00:24:28.75\00:24:31.71
no nothing, I mean, I
had some crying nights
00:24:31.75\00:24:34.68
but I just
knew... I got to stay here
00:24:34.71\00:24:37.62
I can't go... I
know God is everywhere
00:24:37.65\00:24:40.53
Yes... yes... but
until I figured that out
00:24:40.56\00:24:43.19
later on... I just
knew.. He's right here...
00:24:43.22\00:24:45.78
so I wasn't going to leave...
so... I met a young lady
00:24:45.82\00:24:49.47
and I was at her house and...
00:24:49.51\00:24:52.36
we were watching a TV
show... and they were saying
00:24:52.40\00:24:56.46
"Don't blame God for
nothing no matter what happened
00:24:56.50\00:24:58.65
in your life... "
and I said, "Lord"
00:24:58.68\00:25:00.11
talking to myself... I
said, "Lord, I believe that...
00:25:00.14\00:25:02.49
whatever happens
to me from this point
00:25:02.95\00:25:04.62
I won't blame you... I
know it was my decisions... "
00:25:04.66\00:25:07.07
soon as I said that
at 10:30 my phone rang...
00:25:07.11\00:25:09.02
and it was a
friend I haven't talked to
00:25:09.06\00:25:11.45
in three or four
months... he said...
00:25:11.49\00:25:12.60
"You want a job?"
His first words were
00:25:12.63\00:25:13.94
"You want a job?"
I said, "Yes, I do. "
00:25:13.97\00:25:15.24
He gave me the
number of his boss
00:25:15.28\00:25:17.58
I called him.. he gave me
a job, so now... I got a job
00:25:17.61\00:25:20.79
Wow... Right, I go
back to the Shelter,
00:25:20.83\00:25:23.29
they kicked me out the Shelter..
So now you're really homeless...
00:25:23.33\00:25:26.70
right... so I don't
know why... so I went back to
00:25:26.74\00:25:28.52
the young lady's
house, stayed over there
00:25:28.55\00:25:30.59
and... after that me and
her... got married and...
00:25:30.62\00:25:37.84
Praise the Lord and I love
your wife... she's wonderful.
00:25:37.87\00:25:41.18
Then... I started going
back to Church with her and then
00:25:41.22\00:25:43.69
in one week... I
re-dedicated myself to the Lord
00:25:43.73\00:25:47.72
started going to Church
for a while and after that
00:25:47.75\00:25:50.27
on Monday I started
reading the Gospels...
00:25:50.30\00:25:52.48
and Jesus started
showing me... I saw...
00:25:52.52\00:25:54.63
He just started showing me
Himself for the first time...
00:25:54.66\00:25:57.38
about the
Sabbath... the Second Coming...
00:25:57.42\00:25:59.68
there's no
Rapture... about Hell...
00:25:59.71\00:26:02.42
about The Mark of
the Beast... Yes...
00:26:02.46\00:26:05.13
then I accepted all
that truth. Praise God...
00:26:05.17\00:26:08.40
We have like one minute
left... I can't believe this...
00:26:08.63\00:26:12.58
What would you tell a
young man in 30 seconds or less
00:26:12.61\00:26:16.53
what would you tell...
look into that camera...
00:26:16.56\00:26:18.28
and tell a young man what to
do if he is caught up in a gang
00:26:18.31\00:26:21.76
what should he do...
00:26:21.80\00:26:22.92
The only thing that you
can do is to get on your knees
00:26:23.39\00:26:27.24
and accept Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior
00:26:27.27\00:26:29.88
He is your only way
out... there's no other way
00:26:29.91\00:26:32.48
not even
death... even if you think
00:26:32.52\00:26:34.17
the gang is going to kill
me... that's not the way out
00:26:34.20\00:26:36.69
because you got to
see Jesus in the judgment
00:26:36.96\00:26:39.48
so there's no
other way out but Him...
00:26:39.52\00:26:41.54
and I guarantee... if you repent
00:26:41.57\00:26:43.03
of your sins and ask
Him to come into your life
00:26:43.06\00:26:45.15
He will and He
will change your life...
00:26:45.18\00:26:47.11
into something new
the way He wants...
00:26:47.14\00:26:49.03
Thank you so much... so David...
00:26:49.13\00:26:51.77
where do you go from
here... what is your plan...
00:26:51.80\00:26:55.08
what is God doing in your
life with your ministry...
00:26:55.11\00:26:58.35
Well, now He opens the
door where I can preach and
00:26:58.39\00:27:01.35
I'm a Literature Evangelist now,
so my goal is to do whatever
00:27:01.39\00:27:05.84
He wants me to do... you know...
00:27:05.87\00:27:07.64
I lived my life
and did my own thing
00:27:07.68\00:27:09.38
and that didn't work...
so... whatever He wants me to do
00:27:09.42\00:27:12.25
I'm going to do it.. you
know... just take the message...
00:27:12.29\00:27:15.09
Yes... yes... and
you are such a tremendous
00:27:15.12\00:27:18.80
example of what God can
do... Look at where God brought
00:27:18.84\00:27:22.17
you from... David
is such a great example
00:27:22.20\00:27:24.33
of someone who found out
that God had a great plan
00:27:24.36\00:27:27.67
for his life... He was on a
00:27:27.71\00:27:29.93
super-destructive path... and
look where God has brought him.
00:27:29.97\00:27:33.39
This is the abundant
life... if left up to himself...
00:27:33.43\00:27:37.18
David would now be
either incarcerated or dead
00:27:37.21\00:27:39.71
but God had a better plan...
and God's got a plan for you too
00:27:39.75\00:27:44.48
He wants to give
you a better life...
00:27:44.52\00:27:46.80
ask Him to show you...
what He wants you to do...
00:27:46.83\00:27:50.08
and watch what happens...
David, thank you so much
00:27:50.12\00:27:53.38
for being with us...
May God bless you and
00:27:53.41\00:27:55.88
your ministry... in all
that you're doing for Him
00:27:55.92\00:27:58.53
Well, that's our
program for today...
00:27:58.57\00:28:00.21
thank you so
much for tuning in...
00:28:00.25\00:28:01.86
Join us next time...
00:28:01.89\00:28:02.95
It wouldn't be the
same... without you.
00:28:02.98\00:28:06.15